Lisbon took third place on the list of the world’s 20 most livable cities, according to the 2026 Quality of Life Survey by the British magazine Monocle, released on June 25. This year, the survey placed special emphasis on cities with urban ambition that are also fun to live in.
Why did Lisbon make it to the podium?
1. Tokyo
2. Copenhagen
3. Lisbon
4. Vienna
5. Sydney
6. Zurich
7. Madrid
8. Paris
9. Munich
10. Oslo
11. Stockholm
12. Milan
13. Barcelona
14. Singapore
15. Amsterdam
16. Helsinki
17. Seoul
18. Melbourne
19. Vancouver
20. Kyoto / Perth (tied)
Why did Lisbon make it to the podium?
Monocle highlights three main areas:
Governance and infrastructure: Lisbon’s rise is attributed to nearly a decade of good governance, evident in ongoing investment in transportation (subway, trams, riverboats), the first new tram line in nearly 70 years, and a 500% increase in bicycle trips between 2011 and 2021.
Neighborhood identity and commerce: the magazine highlights authentic neighborhood life—farmers’ markets, newsstands, historic stores protected by the “Lojas com História” program — enhanced by a more international cultural scene, featuring the new CAM at the Gulbenkian and the Arco art fair.
Safety, but with caveats: Lisbon remains among the safest cities in the world, but Monocle warns of the risk of it becoming a victim of its own success, citing the strain new residents place on services, the funicular accident, and last year’s nationwide blackout as tests of the city’s resilience. Housing is identified as the main weakness, with the warning that Lisbon risks becoming two cities in one: one for locals, the other for expats.
Lisbon by the Numbers (data from Monocle)
Population: 550,000 (3 million in the metropolitan area)
Hours of sunshine per year: 2,806
Urban green space: 25%
Bicycle mode share: 1.9%
Cost of the monthly pass: €40.50
International destinations served by the airport: 144
Growth in bicycle travel (2011–2021): +500%
Monocle suggests adopting: adequate crossings over the Tagus River, with efficient, electric, and frequent ferries and boats. Andit suggests doing away with: tuk-tuks, which disrupt traffic, block trams full of passengers, and contribute to visual and noise pollution.
Highlights of the survey
Thirteen of the 20 cities in the top 20 are European —the region clearly dominates the list. Vancouver is the only city in the Americas to make the list.
Australia has three cities in the top 20 (Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth) —more than any other country.
“Scandinavian surprise”: Oslo finishes ahead of Stockholm.
New York, Mexico City, and Los Angeles were left off the list due to their high crime rates; London also did not make the list.
Although they show ambition—such as the public swimming pools in Cape Town or the immaculate streets of Kigali—Africa and the Middle East still do not offer the security of the more mature markets in Europe and Asia, according to the magazine.
How the survey is conducted
The survey was launched 19 years ago because Monocle found it odd that existing rankings were based primarily on tax rates, GDP, and cost of living, while ignoring culture, retail, hospitality, and architecture. The result was a 30-question survey sent to trusted correspondents in 40 cities. Today, it continues to evaluate safety, connectivity, governance, and green space, but also whether it’s possible to find a decent meal and a drink after 10 p.m.
For 2026, Monocle paid special attention to enthusiasm, ambition, and safety, supplementing its analysis with additional data from real estate consultancy Knight Frank and the Copenhagenize Index 2025 by EIT Edition (which measures, among other things, the share of trips made by bicycle). According to the UN, as cited by the magazine, four out of every five people in the world already live in urban areas, and the survey’s goal is to shift the debate on livability away from a dry political discussion and toward a more genuine conversation about what draws people to certain places.
About Monocle
Launched in 2007, Monocle is a global media brand that includes a magazine, radio, and a publishing division, founded by Tyler Brûlé and led by Andrew Tuck. It is published 10 times a year from its headquarters in Zurich and its editorial office in London (Midori House), sells more than 80,000 copies per issue, and has a network of correspondents in 38 cities around the world.
This year, Monocle returns to Lisbon for its annual conference in September. The magazine’s Lisbon correspondent, Carlota Rebelo, is available for interviews and audio segments; Monocle’s editors in London can also comment on the survey.
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