The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has ranked Karachi 170th out of 173 cities in its Global Liveability Index 2026, placing the metropolis among the least liveable urban centres globally.
According to the annual report, which evaluates living conditions and urban resilience based on five key categories, Karachi secured an overall score of 43 out of 100, tying with Algiers.
The only cities ranking lower than Karachi are Dhaka, Tripoli, and Damascus. Notably, war-torn Tehran and Kyiv scored higher, ranking 164th and 166th respectively.
The index quantifies lifestyle challenges by assessing stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. EIU analysts noted that crime and traffic congestion frequently lower the scores of major global cities.
A breakdown of Karachi’s performance shows a sharp divide across different metrics. The city scored lowest in stability, receiving a 20 out of 100. It registered a score of 36 in culture and environment, 51 in infrastructure, and 54 in healthcare. Education remained the city’s highest-performing sector, securing a score of 75.
The 2026 index also recorded a downward trend for several Middle Eastern cities following regional geopolitical conflict.
EIU data indicates that urban centres in the region slid down the rankings after a series of Iranian drone strikes. Muscat experienced the sharpest decline globally, falling 14 places to rank 123rd. Doha dropped seven spots to 108th, while Abu Dhabi and Dubai fell four places each, ranking 76th and 79th respectively.
At the top of the global index, Copenhagen retained the first position, followed by Vienna and Melbourne.
The EIU data shows that Vancouver, ranked ninth, is the sole North American city to secure a spot in the top ten, while Tokyo ranked tenth as the only megacity on the list.
