Amsterdam & Eindhoven climb 2026 Global Cities Index

While American metropolises continue to lead in pure economic firepower, European cities dominate liveability, environment and governance, according to the new Global Cities Index. Dutch hubs like Amsterdam and Eindhoven are riding high in this year's rankings, but a worsening housing crisis across the continent threatens to sour the perks for internationals.

Quality of life gives European hubs the edge over the US

Western hubs continue to dominate global urban rankings, though the factors driving their success reveal a clear transatlantic divide. New York retained the top spot globally in the Oxford Economics Global Cities Index 2026, but London and Paris followed closely in second and third place, respectively.

Evaluating 1.000 global cities across five pillars (Economics, Human Capital, Quality of Life, Environment and Governance), the annual report highlights a structural split between regions.

Cities in the US claimed five of the global top 10 positions, driven almost entirely by strong scores in economic output and human capital. New York, Seattle, San Francisco, Boston and San Jose all scored exceptionally high in commercial strength. 

By contrast, European cities dominated the metrics for resident amenities, environmental performance and institutional stability. Contenders such as Oslo (6th for Quality of Life, 8th for Governance), Zurich (14th for Quality of Life), and Paris (10th for Quality of Life) consistently offer a higher baseline of liveability that US financial powerhouses struggle to match.

Amsterdam climbs as Eindhoven named key "city to watch"

Amsterdam climbed six places in this year's index to reach 21st overall, solidifying its place inside Europe’s top 10. The Dutch capital performed strongly in economic stability and human capital, supported by a thriving business services sector, financial institutions and the trade reach of Schiphol Airport.

Further south, Eindhoven emerged as a standout performer, landing 80th globally and earning a spot as one of five European "cities to watch". Home to the Brainport cluster, the city boasts over 5.000 high-tech companies specialising in semiconductors, artificial intelligence and green technology. Unlike many service-oriented Western European peers, Eindhoven's expansion is heavily driven by high-productivity industrial manufacturing.

Both Dutch locations continue to attract non-native talent due to strong liveability standards. Amsterdam secured 35th place for Quality of Life, while Eindhoven ranked 45th, bolstered by low crime rates, solid transport connectivity and accessible green spaces.

Across the Netherlands, several municipalities made a strong showing in this year's index:

Overall rank	City	Economics	Human capital	Quality of life	Environment	Governance
21	Amsterdam	33	58	35	212	51
54	Utrecht	75	165	30	101	51
67	Rotterdam	68	195	65	389	51
74	The Hague	153	161	67	87	51
80	Eindhoven	123	210	45	176	51
136	Arnhem	213	425	33	190	51
231	Groningen	295	574	94	298	51

Housing bottlenecks put pressure on international residents

Despite Europe's strong liveability performance, housing affordability remains a severe pain point across almost all top-ranking hubs. Major global centres like London, Dublin and New York continue to struggle under the weight of high housing costs, which heavily impacts their Quality of Life scores despite high average incomes.

The problem is particularly acute in the Netherlands, where residential construction has failed to keep pace with population growth. In Eindhoven, analysts warn that housing supply may struggle to accommodate the 28.000 additional residents expected by 2040, posing a primary downside risk to the region's economic momentum.

In response to these cost pressures, more affordable secondary cities are gaining a competitive edge. Locations such as Toulouse in France are increasingly drawing skilled workers away from major capitals by offering lower living costs paired with a high quality of life. For internationals weighing their next career move, relative housing expenditure is rapidly becoming as decisive a factor as salary potential.