Global Quality of Life Index Draws 100+ City Applicants
More than 100 cities in over 50 countries applied to join the new index, and 35 have published their data on QOLIMPACT.COM.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Civic Engagement
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More than 100 cities across over 50 countries applied to join the Global Quality of Life Index in 2026. Thirty-five cities have completed participation requirements and published their data on the QOLIMPACT.COM platform.
Why it matters
The index gives policymakers, researchers and the public a common platform to access and compare city-level data across participating cities. The United Nations Statistical Commission has recognized it as a tool to support city-level decision-making and recommended that the initiative continue.
Participation rose from 19 cities with published data at the start of the year to 35 cities now, out of more than 100 applicants from over 50 countries. The extraction does not specify how many applicants are expected to complete the requirements.
The players
Quality of Life Program
Saudi Arabia's program that launched the Global Quality of Life Index under the Saudi Vision 2030 framework.
UN-Habitat
The United Nations agency for human settlements and sustainable urban development, which partnered with Saudi Arabia on the index.
United Nations Statistical Commission
The UN body that recognized the index as a tool for city-level decision-making and recommended that it continue.
The details
The Global Quality of Life Index was launched by Saudi Arabia's Quality of Life Program in partnership with UN-Habitat under Saudi Vision 2030, and was officially introduced at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, in January. Alongside the launch, an interactive platform, QOLIMPACT.COM, was introduced, and cities that complete participation requirements publish their data there.
Timeline
January 2026: Index officially launched at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
Beginning of 2026: 19 cities had published data on the platform.
November 10, 2026: More than 100 cities were reported as having applied to join the index.
Civic Engagement Context
The index extends UN-Habitat's city-level urban data work by adding a comparative quality-of-life dataset that cities can use in decision-making. The United Nations Statistical Commission's endorsement places it within the UN's broader framework for city statistics.
Residents of participating cities may be able to compare their city's published data against other cities on QOLIMPACT.COM. Cities that have not yet published data can still access the platform to see what participating cities have reported.
The takeaway
Cities that publish standardized quality-of-life data can compare outcomes directly with peers worldwide. Residents and officials alike can use the platform to track where their city stands.
Further reading
Explore more on Civic Engagement to see how cities and residents use shared data to shape local decisions.
More information
Compare participating city data on the QOLIMPACT.COM platform.
Source note: This article includes information reported by قناة العربية.
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