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Received — 17 October 2026 ⏭

The 20 global cities with the best quality of life

✇Business Insider
By: Jordan Pandy
17 October 2026 at 13:33
Colorful Bryggen waterfront buildings and moored boats line a harbor beneath forested mountains in Bergen, Norway.
European cities rank highly in quality-of-life rankings.

MEDITERRANEAN/Getty Images

  • Oxford Economics' 2026 Global Cities Index ranked cities around the world on their quality of life.
  • US cities ranked highly for economics, but fell short in the quality of life category.
  • European cities dominated the quality of life list, while only one US city made the top 20.

Cities in the US rank high globally in terms of economics, but they have some ground to cover in quality of life, according to a new report.

For its 2026 Global Cities Index, economic advisory firm Oxford Economics ranked 1,000 cities across the globe based on five categories: economics, human capital, environment, and quality of life.

Every category is viewed from an economic lens, even quality of life, where indicators include income equality and housing expenditure, among others.

"The Global Cities Index records the progress cities are making across a comprehensive range of metrics," Mark Britton, managing director of city services at Oxford Economics, said in the report. "Sitting alongside our forecasts and scenario models, its ability to highlight how paths change under different conditions and its capacity for comparability shows you not just where cities stand today, but also where they are heading."

The overall list features several US cities in the top 20 — eight, to be exact, with New York taking the No. 1 spot. However, when highlighting quality of life specifically, only one US city made the cut.

Quality of life, which accounts for 25% of a city's overall score, wasn't a bright spot for the US, but plenty of other cities excelled in that category. See which cities ranked highest in quality of life, according to Oxford Economics.

20. Venice, Italy
Gondolas travel along Venice's Grand Canal between colorful historic buildings under a bright blue sky.
Venice, Italy.

adisa/Getty Images

Overall score: 51.2

Quality of life score: 86.3

19. Stuttgart, Germany
Sunset city skyline with modern high-rise buildings, wooded hills, and a landscaped park in the foreground.
Stuttgart, Germany.

Cyril Gosselin/Getty Images

Overall score: 70.7

Quality of life score: 86.5

18. Prague
Charles Bridge spans the Vltava River with Prague’s historic Old Town skyline under a clear blue sky.
Prague.

rusm/Getty Images

Overall score: 78.1

Quality of life score: 86.9

17. Sydney
Sydney Harbour at sunset with the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, and illuminated downtown skyline.
Sydney.

zetter/Getty Images

Overall score: 88.3

Quality of life score: 87.2

16. Munich
Aerial view of Munich’s old town with the Altes Rathaus tower and red-tiled rooftops under a cloudy sky.
Munich.

Nikada/Getty Images

Overall score: 85

Quality of life score: 87.3

15. Berlin
Berlin Cathedral and the Berlin TV Tower rise behind a bridge over the River Spree at dusk.
Berlin.

Nikada/Getty Images

Overall score: 84.6

Quality of life score: 87.7

14. Zurich
Aerial view of Zürich old town with the Limmat River, bridges, church towers, and boat docks.
Zurich.

pawel.gaul/Getty Images

Overall score: 89.1

Quality of life score: 87.7

13. San Jose, United States
Downtown San Jose city skyline.
San Jose.

f11photo/Getty Images

Overall score: 89.6

Quality of life score: 87.9

12. Linz, Austria
Aerial sunset view of Linz city center with the New Cathedral rising above surrounding streets and buildings.
Linz, Austria.

Mariendom

Overall score: 70.6

Quality of life score: 88

11. Basel, Switzerland
Aerial view of Basel Minster beside the Rhine River at sunset, with city rooftops and towers in the background.
Basel, Switzerland.

@ Didier Marti/Getty Images

Overall score: 79.6

Quality of life score: 88

10. Paris
Eiffel Tower rises between Paris apartment buildings under a colorful sunset sky.
Paris.

Fani Kurti/Getty Images

Overall score: 93.4

Quality of life score: 88.1

9. Ghent, Belgium
Historic riverside buildings line a canal with boats under a bright blue sky in Ghent, Belgium.
Ghent, Belgium.

MEDITERRANEAN/Getty Images

Overall score: 74.9

Quality of life score: 88.4

8. Dresden, Germany
River cruise boats sit on the Elbe beside Dresden’s historic waterfront and domed skyline at sunset.
Dresden, Germany.

Achim Thomae/Getty Images

Overall score: 59.4

Quality of life score: 88.5

7. Luxembourg
Luxembourg City old town overlooks a church, canal, stone ramparts, and autumn trees under a clear blue sky.
Luxembourg.

rusm/Getty Images

Overall score: 82.5

Quality of life score: 89

6. Oslo, Norway
Modern waterfront skyline glows at sunset, with city lights reflecting across calm harbor water.
Oslo, Norway.

MEDITERRANEAN/Getty Images

Overall score: 89.1

Quality of life score: 89.3

5. Bern, Switzerland
Bern old town rooftops, church spires, stone bridge, and hillside are lit by warm evening sunlight.
Bern, Switzerland.

joe daniel price/Getty Images

Overall score: 78.2

Quality of life score: 89.8

4. Grenoble, France
Riverside buildings and an arched stone bridge reflect in calm water beneath a snow-capped mountain.
Grenoble, France.

