Montevideo, San Juan, and Buenos Aires in Uruguay, Puerto Rico, and Argentina lead Latin America’s quality of life rankings, per Mercer.
However, these cities still fall behind the world’s top urban centers.
Mercer’s evaluation covers 241 countries, focusing on factors like political, social, health, public services, and transportation.
The Mercer report highlights that Latin American cities have struggled with social and political changes, and there’s been limited progress in health and mobility.
This has affected their positions in the global rankings. Latin American cities have only surpassed those in Africa in overall performance.
The best quality of life cities in Latin America for 2023 include
Montevideo, Uruguay (77th globally),
Buenos Aires, Argentina (91st),
Santiago, Chile (92nd),
San Juan, Puerto Rico (96th),
Panama City (97th),
Brasilia, Brazil (108th),
Monterrey, Mexico (112th),
San José, Costa Rica (113th),
Asunción, Paraguay (115th), and
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (118th).
Globally, the top cities for quality of life are Vienna, Zurich, Auckland, Copenhagen, and Geneva.
These cities highlight Switzerland’s reputation for superior quality of life.
Vancouver is the highest-ranked city in North America, known for its blend of outdoor recreation and cosmopolitan lifestyle.
In Asia, Singapore ranks highest for its clean and safe environment, while Auckland leads in the Pacific for its healthcare and cultural scene.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi are the top cities in the Middle East, and Port Louis in Mauritius leads in Africa.
This comprehensive study reveals a diverse global landscape of quality of life, with Latin American cities showing progress, yet facing challenges to match the highest global standards.