Dubai Top City to Live in MENA Region

Dubai is the city offering the top quality of living the region the Middle East and Africa. This is the conclusion of a new report by consultancy company Mercer.

On a global level, Dubai is ranked at the 73rd spot this year. However, European cities have the strongest presence on the 2014 list. The top position is occupied by Vienna. A little further down the list are also Zurich and Munich.

Mercer’s report is mainly used for calculating compensation packs for employees that have international assignments. It examined different factors. Among them are crime rate, housing, political stability, as well as air pollution.

The study views Dubai as one of the most stable countries the region. Back in 2008, the city was heavily affected by the financial crisis. However, over the last few years, it managed to show great improvement and to revive. Proof of that are the rising property prices in Dubai, as well as its strong bourse performance.

The next Middle East city on the ranking is Abu Dhabi. It is takes the 78th spot, only a few positions after Dubai. Many other cities from the Middle East and Africa also found a place on the list. Mauritius’s Port Louis and South Africa’s Durban and Cape Town are all among the top 100 cities.

At the bottom of the ranking is Baghdad. The city occupies the last 223rd place. That is mainly due to the tensions which took place there in the last few months. A few other cities from the regions have also showed really poor performance. Most of them are located in countries like Congo, Chad, Yemen, as well as the Central African Republic.

According to the report, both the Middle East and Africa continue to be really challenging for expatriates and multinational companies. The quality of living in many of the cities in these two regions is disrupted by things like natural disasters, civil conflicts and poor infrastructure.