A recent quality-of-life survey conducted across 83 European cities found that almost nine out of ten residents are satisfied with living in their city.
This represents a slight decline compared to 2019, possibly due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
According to the European Commission’s 2023 Report on the Quality of Life in European Cities, satisfaction levels were highest in northern and western European Union (EU) cities, while cities in eastern Member States showed significant improvements.
Despite the overall high satisfaction rates, the survey identified several areas of concern for European cities going forward.
However, Commissioner Elisa Ferreira expressed that it is “encouraging” that quality of life in Europe remains high.
Safety and Social Cohesion
According to the survey, over two-thirds of residents feel safe walking alone at night in their city.
Perceptions of safety were higher in smaller cities compared to larger metropolises.
Six out of ten people also agreed that most people in their city can be trusted. However, trust declined in over half of cities since 2019.
The survey also examined loneliness for the first time.
Across all cities, nearly 13% of residents said they felt lonely in the previous four weeks. Younger adults were more likely to report loneliness.
Access issues to urban green spaces and cultural amenities appeared linked to higher loneliness rates.
Employment and Housing
Finding affordable housing remains an issue, especially for larger capital cities.
Barely one-third of residents felt it was easy to find good housing at a reasonable price. This perception worsened across cities compared to 2019.
While job satisfaction was reasonably high overall, only around half of residents believed it was easy to find a good job in their city.
Cities in southern Member States, such as Greece, Italy, and Spain, performed the worst on this measure.
Mobility and Environment
The survey found a small increase in daily car usage since 2019.
Public transport and walking gained popularity, with around seven out of ten residents declaring themselves satisfied with public transport options.
However, satisfaction with transport services was substantially lower in southern Member States and capital cities.
Most residents were also reasonably happy with local cultural amenities, green spaces, and healthcare facilities. However, satisfaction was again noticeably lower in southern Member States.
Larger cities faced greater challenges with noise and air pollution.
Less than six out of ten residents were satisfied with air quality and noise levels in cities with over one million inhabitants.
Local Governance and Services
Residents of non-capital cities were more satisfied with the quality of local governance.
Around half of residents were happy with the time taken by their city administration to resolve issues. Satisfaction was higher in western Member States.
Since 2019, more people reported difficulty accessing their administration’s services online. This may reflect growing digital inequality.
Finally, perceived corruption remains an issue.
Around half of residents believed that corruption was present in their local public administration. This perception was higher in capital cities and eastern Member States.
Impacts on Visitors and Immigrants
The launch of the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) in May 2025 will require travelers from over 60 countries to obtain authorization before visiting Europe’s Schengen Area.
The broadly positive survey results indicate that most European cities remain attractive destinations and that applications for the ETIAS will pour in to visit these cities.
For visitors and immigrants alike, factors like urban safety, housing affordability, and access to jobs will shape destination choices in an increasingly competitive Europe.
Continued challenges in areas like southern cities could deter digital nomads, students, investors, and families weighing long-term relocation options when ETIAS applications open.
Ongoing policy efforts around urban improvement may become important marketing messages for cities and countries hoping to boost tourism and immigration interest when ETIAS requirements take effect.
Shaping Europe’s Evolving Immigration Policies
As application procedures and requirements solidify ahead of the ETIAS launch, European nations have an opportunity to align urban development initiatives with evolving immigration priorities.
Backed by current quality of life data, targeted investments in urban housing, environment, and services could make relocation more appealing for young tech immigrants and families alike when ETIAS applications open.
Conversely, cities lagging in areas like safety risk deterring newcomers that will be essential to supporting aging European populations.
Alongside the ETIAS rollout, consistent urban improvement efforts can demonstrate that Europe remains not just a top tourist destination, but also an attractive long-term option as demographics shift.
Guiding Policy for Improved Urban Living
The survey provides valuable insights into the strengths and weaknesses of European cities today
As urbanization increases across Europe, the report will help guide policymakers in fostering improved living conditions and sustainable, inclusive development for city residents.