Imperial palaces, coffeehouse rituals and green parks reward slow wanderers who want culture without giving up the ease of everyday living.
Vienna vs Copenhagen: quality of life compared
Vienna and Copenhagen both appear near the top of every liveability ranking, and on Numbeo’s 2026 Quality of Life Index they are almost level: Vienna 209.7, Copenhagen 207.1. The components pull in different directions. Vienna is cheaper day to day (cost of living index 73.9 against 85.7), has shorter commutes, cleaner air and a slightly higher health care index. Copenhagen has higher purchasing power, a higher safety index and much more affordable housing relative to income (property price to income ratio 8.9 against Vienna’s 12.6). A gap of under three points is within the noise of a survey-based index.
Head-to-head in 21 words
Vienna and Copenhagen finish under three Numbeo points apart; Vienna is cheaper and cleaner, Copenhagen is safer with more affordable housing.
The numbers
On Numbeo’s 2026 Quality of Life Index, Vienna reads 209.7 and Copenhagen 207.1, a gap of 2.6 points (91 against 90 on our 1–100 scale).
| Vienna | Copenhagen | |
|---|---|---|
| 21words score (1–100) | 91 | 90 |
| Numbeo Quality of Life Index (2026) | 209.7 | 207.1 |
| Region | Europe | Europe |
| Numbeo Purchasing Power Index (higher is better) | 137.4 | 141.9 |
| Numbeo Safety Index (higher is better) | 71.6 | 74.3 |
| Numbeo Health Care Index (higher is better) | 81.8 | 78 |
| Numbeo Cost of Living Index (lower is cheaper) | 73.9 | 85.7 |
| Numbeo Property Price to Income Ratio (lower is better) | 12.6 | 8.9 |
| Numbeo Traffic Commute Time Index (lower is better) | 21.5 | 26.9 |
| Numbeo Pollution Index (lower is better) | 15.6 | 22.5 |
| Numbeo Climate Index (higher is better) | 81.8 | 83.7 |
| Rank in our Cities Top 21 | joint 4th of 21 | joint 6th of 21 |
| Last checked | 2 November 2026 | 2 November 2026 |
Both, in exactly 21 words
Design-forward harbors, hygge cafes and bike lanes deliver Nordic polish, with waterfront walks that help to justify the steep local prices.
What this comparison does not tell you
Numbeo’s index is crowd-sourced: residents and visitors submit survey answers, so readings can move between updates and small gaps (under about five points) are within normal noise. It measures everyday living conditions, not sights, culture, job markets, visas or taxes.
Numbeo component figures: Numbeo Quality of Life Index by City 2026, retrieved 2 November 2026. Numbeo data is crowd-sourced survey data.
Source notes as recorded on our Cities list: Vienna: Numbeo QoL 209.7 (EU) → round(209.7/2.3)=91 — https://www.numbeo.com/quality-of-life/rankings.jsp?title=2026. Copenhagen: Numbeo QoL 207.1 (EU) → round(207.1/2.3)=90 — https://www.numbeo.com/quality-of-life/rankings.jsp?title=2026.
Questions
Which scores higher, Vienna or Copenhagen?
On Numbeo’s 2026 Quality of Life Index, Vienna reads 209.7 and Copenhagen 207.1, a gap of 2.6 points (91 against 90 on our 1–100 scale). In our Cities Top 21, Vienna is joint 4th of 21 and Copenhagen joint 6th of 21.
Where do these numbers come from?
Each 21words city score is the city’s Numbeo Quality of Life Index divided by 2.3 and capped at 100, so an index reading of about 230 maps to 100. Both were last checked on 2 November 2026, and we re-check every Monday.