Quietly leading: Graz tops the ranking as world champion for a calm life
Did you get the news? The Australian platform “Compare the Market” has ranked the characteristics of 50 cities worldwide. The result: Graz is the best place for those who like a quiet life.
Immerse yourself in the heart of Graz, where tranquillity reigns supreme, and discover why this gem outshines the competition as the world’s pinnacle of peaceful living. According to the Australian platform “Compare the Market”, Graz not only participates in the global ranking of cities, but leads it with grace. Gone are the days when Graz stood in the shadow of the Habsburg monarchy and was known as a retirement home.
Transforming Image: From Pensionopolis to Modern Oasis
Today, the city presents itself rejuvenated, a vibrant mixture of youth, modernity and serenity. Join us as we explore how Graz has redefined itself and secured the title of the best city for tranquil living, through the lens of a comprehensive global survey.
Over the last few decades, Graz has successfully freed itself from the 150-year-old image of the Habsburg monarchy’s “Pensionoplis”, which was long strongly associated with the city, and positioned itself as a young, modern and vibrant city. And now a study from Australia tells us: Graz is said to be the best city in the world for a quiet life.
The “study” commissioned by the Australian platform “Compare the Market AU” is a list of various factors that were compared for 50 cities worldwide: In tabular form, values such as population, crime rate, world peace index, number of clubs & bars and traffic congestion were compared with the number of hiking trails, yoga studios and public gardens.
A lively nightlife, a lot of traffic and a lot of crime have a negative effect on a “peaceful life“, while a wide range of nature experiences and yoga studios have a positive effect.
Through the Study’s Lens
Graz, by far the smallest city in the ranking, achieved a score of 5.344 out of 8, putting it in first place. With one of the lowest scores on the peace index, a low crime rate and only 5.36 clubs and bars per 100,000 inhabitants, Graz is the perfect city for those who prefer a cozy lifestyle.
According to the data used, Graz has five hiking trails, almost 38 yoga studios per 100,000 inhabitants (one of them is a Bikram Hot Yoga Studio), two public gardens and – apparently essential for a quiet life – only 5.36 clubs and bars per 100,000 inhabitants. The average traffic congestion score (percentage of average additional time lost to traffic compared to travel times without traffic in the city) is 30.
Good to know: More about Graz
First of all: The city is dominated by the beautiful Schloßberg, on which a fortress has stood since the Middle Ages and to which the city owes its name: Graz is derived from the Slavic word for castle, “gradec”.
Graz is the provincial capital of Styria and the second largest city in the Republic of Austria with 298,479 inhabitants (January 2023).The city is located on both sides of the the river Mur, where the Mur emerges from the Alps (or the Styrian Randgebirge) into the geologically younger foreland, in the Graz Basin.
With 660,238 inhabitants (2024), the Graz metropolitan region is the third largest metropolitan region in Austria after the metropolitan regions of Vienna and Linz. The Graz metropolitan area has been the fastest growing metropolitan area in Austria over the last ten years.
Moving with the time
The Grazer Feld was a densely populated agricultural landscape in Roman times. The castle – Schloßberg – was built here in the 6th century, from which the name Graz is derived (Slovenian gradec means small castle). Graz was given its coat of arms in 1245. From 1379 to 1619, the city was the Habsburg residence and withstood several Ottoman attacks during this period.
In 2003, Graz was the European Capital of Culture and in 2015, it became the European City of Reformation. Graz has developed into a university city with a total of 63,000 students (as of June 10, 2023) and It was chosen as the Human Rights City and is the winner of the European Prize.
The old town of Graz and Eggenberg Palace have been UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1999 and 2010 respectively. Graz is the episcopal seat of the Graz-Seckau diocese and has been part of the Creative Cities Network as a UNESCO City of Design since March 2011.
Graz’s Diverse Appeal
Also Graz is important for Styria and Austria as a whole because many well-known companies are based there. A special part of the economy is technology, where new things are invented. There are many trade fairs at the Messe-Center Graz, including the Graz Autumn Fair: This is where companies present what they do and what you can buy from them.
Graz has already been European Capital of Culture. The old town is a world cultural heritage site. Graz also has a well-known Austrian soccer club, SK Sturm. And if you are a dog lover: 17 dog meadows are available for dogs in the city of Graz. Around 500 dog waste bag dispensers are attached to municipal waste garbage cans.
Fazit
In summary, Graz is not just a city, but a living mosaic of culture, history and peace. With its deep-rooted history dating back to Roman times and its forward-looking commitment to education, human rights and innovation, Graz is a beacon of balanced city life.
The UNESCO-awarded city with its flourishing economic landscape proves that serenity and liveliness can coexist, making it not only the best city for peaceful living but also a model for future urban spaces worldwide, according to Compare the Market.
As you can see, Graz has a lot to offer and Colivi has cheap apartments for rent. And the best thing – those are fully furnished, so you do not have to worry about a thing before moving in! Even WiFi is included. Just get in touch with us – our experts look forward to answering all your questions and informing you all about available Graz apartments for rent.
So if you are looking for furnished apartments for rent in Graz, get in touch with us. Coliving has helped students surmount the challenges that come with moving to a new environment!
Also interesting: Flatshare Vienna, because Vienna is around two hours away from Graz – of course by car or public transport.
