This is the world's worst city to live in 2025; here's where Karachi and Dhaka stand in Global Liveability Index
While Western Europe dominated the upper rankings, cities in the Middle East and Africa ranked among the least liveable. Let's find out where the rest of the world stands in the list.
According to the 2025 Global Liveability Index, the least liveable city is Damascus in Syria, with 140th rank. Tripoli, Dhaka, and Karachi also remained near the bottom.
The annual index list asses 173 cities from around the globe under five categories, including stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. Under these categories, Damascus scored 20 in stability, 29.2 in healthcare, 33.1 in culture and environment, 25 in education, and 32.1 in infrastructure. The overall rating was 28.
For perspective, Copenhagen got 100 in stability, infrastructure, and education, while 95.8 and 95.4 in healthcare and culture and environment, respectively. The Danish capital's index rating was 98.
Per the 2025 Global Liveability Index, Karachi in Pakistan ranked 134 and Dhaka in Bangladesh ranked 139. While Karachi's overall rating stands at 38.7, Dhaka was given a 33 rating.
Meanwhile, New Delhi and Mumbai ranked 120 and 121 in the liveability list. The survey highlighted that the liveability score of some cities dropped more than others. London dropped from 45th to 54th, Manchester from 43rd to 52nd, and Edinburgh from 59th to 64th. These shifts were linked to rising civil unrest and growing urban homelessness, per the report.
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Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Roshni Yadav is a Deputy Copy Editor with The Indian Express. She is an alumna of the University of Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru University, where she pursued her graduation and post-graduation in Political Science. She has over five years of work experience in ed-tech and media. At The Indian Express, she writes for the UPSC section. Her interests lie in national and international affairs, governance, economy, and social issues. You can contact her via email: ... Read More
