Livable Cities With the Best Work-Life Balance

We all need money to live, but that doesn’t mean work is everything. Having time to pursue hobbies and socialize is necessary for a healthy, fulfilling life. But besides personal choices, where you live greatly affects how easy it is to achieve an equilibrium between the personal and the professional.

So, which cities have it better? A recent Forbes report analyzed urban centers around the world to come up with a list of the best places to live. The study takes into account factors like paid vacation days, affordability, income equality, proximity to nature and sunlight hours.

These are the 10 livable cities with the best work-life balance — in case you’re planning an international move or simply want to torture yourself by seeing how good other people have it.

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Work-life balance score: 57

Bottom line: Northern Ireland’s capital is an exciting city with a thriving economy. This translates to plenty of work opportunities and a 2.3 percent unemployment rate. Belfast also has an average of 28 vacation days — on top of the 10 public holidays people already receive. 

In short, residents have decent spending power and over a month of annual leave to enjoy life outside of work.

Where to stay: Bullitt Hotel

Note: Rankings are based on Forbes’ “Worldwide Work-Life Balance Index 2023.”

Work-life balance score: 57.1

Bottom line: Beautiful Edinburgh is known for its public parks, historic landmarks and lovely architecture.

The average employee works 25.6 hours a week, enjoys 28 paid vacation days and is entitled to 39 weeks of maternity leave.

Needless to say, residents find it easy to dedicate time to their personal life. 

Where to stay: Rabble Hotel

RELATED: The U.S. Is Among the Countries With the Fewest Vacation Days

Work-life balance score: 58.5

Bottom line: Vienna is considered the overall most livable city in the world. So it’s not surprising to see it rank well for work-life balance. Vienna beats every single city on this list for annual leave days, offering its residents an impressive 30 days plus 13 public holidays. 

The city is also close to 79 parks and nature preserves and boasts 1,925 hours of sunlight per year. A cheap public transit system, great social benefits and affordable healthcare contribute to the happiness of those lucky enough to live here.

Where to stay: Hotel Wandl

Work-life balance score: 58.7

Bottom line: While Reykjavik is Iceland’s largest city, it only has about 122,850 people. This contributes to a tight-knit community feel that helps keep crime rates down.

The country’s notorious natural beauty is a hop away from the capital, with waterfalls, hot springs and volcanos all within a day trip’s reach. 

On the downside, residents must deal with long winters that average around four or five hours of daylight.

Where to stay: Alda Hotel Reykjavik