By Oduwaiye Fela

Vienna has more to offer than opera, and there's more to Swiss cities Zurich and Geneva than chocolate and watches. These and other cities offer residents top-notch quality of life in the world, according to a new study by Mercer. It ranked 221 cities around the world on 39 measures, emphasizing political safety and health, but also including factors from restaurant availability to air pollution. Cities are ranked against New York as the base city; it has an index score of 100. This year Mercer introduced its eco city rankings, published alongside its quality-of-living list, which scores countries on how well they promote sustainability and protect their environments.

1. Sydney, Australia

Quality of Life Index: 106.3
Eco-City Index: 125