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What the 2025 Global Livability Index Reveals About the Future of Talent Mobility
For employers and their employees, deciding on global assignment locations is critical. The latest EIU Global Livability Index reveals a shifting landscape. Copenhagen has overtaken Vienna as the world’s most livable city. At the same time, several former favorites slipped down the rankings due to strains on healthcare systems and rising instability.
For mobility leaders and HR teams, these rankings offer a roadmap for where assignments are most likely to be successful. Safety, healthcare quality, education, and infrastructure all play a critical role in assignment success, but they don’t always align neatly with cost considerations. Understanding these trends can help mobility and HR teams balance employee experience, risk mitigation, and relocation budgets. Look at the chart below to get a clear picture of the cities in the top 10 ranking from the Index, but with an added cost tier.
Mercer Cost of Living City Ranking
What It Means for Mobility Programs
Safety & Stability as Assignment Drivers
Stability scores are slipping, even in-top ranking cities, making proactive risk management more important than ever. Mobility/HR should work closely with relocation management companies and DSPs to review and update Duty of Care protocols, ensuring that relocating employees are informed of potential risks before assignment. Clear documentation, pre-assignment assessments, and effective communication between the employer and the relocating employee reduce surprises and improve overall assignment safety.
Healthcare Access Drives Assignment Success
Healthcare quality remains a key factor in assignment success, especially for long-term relocations or moves involving families. Falling healthcare scores in some cities, such as Calgary’s decline this year, can signal stress points for employers and should prompt a review of available resources before the assignment.
Attention to family concerns is critical at the start and throughout an assignment. Offering employees clear information on local healthcare systems, insurance coverage, and provider networks, as well as practical support like locating clinics and navigating care abroad, reduces stress and helps families acclimate more quickly. This proactive approach supports employee well-being and improves retention and assignment satisfaction.
Infrastructure & Education
Reliable public transit, housing availability, and access to quality schools can make or break a smooth relocation. Cities like Copenhagen, Vienna, and Melbourne excel in these areas, offering a benchmark for other destinations. HR and mobility professionals should evaluate these factors early in planning, identifying potential gaps and preparing support for housing searches, school placements, and commuting logistics.
Providing this infrastructure insight helps employees and their families transition more smoothly, reduces early-assignment stress, and sets a strong foundation for success in the host location.
Cost vs. Livability Trade-Offs
Livability doesn’t always align with affordability, and that’s where mobility strategy matters. Many top-ranked cities also carry higher housing costs, tax burdens, or overall assignment expenses. HR and mobility leaders should balance employee experience with budget realities, using tools like cost-of-living data, housing market insights, and allowance modeling to make informed decisions.
There are also opportunities in rising cities with lower costs. Jakarta and Al Khobar, for example, are gaining ground in livability rankings while remaining relatively affordable. Employers can leverage these markets for cost-effective placements that still offer employees a strong quality of life.
Closing
The 2025 Global Livability Index offers more than just bragging rights for top cities. It provides a framework for more intelligent, data-driven mobility decisions. By combining livability insights with cost analysis, risk assessments, and employee support, HR and mobility leaders can place talent where they will thrive, not just survive. The result is a mobility program that balances business goals with employee well-being.
Explore the full Livability Index here to see how other cities around the world compare—and uncover opportunities beyond the top 10.
NEI Global Relocation (NEI), a certified Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE), partners with over 200 clients—including Fortune Global 100, Fortune 500, and Fortune 1000 companies—to deliver world-class global mobility and assignment management solutions. Headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, with offices in Switzerland and Singapore, NEI helps companies transition employees smoothly across the globe.
What the 2025 Global Livability Index Reveals About the Future of Talent Mobility
For employers and their employees, deciding on global assignment locations is critical. The latest EIU Global Livability Index reveals a shifting landscape. Copenhagen has overtaken Vienna as the world’s most livable city. At the same time, several former favorites slipped down the rankings due to strains on healthcare systems and rising instability.
For mobility leaders and HR teams, these rankings offer a roadmap for where assignments are most likely to be successful. Safety, healthcare quality, education, and infrastructure all play a critical role in assignment success, but they don’t always align neatly with cost considerations. Understanding these trends can help mobility and HR teams balance employee experience, risk mitigation, and relocation budgets. Look at the chart below to get a clear picture of the cities in the top 10 ranking from the Index, but with an added cost tier.
Mercer Cost of Living City Ranking
What It Means for Mobility Programs
Safety & Stability as Assignment Drivers
Stability scores are slipping, even in-top ranking cities, making proactive risk management more important than ever. Mobility/HR should work closely with relocation management companies and DSPs to review and update Duty of Care protocols, ensuring that relocating employees are informed of potential risks before assignment. Clear documentation, pre-assignment assessments, and effective communication between the employer and the relocating employee reduce surprises and improve overall assignment safety.
Healthcare Access Drives Assignment Success
Healthcare quality remains a key factor in assignment success, especially for long-term relocations or moves involving families. Falling healthcare scores in some cities, such as Calgary’s decline this year, can signal stress points for employers and should prompt a review of available resources before the assignment.
Attention to family concerns is critical at the start and throughout an assignment. Offering employees clear information on local healthcare systems, insurance coverage, and provider networks, as well as practical support like locating clinics and navigating care abroad, reduces stress and helps families acclimate more quickly. This proactive approach supports employee well-being and improves retention and assignment satisfaction.
