Mapped: How 50 Global Cities Rank for Raising a Family

How 50 Global Cities Rank for Raising a Family

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Not every city is created equally when it comes to raising a family. From cost of living to access to green spaces, each city offers different parental perks.

This world map compares 50 major cities worldwide for raising children, incorporating data from a 2026 index created by Compare the Market that weighs diverse variables.

The index specifically evaluates cities based off safety, happiness, cost of living, family benefits, parental leave, child vaccination rates, green spaces, child activities, education spending to reach an aggregate score.

Australia: The Clear Favorite for Raising a Family

No country is better represented than Australia, which has four cities in the top 10 due in part to the country’s relative safety and happiness scores. Brisbane even clinches the first-place spot, helped in large part by its vast number of open green spaces and parks.

The data table below lists the ranking of 50 global cities for raising a family, alongside their score in the index:

Rank	City	Index Score
1	Brisbane	6.457
2	London	5.992
3	Auckland	5.460
4	Helsinki	5.305
5	Sydney	5.239
6	Perth	5.120
7	Melbourne	5.056
8	Stockholm	5.008
9	Berlin	4.969
10	Seoul	4.904
11	Paris	4.637
12	New Delhi	4.591
13	Prague	4.542
14	Copenhagen	4.449
15	Barcelona	4.377
16	Lisbon	4.352
17	Wellington	4.344
18	Rome	4.328
19	Vienna	4.234
20	Madrid	4.234
21	Manchester	4.111
22	Tokyo	4.090
23	Brussels	4.060
24	Amsterdam	4.020
25	Munich	3.969
26	Santiago	3.929
27	Mumbai	3.901
28	New York	3.895
29	Toronto	3.794
30	Rio de Janeiro	3.775
31	Montreal	3.762
32	Osaka	3.676
33	Chicago	3.634
34	Dallas	3.633
35	Frankfurt	3.630
36	São Paulo	3.579
37	Zurich	3.551
38	San Francisco	3.528
39	Milan	3.500
40	Houston	3.389
41	Johannesburg	3.307
42	Washington D.C.	3.274
43	Bogotá	3.266
44	Los Angeles	3.225
45	Istanbul	3.222
46	Cape Town	3.180
47	Buenos Aires	3.040
48	Phoenix	2.982
49	Durban	2.752
50	Mexico City	2.425

Given the high placement of Sydney (5th), Perth (6th), and Melbourne (7th) as well, Australian cities offer a strong mix of affordability, parental leave benefits, and public spaces for families.

Beyond Australia, Oceania is also well represented due to New Zealand’s two entries, including Auckland (3rd) and Wellington (17th).

The European Center of Gravity

Led by London (2), Europe is the center of gravity for family-friendly cities, with four cities in the top 10.

Northern European cities like Helsinki (4) and Stockholm (8) perform especially well, although Mediterranean metropolises such as Barcelona (15) and Rome (18) also score favorable rankings.

The most expensive city on the list, Zurich, scores a 37th-place finish, while Europe’s largest city, Istanbul, manages to eke out a position at 45.

Lower-Ranked Cities in the Americas

Notably, not a single city in the Americas reaches the top half of the list.

New York, the most populous city in the United States, leads the hemisphere with the #29 position.

Within Latin America, lower prices and higher happiness scores are offset by safety concerns and weaker parental benefits.

Santiago (26) and Rio de Janeiro (30) lead the region, while Argentina, Colombia, and Mexico each see their respective capital cities in the bottom quintile of the list.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The Global Cost of Living Index 2026 on Voronoi.

• Source: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/raising-a-family-50-cities-global-map/