Bangalore tops Mercer's quality of living list in India

Bangalore, Dec 4: With shortcomings like political as well as serious garbage disposal issues, Karnataka's capital Bangalore is the top Indian city in terms of quality of living.

According to the latest worldwide survey of cities by global HR consultancy Mercer among Indian cities, Bangalore (139) ranks higher than New Delhi (143), Mumbai (146), Chennai (150) and Kolkata (151) in overall quality of living.

"Bangalore's rise in its quality of living ranking can be attributed to positive ratings for international schools which are suitable for expatriates," the Mercer's 2012 Quality of Living Index report said.

However, Mumbai (134) ranked highest if one considers city infrastructure. Other cities like Kolkata (141), New Delhi (153), Chennai (168), Bangalore (170) followed the leader.

Mercer's list covers 221 cities, ranked against New York as the base city.

"In order for multinational companies to ensure their expatriates are compensated appropriately and an adequate hardship allowance is included in compensation packages, they must be aware of current events and local circumstances," Mercer Senior Researcher Slagin Parakatil said.

"Factors such as internal stability, law enforcement effectiveness, crime levels and medical facilities are important to consider when deciding on an international assignment, and the impact on daily life that could be encountered by the expatriate in overseas placements," Parakatil added.

Among Asia Pacific cities, Australian and New Zealand cities rank higher on the index with Sydney (11), Wellington (13), Melbourne (18) and Perth (21) following Auckland (3).

The global list was topped by Vienna and was followed by Zurich and Auckland in second and third place. Other cities in the top 10 include Munich in fourth place, followed by Vancouver (5th).

Dusseldorf dropped one spot to rank sixth followed by Frankfurt (7th), Geneva (8th), Copenhagen (9th), and Bern and Sydney tied in 10th place.

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