Karachi has once again been listed among the least-liveable cities in the world, ranking 170th out of 173 cities in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s annual Global Liveability Index 2026.
The ranking places Pakistan’s largest city near the bottom of the global list, with only Dhaka, Tripoli and Damascus scoring lower. War-torn Tehran, ranked 164th, and Kyiv, ranked 166th, scored slightly higher than Karachi.
The EIU’s Global Liveability Index evaluates living conditions in 173 cities and is widely regarded as a global benchmark for urban liveability and resilience.
The index measures indicators such as stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education and infrastructure. It also quantifies the challenges that affect an individual’s lifestyle in any given city.
Karachi received an overall score of 43 out of 100, the same as Algiers. The city performed poorly in almost all major categories, except education.
According to the EIU data, Karachi scored 20 in stability, 54 in healthcare, 36 in culture and environment, 75 in education and 52 in infrastructure.
Congestion, crime hurt major cities
The Economist Intelligence Unit noted that issues such as congested roads and crime tend to affect the rankings of the world’s biggest cities.
For Karachi, these urban challenges continue to weigh heavily on its liveability score, especially in areas linked to stability, infrastructure and overall quality of life.
Cities in the Middle East affected by the US-Iran war also suffered in the 2026 liveability ranking.
Urban centres such as Muscat, Kuwait City, Doha and Manama dropped several places in the index. Muscat recorded the biggest fall after a series of Iranian drone strikes, sliding 14 places to 123rd.
Doha, known as a major hub for expatriates, dropped seven places to 108th. Dubai and Abu Dhabi each fell four places, ranking 79th and 76th, respectively.
Copenhagen remains world’s most liveable city
Among the most liveable cities, Copenhagen continued its run at the top of the ranking.
Vienna secured second place, followed by Melbourne in third. Vancouver, ranked ninth, was the only North American city in the top ten, while Tokyo, ranked tenth, was the only megacity to make it into the top tier.
