Karachi has been ranked among the world’s least liveable cities in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) Global Liveability Index 2026, placing 170th out of 173 cities evaluated worldwide.
Only Dhaka, Tripoli and Damascus ranked below Pakistan’s largest city. War affected Tehran ranked 164th, while Kyiv placed 166th, both performing slightly better than Karachi.
The EIU’s annual Global Liveability Index assesses living conditions in 173 cities using 30 indicators grouped into five categories: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. The index serves as one of the world’s most widely referenced measures of urban quality of life and resilience.
According to the EIU, large metropolitan areas often lose points because of congestion, crime and pressure on public services.
Karachi received an overall score of 43 out of 100, tying with Algiers.
Its category scores reflected challenges across several sectors. The city scored 20 for stability, 54 for healthcare, 36 for culture and environment, 75 for education, and 52 for infrastructure.
Education remained Karachi’s strongest-performing category, while stability received the lowest score.
Regional cities also lose ground
The latest rankings also highlighted the impact of regional conflicts on Middle Eastern cities.
Following the recent US-Iran conflict, several Gulf cities slipped in the rankings.
Muscat recorded the sharpest decline, falling 14 places to 123rd after Iranian drone strikes disrupted regional stability. Doha dropped seven places to 108th, while Dubai and Abu Dhabi each slipped four positions to 79th and 76th, respectively.
The EIU noted that geopolitical tensions and security concerns affected stability scores across several cities in the region.
The report evaluates not only public services but also how political stability, conflict, crime and environmental conditions influence everyday life.
Western Europe once again emerged as the world’s most liveable region, benefiting from strong healthcare systems, quality infrastructure, stable governments and high educational standards.
Copenhagen retains top position
At the top of the 2026 rankings, Copenhagen retained its position as the world’s most liveable city for the second consecutive year.
Vienna ranked second, followed by Melbourne in third place. Other cities in the top ten included Sydney, Zurich, Geneva, Osaka, Adelaide, Vancouver and Tokyo. Vancouver remained North America’s only representative in the top ten, while Tokyo was the only megacity to secure a place among the world’s most liveable cities.
The EIU said Copenhagen maintained its lead through consistently strong performances across stability, education and infrastructure.
Karachi’s latest ranking underscores the scale of the city’s urban challenges, including security concerns, traffic congestion, healthcare gaps and infrastructure pressures. Despite improvements in education, the report suggests substantial investment and long-term reforms will be necessary to improve the city’s overall liveability in future editions of the index.