RossHelen/Getty Images

Overall score: 67.7

Quality of life score: 90.8

3. Singapore
Aerial view of Singapore’s downtown skyline with skyscrapers, roads, and waterfront buildings around a bay at dusk.
Singapore.

primeimages/Getty Images

Overall score: 82.1

Quality of life score: 91.6

2. Bergen, Norway
Twilight aerial view of Bergen harbor with illuminated waterfront buildings, boats, roads, and mountains surrounding the bay.
Bergen, Norway.

Thomas Roell/Getty Images

Overall score: 80

Quality of life score: 94.3

1. Canberra, Australia
Autumn-colored trees line a lakeside promenade with Black Mountain Tower visible across the water.
Canberra, Australia.

HADI ZAHER/Getty Images

Overall score: 79.4

Quality of life score: 100

Read the original article on Business Insider

Surfe: Yago Dora, Ítalo Ferreira e Medina vão às quartas em Peniche

✇Agência Brasil
By: Agência Brasil
16 October 2026 at 23:12

Logo Agência Brasil

O surfe brasileiro avançou às quartas de final na etapa Supertubos Peniche (Portugal) do circuito mundial de surfe com o atual campeão e líder da temporada Yago Dora, Ítalo Ferreira (3º no ranking) e Gabriel Medina (5º). A etapa é a última antes da decisão do título da temporada em Pipeline, no Havaí, em dezembro. Na disputa feminina, Luana Silva foi eliminada na estreia no primeiro round pela havaiana Bettylou Sakura. As quartas de final estão previstas para este sábado (17), a partir das 5h (horário de Brasília).  

Um dos pontos altos do primeiro dia de competição em Peniche foi a disputa de oitavas de final protagonizada pelos campeões mundiais Gabriel Medina (2014, 2018 e 20121) e Filipe Toledo (2022 e 2023). Antes de enfrentar Medina, Filipinho vencera a estreia contra o australiano Liam O’Brien com somatório de 14,43 contra 12,93 do adversário.

Notícias relacionadas:

A bateria valendo vaga nas quartas teve clima de revanche, já que Medina caíra duas vezes para Toledo em oitavas anteriores este ano. Mas hoje Medina, que estreou direto nas oitavas, dominou a disputa desde o início e carimbou a classificação com notas 7,00 e 5,00 contra 1,33 e 0,97 de Fipinho.   
SUPERTUBOS, PENICHE, PORTUGAL - OCTOBER 16: Three-time WSL Champion Gabriel Medina of Brazil surfs in Heat 2 of Round Two at the MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal on October 16, 2026 at Supertubos, Peniche, Portugal. (Photo by Manel Geada/World Surf League) SUPERTUBOS, PENICHE, PORTUGAL - OCTOBER 16: Three-time WSL Champion Gabriel Medina of Brazil surfs in Heat 2 of Round Two at the MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal on October 16, 2026 at Supertubos, Peniche, Portugal. (Photo by Manel Geada/World Surf League)
Medina brilhou ao surfar dois tubos, totalizou 12,00 e superou o compatriota Filipinho que somou apens 2,30 - Manel Geada/WSL/direitos reservados

Na sequência, o potiguar Ítalo Ferreira sobrou contra o australiano Jack Robinson. Campeão mundial (2019) e olímpico (Tóquio 2021), Ítalo conseguiu surfar em dois tubos -  totalizou 15,00 contra 10,43 de Robinson, assegurando presença nas quartas.

O último brasileiro a avançar foi o líder da temporada, o catarinense Yago Dora que travou uma batalha acirrada contra Connor O'Leary, representante do Japão. O adversário comandava a bateria com notas 5,17 e 6,50 enquanto o brasileiro tinha somente notas 4,00 e 0,83. No meio da bateria, o brasileiro desceu boas ondas: na primeira 7,83 e depois levou nota 5,83, Com somatório 13,66, Dora virou o placar e segue firme na disputa do bicampeonato consecutivo.

O rival direto de Yago Doral pelo título da temporada, o italiano Leonardo Fioravanti, vice-líder do ranking, deu adeus a Peniche ao ser derrotado nas oitavas pelo australiano Morgan Cibilic.

Fechando as oitavas, o paulista Miguel Pupo perdeu de virada para o havaiano Seth Moniz nos segundo finais da bateria. Pupo dominava a disputa com notas 6,33 e 6,27. O adversário somava apenas 6,87, mas conseguiu cravar 5,93 ao surfar um tubo curto próximo ao fim, carimbando a classificação.

Outros dois brasileiros deram adeus a etapa de Peniche. Surfista de Saquarema (RJ), João Chianca (somatório de apenas 5,10), foi superado na estreia no primeiro round contra o australiano Jack Robison (13,33), que depois seria eliminado por Ítalo Ferreira. Irmão mais novo de Miguel Pupo, também parou no primeiro round: somou 8,27 contra 13,00 do português Frederico Morais.

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