Lisbon named the world’s third best city to live in
Portugal's capital, which is not a newcomer to this Monocle magazine ranking, climbed to third place. The low levels of pollution and the entrepreneurial spirit weighed in Lisbon's position.
Lisbon is the third most avant-garde, safe, sustainable and inspiring city in the world where you can live it all in 2022. The Portuguese capital, which is not new to this ranking by Monocle magazine, has risen four places this year in the table that assesses the quality of life of 25 cities worldwide. The low levels of pollution are a key factor for Lisbon’s attractiveness. Copenhagen (Denmark) and Zurich (Switzerland) are the cities that occupy the first and second places on the podium, respectively, reveals Monocle’s quality of life survey, now in its 15th edition.
“The city of Lisbon plans to reduce its carbon emissions by 60% by 2030 and a third of the City Council’s budget has been dedicated to making this lofty rhetoric a reality,” highlights the Monocle team.
In addition, the city’s entrepreneurial spirit is also highlighted. “It’s been a good year for businesses. As tourism figures approach pre-pandemic levels, spending has increased and helped the city’s many independent shops and restaurants.”
On the other hand, there is a ‘stone in Lisbon’s shoe’ that is also worth highlighting. The risk of a housing crisis could negatively influence the city’s quality of life and attractiveness, Monocle warns.
“Despite Lisbon’s good looks, glitz and charm, there are challenges and housing is the most pressing. A new law limiting what types of buildings can be rented out as short-term lets will help residents, while there is also a programme to make use of the estimated 48,000 homes that are now empty,” says the publication’s team.
