Tops and flops: urban quality of life

No. 2: Zurich, Switzerland

Surrounded by a picturesque landscape, Zurich is one of the world's most important financial and economic hubs. Expats also value the good shopping opportunities of the city of 400,000. The goal of the annual Mercer study on quality of life aims to inform companies that send employees to work abroad about daily life in the respective city.

Tops and flops: urban quality of life

No. 3: Auckland, New Zealand

Auckland has the biggest yacht harbor of the Southern Hemisphere: The Westhaven Marina has space for some 1,400 boats. Auckland is the city with the highest number of sailing boats per inhabitant, hence its nickname "City of Sails." Expatriates pointed out the city's good sports and leisure activities. But they also care about safety, and Auckland is rated one of the world's safest places.

Tops and flops: urban quality of life

No. 4: Munich, Germany

Munich's annual Oktoberfest is famous worldwide. With its cozy tents, Ferris wheels, beers and culinary specialties like 'leberkäs.' Oktoberfest often stands in for German culture around the globe. International tourists and residents consider a visit to the city a highlight of their trip to Germany. The Mercer study took it into account if a city regularly stages world-famous events.

Tops and flops: urban quality of life

No. 5: Vancouver, Canada

You can go skiing and golfing on the very same day when you're in Vancouver. The city of 600,000 is known for its mild micro-climate. This means it’s never too hot in summer or too cold in winter. Climate and the frequency of extreme weather phenomena are also important factors when talking about quality of life in a city.

Tops and flops: urban quality of life

No. 221: Baghdad, Iraq

Suicide attacks, car bombs, casualties: These are the words mentioned on the news when reporting about Baghdad, the city that finished last in the survey. After the US troops left Iraq in late 2011, the number of attacks has risen drastically. Germany's Foreign Ministry warns explicitly against sending expatriates to Iraq's capital and to Iraq in general.

Tops and flops: urban quality of life

No.220: Bangui, Central African Republic

In daylight, people dare go to the market. But once the sun sets the situation gets dangerous. "Never drive at night time" is one of the rules everybody knows. Foreigners are advised not to leave Bangui at all. There is a high risk of mugging and burglaries. Bangui is the capital of one of the world's poorest countries - and that despite its vast diamonds and uranium deposits.

Tops and flops: urban quality of life

No. 219: N’Djamena, Chad

There is an abundance of fruit and vegetables available at the central market in N'Djamena -85 percent of people there live from agriculture. It's the pillar the country's economy stands on. Chad is one of the world's least developed countries even though it sells oil. Its infrastructure is desolate after a decades-long civil war.

Tops and flops: urban quality of life

No. 218: Port au Prince, Haiti

She's carrying a bag of rice - but the rice is wet because it's rainy season. The humid weather contributes to the fast spread of diseases like cholera. Two years after the earthquake, the health situation is still bad, say organizations like Doctors Without Borders. Health risks play an important role when assessing quality of life in a city.

Tops and flops: urban quality of life

No. 217: Khartoum, Republic of Sudan

These children have South Sudanese parents, but they were born in Khartoum, the capital of the Republic of Sudan. They are waiting to return to the South. What was once called Sudan has been divided since July 2011, when South Sudan became independent. Both sides have since been fighting over the oil-rich border region. Riots and burglaries are common and make Khartoum unattractive to expats.

Author: Miriam Klaussner / nh | Editor: Sean Sinico