We often pick a city we want to live in based on the language we wish to learn, the job we want or because of love.
What if we could combine all of these (and more) elements next time we are looking for a new base?
At Spotahome, we've decided to find out which are the healthiest cities in the world. We've created a healthy city index that scores over 80 locations across the world. Each city is ranked based on how well it performs across 10 distinct, health-related factors including:
You can do your own ranking by changing the values at the top of the table. For example, if you value green spaces more than the number of gyms, you can tap on the tree at the top right of the table. Have fun playing with this interactive map to find out what's your next healthy destination.
The Top 10 Healthiest Cities in Europe
Once we've ranked the world's healthiest cities, we also wanted to find out which cities in the old continent made the cut and here is the top 10 healthiest cities in Europe.
10 Hamburg, Germany
Hamburg is the first German city in this list thanks to its great health care system, attention for the environment which reflects in one of the best air and water quality in Europe.
Hamburg is also often mentioned among the best cities to raise a family thanks to its high level of education, low unemployment rate, kid-friendliness and general happiness.
9 Stockholm, Sweden
Stockholm was the first city in Europe to be rated European Green Capital in 2010 and since then it has pushed for even more green initiatives to keep its green crown. Remarkably, it has reduced its carbon emission by 25% since the 90s and it has set the challenging goal to be totally fossil free by 2050. In order to achieve such a target, it has invested in public transports, sophisticated recycling waste systems and the promotion of cycling by creating the right conditions for people to commute.
8 Helsinki, Finland
A fairly low number of cars, low pollution rates and high life expectancy at birthare some of the factors that have pushed Helsinki to be 8th on Europe's Healthiest Cities ranking. Other things that make the Finnish city a great place to be, surely include its great work-life balance (the city ranks 16th in the world) and the number of annual vacation days.
7 Vienna, Austria
Set among the gorgeous Alps, the Austrian capital, Vienna, features a low crime rate, great education system, good public services on top of great air and water quality.
Viennese are also drawn by the beautiful landscapes and surroundings since the obesity ratio is very low and the superb healthcare system with a great doctor-to-citizen ratio.
6 Tallinn, Estonia
Walking around Tallin, you will be immediately hit by the idea that everyone is super handsome and incredibly beautiful. Estonians are ridiculously gorgeous, but the fact that they have the best gyms in Tallin plays in their favour for being the fittest people in Europe. Tall, blonde and fit, what else you need?
5 Berlin, Germany
A list about the healthiest cities in Europe, couldn't be complete without Berlin. Among the first in terms of electric power charges available in town, Berlin was also voted the best city in the world for millenials earlier this year. To beat the strong competition (cities like London, New York and Amsterdam were included in the list), Berlin has proved to have a better business ecosystem, including the number of jobs, the availability of essentials like housing, food and transport. Openness in terms of gender equality and tolerance is also very high in the German capital.
4 Munich, Germany
The Oktoberfest city is not only great for beer, but it also ranks 7th in the world for air and water quality on top of an abundance of tourist attractions and sophisticated restaurants and bars. With its great universities and** lively nightlife**, Munich is a great option for those looking for a new fun base to live.
3 Rotterdam, Netherlands
The Netherlands scored the gold and bronze medal in this ranking, with Rotterdam being no.3 thanks to its great work-life balance. This is a city that values family and personal life more than work. Dutch families also share the work and this can be seen by looking at the percentage of females working in the Netherlands, which is much higher than two decades ago and is also higher than the OECD average.
2 Oslo, Norway
Norway's capital, Oslo, is known for its green spaces (no.11 globally) and fantastic museums. But the Nordics, especially Oslo, are world-famous for their excellent work-life balance. If in most countries around the world, we feel like we live to work, in Norway, the approach is much more that people work in order to live. For example, normal working hours in Oslo are from 8 am to 4 pm, which means that Norwegians are very task-oriented and efficient during their time at the office.
1 Amsterdam, Netherlands
From canals to great lifestyle and historical sights, Amsterdam is our Europe's healthiest city. It not only features one of the highest annual vacation days in the world, but it is also a city of tolerance and diversity. Additionally, it has all of the advantages of a big city, while having a very compact size. It's incredibly bike-friendly and it features the second highest number of electric car points in the world (second only to London).
So, which healthiest city is for you?
Find out more about our research here and feel free to play around with the different metrics to find out which city is the perfect one for you.
Read more about our favourite European cities here: