With Abu Dhabi securing the top spot for an incredible eighth consecutive time…

Global statistic database, Numbeo has published the result of its mid-year 2024 survey into the quality of life in various parts of the globe.

The survey establishes an overall value for ‘quality of life’ based on a number of qualifying factors, aspects of life that contribute to an overall sense that ‘you know what, this place is actually pretty nice’.

Quality of life indicators include the cost of living, healthcare, climate, traffic, pollution and safety. Crime, and of course its counterbalance ‘perceived safety’ are a huge element of how likely you are to enjoy your experience of living within a given locale.

If you look at the extracted crime/safety Numbeo index survey, Abu Dhabi sits at the top of the table (for the eighth consecutive ranking). That’s out of 318 cities, and yet still it really isn’t much of a surprise.

Safe as houses

Because of their consistently low crime rates, three other UAE cities also featured in the top 10 safest cities of the world. Ajman came in second, Dubai in fifth and Ras Al Khaimah picked up a very respectable seventh.

At the other end of the scale you’ll find Pietermaritzburg in South Africa; Pretoria in South Africa; and Caracas, Venezuala making up the bottom three.

The UAE came in second place (out of 146) for the safest country overall in the national league table, being pipped at the post by the tiny Pyrenean country of Andorra.

How are the figures calculated?

Respondents of the survey were posed the following questions and asked to rate their answers on a good to ‘eh maybe not so good’ scale.

  • How serious do you feel the level of crime is?
  • Change of crime level in the past three years
  • Feeling of safety walking during daylight
  • Feeling of safety walking during night
  • How worried are you about being mugged or robbed
  • Worries of having a car stolen (or things from the car)
  • Worries of being physically attacked by strangers
  • Worries of being insulted or pestered by anybody, while in the street or any other public place
  • Worries of being subject to a physical attack because of your skin color, ethnic origin, gender or religion
  • Problems of people using and dealing drugs
  • How much is the problem of property crime?
  • How much is the problem of violent crime?

Overall quality of life

When it comes to the overall quality of life, the big winners were cities in The Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and the Scandinavian and Australasian countries, with The Hague (in Holland) nailing that City MVP status.

Abu Dhabi came 17th (out of 178) overall but highest in the region.

Manilla in the Phillippines sadly picked up the lowest score for quality of life indicators, marginally behind Lagos in Nigeria, and Beirut in Lebanon.

How reliable is this information?

This sort of survey-based study is genuinely considered one of the best ways of comparing country-to-country or international city to international city because the data gathered is relatively low in collection bias.

It is worth noting though that Numbeo has stated that the data used can be up to 36 months old.

Images: Getty