European capitals are confirmed as the best on the planet for combining work and personal life, according to the 2022 Work-Life Balance Index by Kisi, a business technology solutions company. Oslo tops the list of 100 cities offering the best balance between a good job and a high quality of life, followed by Bern and Helsinki. But what about southern Europe? Where is the best place to live and work in Spain? Spanish capitals are in the middle of the table with Madrid (42nd) and Barcelona (50th), practically on a par with Lisbon (51st) and Milan (63rd).
The study evaluates cities' liveability, work intensity and social services. The pandemic has been a time when many families have had to rethink their priorities in life: this includes moving cities and changing jobs, but also the change brought about in many countries and societies by teleworking or plans to return to the office. On the other hand, there are also companies trying to attract new talent with more flexible working arrangements. Cities, in turn, are adapting to the new needs of workers with greener spaces, more efficient public transport mobility or increased bicycle lanes.
In this context, major financial and corporate cities have scored poorly. New York, for example, has slipped in the rankings to 59th place out of the 100 cities analysed. London has also dropped a few places compared to previous years, now in 22nd place.
European cities such as Oslo (Norway), Helsinki (Finland) and Copenhagen (Denmark) appear in the top 10 of best cities to live and work in the world, but it is the Swiss cities that are most present: Bern, Zurich and Geneva. Stuttgart and Munich, both in Germany, complete the list, along with Ottawa (Canada) and Sydney (Australia).
When it comes to Spain, Madrid is the best place to live and work in Spain. However, Spanish cities lost positions compared to 2021, when Madrid was ranked 22nd, and now falls to 42nd, and Barcelona, which was ranked 25th a year ago, is now in 50th place. It is also worth noting that the number of cities analysed has increased from 50 to 100.
Kisi's study was conducted on 51 US metropolitan areas and 49 major cities around the world focusing on a wide range of categories, such as rates of overwork, access to health care or safety metrics to measure work intensity, rights and well-being of residents.
- Check our guide to the best places to live in Spain
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