Dubai (75th) and Abu Dhabi (81st) are on top of the list for quality of life in GCC. Muscat is listed 107th followed by Doha at 110th. In the list Kuwait City is at 124 followed by Saudi cities like Riyadh and Jeddah at 164th and 165th positions respectively.
The report provides information and hardship premium recommendations for over 440 cities throughout the world.

This year's ranking includes 230 cities. Mercer's survey takes into account factors such as a city's political and social environment medical care and health considerations public services recreation facilities and natural environment amongst others.

Only a few select cities from the MENA region find place in the top 100 for personal safety. Muscat has been ranked 29th while Abu Dhabi tops from the region at 23.

The other cities that feature in the safe list include Dubai (40th) and Port Louis (59th). Doha the host of the 2022 FIFA World Cup ranks 70th for personal safety.

Regional geopolitics is highly volatile and characterised by safety concerns political turmoil and an elevated risk of terrorism. 'Rankings in many regions were affected by recent world events including economic and political upheavals which resulted in currency fluctuations cost inflation for goods and services and volatility in accommodation prices' said Rob Thissen consultant on Global Mobility at Mercer ME.

The lowest ranking cities in the region are Damascus (229th) and Baghdad (230th) both of which have witnessed continuous violence and terrorist attacks.

'Dubai and Abu Dhabi remain extremely popular destinations among expatriates around the world to the point that less and less multinationals are actually paying hardship premiums to motivate their employees to move there' Thissen added.
After a few years of sharp increase Dubai's residential market is showing signs of slowing down. The delivery of a significant number of new units added pressure to the residential market.

'Prices are expected to continue falling as the additional residential units will be ready for occupancy this year' Thissen said.

'The rapid increase in the population comes with its challenges though - such as a worsening air quality - which was recognised in our scoring this year.

'On the other hand many employees moving to Saudi Arabia Kuwait or the Levant would expect a serious increase in pay partly to compensate for a decrease in quality of living.'

Vienna retained the top spot for overall quality of living followed by Zurich (second) Auckland (third) and Munich (fourth).

Vancouver (fifth) is North America's highest ranking city and Singapore is the highest ranking Asian city at 26th place.

Luxembourg tops the personal safety list and is followed by Bern Helsinki and Zurich - all tied at second place.

The safest UK cities are Aberdeen Edinburgh and Glasgow - all ranked 44