Taipei ranked 10th in the global quality of life survey
‘HIDDEN PEARL’:
The city was praised for its low crime rate, world-class health care system, cheap cost of living, and easy public transportation.
Taipei has been named the 10th best city in the world in terms of quality of life in an annual survey by editors of Monocle, a global magazine on global issues and lifestyles in the UK.
The survey, published in the July-August issue of the magazine, selected the top 25 cities in the world based on, among other things, the cost of living, retail, hospitality, access to culture and green spaces, and feedback from Monocle correspondents.
Taipei’s 10th place was one place less than a year earlier.
Photo: CNA
According to the survey, Copenhagen was ranked the best city in the world, and Zurich, Lisbon, Helsinki and Stockholm were ranked in the top five.
Of the Asian cities, only Tokyo ranked above Taipei and ranked sixth.
“Taipei is a subtropical oasis full of stunning hiking trails and walkable city streets,” the magazine said in an article that introduced the city, which it described as “hidden gems of Asia.”
Taipei is known for “its attractive food stalls, which are open 24 hours a day, and vendors offer bowls of cheap rice and noodles to early commuters or night owls.”
The article praised Taipei for its low crime rate and “world-class health care system” as well as its convenient public transportation and low cost of living.
It also highlighted the way nature “washes” into Taipei’s urban environment, referring to the gardens that many residents keep on their balconies, and the city government’s practice of marking trees with QR codes to make it easier to identify people.
As for the disadvantages, the article said that Taipei must take precedence over people crossing the street, saying that “despite improvements, it is not always safe”.
Taiwan’s “outdated banking system” also needs an upgrade, reporters suggested that banking services will become more accessible to residents and passengers.
Taiwan’s borders are still closed to tourists due to COVID-19 restrictions, but the government “has announced plans to open slowly to visitors later this year,” the article says.
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