Vienna named the best city in the world to live a healthy and happy life in 2022

Maintaining good health and a healthy lifestyle has never been more important, particularly with the previous two years of restrictions making it difficult to get out and exercise. But with 2022 now here, many of us are looking to start fresh by bettering our physical and mental wellbeing.

But, how healthy is the city you live in?

Lenstore has analysed 44 global cities across 10 metrics ranging from sunshine hours to the average cost of a gym membership and even pollution levels, to determine which is the best to lead a happy and healthy lifestyle.

The top 10 healthiest cities in the world are:

Vienna ranks as the best city for a healthy and happy lifestyle

The Austrian capital takes the crown as the world’s healthiest destination. Known for its culture surrounding artwork, music and architecture, the city basks in 1,884 hours of sunshine each year. With an average life expectancy of 81 and the cost of a water bottle coming in at an affordable price of £0.50 it’s no surprise why Vienna comes out on top as the place to live a healthy life.

Austria as a whole is a great country for a healthy and happy lifestyle. It is crowned the ninth happiest in the world (three spaces above the United Kingdom) and is also the fifth-best country in Europe with obesity levels at just 20.1%.

Falling shy of first place, Dubai ranks in second position. The city has the highest number of sunshine hours, in the top 10. Beaming in 3,509 hours of daylight per year, Dubai receives over 1,000 more hours of yearly sun exposure than cities like Chicago, Sydney, and Toronto. Boasting almost 2,000 (1,889) outdoor activities, the city isn’t just perfect for those in need of some vitamin D, but it is also a great place for active lovers.

Europe is home to eight of the 10 healthiest cities

In the top 10 healthiest locations to live in the world, eight are located in Europe. Three of these are Scandinavian countries – Copenhagen (3rd), Helsinki (6th) and Stockholm (8th) which are all known for their low pollution levels, short working hours, and high happiness levels. 

Fukuoka, Japan, ranks ninth in the world and is the healthy destination to live in Asia.  The second non-European country on the top 10 list boasts the joint-highest life expectancy of all 48 cities alongside Osaka and Tokyo with an average of 84.9. With a low obesity level of just 4.3%, the second-lowest in the world, a healthy lifestyle is easier than ever in this city on the northern shore of Japan’s Kyushu Island. 

Geneva, Switzerland, ranks 10th overall. Known as a financial centre and location for worldwide diplomacy, Geneva ranks 10th for low working hours (1,495 annually) and third for happiness (7.3). 

Although, Geneva is on the more expensive side, with a bottle of water costing £1.05 and monthly gym membership setting you back £58.54. However, if you can afford slightly higher prices, this picturesque city is the perfect location to live a happy and healthy life.

London ranks in the bottom 10 cities for a healthy and happy lifestyle

Whilst some cities are great to pursue a healthier life, others can make it more challenging. The bottom 10 cities include:

1. New York
2. Hong Kong
3. Johannesburg
4. Moscow
5. Mexico City
6. London
7. Washington D.C
8. Shanghai
9. Chicago
10. Boston

London ranks as the world’s sixth-unhealthiest city. When it comes to takeaway restaurants, London ranks the highest with a staggering 6,925! This is over six times more compared to the healthiest city in the world, Vienna, and over 25 times more than the city with the least, Beijing. London also lacks vitamin D with some of the lowest sunlight hours a year at 1,633. 

The USA dominates the bottom 10 cities for a healthy lifestyle, with New York labelled as the worst. With the USA facing the highest levels of obesity, equating to 36.2% of the population, as well as cities such as Washington D.C, Chicago and Boston all having some of the longest working hours, the States may not be the best location to lead a happy and healthy lifestyle.

Roshni Patel from Lenstore comments

“Our health has never been more important, and it’s really interesting to see that leading a healthy and happy life can be influenced by your location by such a significant amount. The shorter working weeks and low pollution levels have proved greatly successful for cities in the north of Europe such as Copenhagen, despite these locations receiving some of the lowest hours of sunshine each year.

Keeping fit and healthy can also become costly, with gym memberships and costs of groceries varying in different cities. It’s great to see cities with hundreds of outdoor activities that can be enjoyed for free. With many different factors, it’s important to consider which are the most important to you to lead the healthiest and happiest lifestyle you possibly can”