The EIU's survey assesses the liveability of cities based on a number of key factors, including stability and the quality of healthcare, culture, the environment, education and infrastructure.

Hamburg was the only other European city to appear in the top ten listed by the EIU as the most ‘liveable’ cities, scraping in at number ten after Sydney fell by four places due to a  heightened perceived threat of terrorism.

The researchers noted a “continuing weakening of global stability scores” due to increasing insecurity around potential threats, which are seen as more likely to happen in urban regions.

On average, the global stability score has fallen by 2.4% over the past five years, from 73.7% in 2012 to 71.3% now.

Paris is the European city that has seen the biggest decline in liveability, dropping 3.7% on the scale and ranking 32 out of a total of 140 cities.

Compared to Vienna’s high score of 95 out of 100 for stability, the city with the lowest stability – Damascus – scored just 15.

Top spot for quality of life

It follows Vienna holding on to its top spot for overall quality of life, according to Mercer's 2016 Quality of Living survey published in February.

That study examined social and economic conditions, health, education, housing and the environment, and is used by big companies to assess where they should locate and how much they should pay expatriate workers.

Eugene Quinn, who moved to Vienna from London, is a founding member of culture group space and place and runs a walking tour which explores why Vienna is the best city in the world to live in.

“Vienna is unusual because poor people live well here,” he told The Local. “It has a slightly old-fashioned approach to still paying higher taxes, with the benefits of those taxes much more visible than elsewhere. It is a city of beauty, space and opportunity. And the people are great looking! It may never be cool… but cool is overrated.”