Abu Dhabi and Dubai have again claimed the top two spots in the 2024 EIU Global Liveability Index for the Middle East and Africa — marking the third consecutive year both cities have led the regional rankings. The result reflects sustained investment in healthcare, education, and public infrastructure across both emirates.
Abu Dhabi and Dubai Lead MENA for Third Straight Year
The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) ranked Abu Dhabi first and Dubai second among all cities in the Middle East, Africa, and the Gulf for 2024. Both cities recorded meaningful improvements across key sectors, strengthening their status as the UAE's twin economic and lifestyle powerhouses.
The EIU's Global Liveability Index evaluates 173 cities worldwide across five categories: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. Of the top ten cities in the Middle East and Africa, eight were from the Gulf region — with Kuwait City, Doha, and Bahrain rounding out the top five behind the two UAE cities.
World's Safest Cities: Abu Dhabi First, Dubai Fifth
Beyond liveability, both cities rank among the world's safest. Numbeo's Crime and Safety Index placed Abu Dhabi at number one globally, with a safety score of 88.2. Dubai ranked fifth among all cities worldwide on the same index.
Healthcare Infrastructure Sets Regional Standard
Both cities have expanded their healthcare capacity significantly. As of Q1 2024, Dubai had 5,020 licensed and operational healthcare facilities and 13,370 licensed doctors, according to the Dubai Health Authority.
Abu Dhabi recorded 3,323 healthcare facilities, including 67 hospitals, 1,136 health centres, and 1,068 pharmacies. The emirate had 12,922 licensed doctors as of end-2022.
Education Sector Continues to Grow
Education has expanded alongside healthcare. Abu Dhabi has 459 schools — comprising public, private, and mixed institutions — for the 2023–2024 academic year. Dubai has 220 private schools serving the same period.
Gulf's Growing Global Influence
The results reinforce a broader trend: Gulf cities are increasingly dominant in global quality-of-life rankings. The concentration of eight GCC cities in the top ten for MENA underscores the region's rising influence as a destination for talent and investment.
Abu Dhabi and Dubai's back-to-back-to-back showing at the top of the 2024 EIU Global Liveability Index confirms that the UAE's commitment to infrastructure, safety, and public services continues to set the standard for the wider region.