Infrastructure & Education
Reliable public transit, housing availability, and access to quality schools can make or break a smooth relocation. Cities like Copenhagen, Vienna, and Melbourne excel in these areas, offering a benchmark for other destinations. HR and mobility professionals should evaluate these factors early in planning, identifying potential gaps and preparing support for housing searches, school placements, and commuting logistics.
Providing this infrastructure insight helps employees and their families transition more smoothly, reduces early-assignment stress, and sets a strong foundation for success in the host location.
Cost vs. Livability Trade-Offs
Livability doesn’t always align with affordability, and that’s where mobility strategy matters. Many top-ranked cities also carry higher housing costs, tax burdens, or overall assignment expenses. HR and mobility leaders should balance employee experience with budget realities, using tools like cost-of-living data, housing market insights, and allowance modeling to make informed decisions.
There are also opportunities in rising cities with lower costs. Jakarta and Al Khobar, for example, are gaining ground in livability rankings while remaining relatively affordable. Employers can leverage these markets for cost-effective placements that still offer employees a strong quality of life.
Closing
The 2025 Global Livability Index offers more than just bragging rights for top cities. It provides a framework for more intelligent, data-driven mobility decisions. By combining livability insights with cost analysis, risk assessments, and employee support, HR and mobility leaders can place talent where they will thrive, not just survive. The result is a mobility program that balances business goals with employee well-being.
Explore the full Livability Index here to see how other cities around the world compare—and uncover opportunities beyond the top 10.
NEI Global Relocation (NEI), a certified Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE), partners with over 200 clients—including Fortune Global 100, Fortune 500, and Fortune 1000 companies—to deliver world-class global mobility and assignment management solutions. Headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, with offices in Switzerland and Singapore, NEI helps companies transition employees smoothly across the globe.
What the 2025 Global Livability Index Reveals About the Future of Talent Mobility
For employers and their employees, deciding on global assignment locations is critical. The latest EIU Global Livability Index reveals a shifting landscape. Copenhagen has overtaken Vienna as the world’s most livable city. At the same time, several former favorites slipped down the rankings due to strains on healthcare systems and rising instability.
For mobility leaders and HR teams, these rankings offer a roadmap for where assignments are most likely to be successful. Safety, healthcare quality, education, and infrastructure all play a critical role in assignment success, but they don’t always align neatly with cost considerations. Understanding these trends can help mobility and HR teams balance employee experience, risk mitigation, and relocation budgets. Look at the chart below to get a clear picture of the cities in the top 10 ranking from the Index, but with an added cost tier.
Mercer Cost of Living City Ranking
What It Means for Mobility Programs
Safety & Stability as Assignment Drivers
Stability scores are slipping, even in-top ranking cities, making proactive risk management more important than ever. Mobility/HR should work closely with relocation management companies and DSPs to review and update Duty of Care protocols, ensuring that relocating employees are informed of potential risks before assignment. Clear documentation, pre-assignment assessments, and effective communication between the employer and the relocating employee reduce surprises and improve overall assignment safety.
Healthcare Access Drives Assignment Success
Healthcare quality remains a key factor in assignment success, especially for long-term relocations or moves involving families. Falling healthcare scores in some cities, such as Calgary’s decline this year, can signal stress points for employers and should prompt a review of available resources before the assignment.
Attention to family concerns is critical at the start and throughout an assignment. Offering employees clear information on local healthcare systems, insurance coverage, and provider networks, as well as practical support like locating clinics and navigating care abroad, reduces stress and helps families acclimate more quickly. This proactive approach supports employee well-being and improves retention and assignment satisfaction.
Infrastructure & Education
Reliable public transit, housing availability, and access to quality schools can make or break a smooth relocation. Cities like Copenhagen, Vienna, and Melbourne excel in these areas, offering a benchmark for other destinations. HR and mobility professionals should evaluate these factors early in planning, identifying potential gaps and preparing support for housing searches, school placements, and commuting logistics.
Providing this infrastructure insight helps employees and their families transition more smoothly, reduces early-assignment stress, and sets a strong foundation for success in the host location.
Cost vs. Livability Trade-Offs
Livability doesn’t always align with affordability, and that’s where mobility strategy matters. Many top-ranked cities also carry higher housing costs, tax burdens, or overall assignment expenses. HR and mobility leaders should balance employee experience with budget realities, using tools like cost-of-living data, housing market insights, and allowance modeling to make informed decisions.
There are also opportunities in rising cities with lower costs. Jakarta and Al Khobar, for example, are gaining ground in livability rankings while remaining relatively affordable. Employers can leverage these markets for cost-effective placements that still offer employees a strong quality of life.
Closing
The 2025 Global Livability Index offers more than just bragging rights for top cities. It provides a framework for more intelligent, data-driven mobility decisions. By combining livability insights with cost analysis, risk assessments, and employee support, HR and mobility leaders can place talent where they will thrive, not just survive. The result is a mobility program that balances business goals with employee well-being.
Explore the full Livability Index here to see how other cities around the world compare—and uncover opportunities beyond the top 10.
NEI Global Relocation (NEI), a certified Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE), partners with over 200 clients—including Fortune Global 100, Fortune 500, and Fortune 1000 companies—to deliver world-class global mobility and assignment management solutions. Headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, with offices in Switzerland and Singapore, NEI helps companies transition employees smoothly across the globe.
