Mercer announced the Top 50 cities for best quality of living in 2008. Greece did not make the top 50, and Athens at #77 was again the lowest ranked city in western Europe, as has been the case for several years.

Top 50

1. Zurich, Switzerland
2. Vienna, Austria - tie
2. Geneva, Switzerland - tie
4. Vancouver, Canada
5. Auckland, New Zealand
6. Dusseldorf, Germany
7. Munich, Germany - tie
7. Frankfurt, Germany - tie
9. Bern, Switzerland
10. Sydney, Australia
11. Copenhagen, Denmark
12. Wellington, New Zealand
13. Amsterdam, The Netherlands
14. Brussels, Belgium
15. Toronto, Canada
16. Berlin, Germany
17. Melbourne, Australia - tie
17. Luxembourg, Luxembourg - tie
19. Ottawa, Canada
20. Stockholm, Sweden
21. Perth, Australia
22. Montreal, Canada
23. Nurnberg, Germany
24. Oslo, Norway
25. Dublin, Ireland - tie
25. Calgary, Canada - tie
27. Hamburg, Germany
28. Honolulu, Hawaii (USA)
29. San Francisco, CA (USA) - tie
29. Helsinki, Finland - tie
29. Adelaide, Australia - tie
32. Singapore, Singapore
32. Paris, France
34. Brisbane, Australia
35. Tokyo, Japan
36. Lyon, France
37. Boston, MA (USA)
38. Yokohama, Japan - tie
38. London, UK - tie
40. Kobe, Japan
41. Milan, Italy
42. Barcelona, Spain
43. Madrid, Spain
44. Washington DC, USA - tie
44. Osaka, Japan - tie
44. Lisbon, Portugal - tie
44. Chicago, IL (USA) - tie
48. Portland, OR
49. New York City, NY (USA)
50. Seattle, WA (USA)

The analysis is based on an evaluation of 39 quality of living criteria that include political, socio-cultural, economic and environmental factors, personal safety and health, education, transport and public services, recreation, housing and availability/affordability of consumer goods. Mercer Human Resource Consulting performs this assessment on an annual basis to determine living conditions for expatriate employees.

While some dispute that this does not apply to the everyday person, it is important to point out that expats use the same public services, institutions and spaces as local residents. Therefore, it is essentially a quality of living analysis for everyone.

Of course “quality” is subjective, not necessarily definitive. In the end, it comes down to personal preference, circumstances and options. One man’s castle is another man’s ghetto.

To see the Top 50 cities on the survey compared to last year’s ranking, click Top 50.

Ranking for all cities surveyed

Mercer has 350 cities in its database, but narrows the survey to only 215 cities and selection changes annually. To see if your city in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe or America made the list and how it fared, click 2008 Quality of Living Ranking.

I also found an interesting interactive table by International Living that, although it lists no protocol or explanation, allows you to select by country or by element. Click, “Quality of Life Index.”

Related posts

The cost of living survey is typically released before quality of living stats, but the 2008 edition has not yet been published. It will be linked here when that changes. In the meantime:

“Athens, Greece: Quality of living vs. cost of living 2007“
“Minimum salary vs. cost and quality of living in the EU“
“Benefits of living in the EU vs. USA“

Do you know who Nino is? I actually like some of his music, so this is not a criticism of him, but two thoughts come to mind when I see things like this:

a) “Get some new material” — a popular saying from one of my American friends in Athens, who is victimized by the same tired jokes or insults. There’s nothing creative or classy about ripping off other people’s ideas or repeating the same limp stuff.

b) Please, my brutha — How can a Fame Story contestant compare to international starlet Nicole Kidman?

Inspiration is one thing, as I understand originality is in short supply. But at least change something like the T-shirt color, and make it yours in some small way!

Thaumata - Nino

Nicole Kidman for Chanel No. 5

* This post was inspired by De Masame Re’s “O δρόμος της εύκολης λύσης – και της μικροαπάτης” and “G is for Gentlemen - δηλαδή μόνο για κυρίους.” These posts are just two examples of the unoriginal copycat behavior that is rife in Greece.

* Hat tip to my one-man PR team in Athens.

KTEL, the long-distance bus network of Greece, is a vital part of traveling within the country since the terrain limits destinations reachable by train. With the rising price of fuel, even car travel can be cost prohibitive.

As the official KTEL Web site no longer provides free schedules and now charges money to use their phone service in Greek (no English), below are some links to local KTEL Web sites containing schedules and ticket fares (subject to change). In addition, English speakers can get printed schedules at EOT offices (Tourist Information Offices) or inquire at hotel reception, and Greek speakers can call local KTEL phone numbers (in Greek) to avoid paying a fee.

* Bus tickets to islands include a ferry ticket (i.e. Zakynthos, Kefallonia).
* Be aware that many cities have two or more bus terminals.
* Summer schedules typically run from April-October and winter from November-March, although the Ministry can announce differently at any time.
* Most people show up early to get a seat and do not reserve one (in Greek), although it is free.

KTEL Athens

Terminal ‘A’ (Kifissou Street)
Departs to Alexandroupoulis, Argos, Arta, Astakos, Corfu (Kerkyra), Corinthos, Epidavros, Florina, Githio, Igoumenitsa, Ioannina, Ithaki, Kalamata, Kalavryta, Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallonia, Lefkada, Loutraki, Messolongi, Monemvassia, Nafpaktos, Nafplio/Mycenae, Neapolis, Olympia, Parga, Patra, Pylos, Pyrgos, Preveza, Sparti, Thessalonki, Tripoli, Veria, Xanthi, Xilokastro, Zakynthos

Terminal ‘B’ (Liosson Street)
Departs to Agios Konstantinos, Aidipsos (Evia), Amfissa, Delphi, Distomo, Galaxidi, Halkida, Kamena Vourla, Karditsa, Karpenissi, Katerini/Litochoro, Kimi (Paralia)/Skyros, Lamia, Larissa, Livadia, Thiva, Trikala/Meteora (Kalambaka), Volos/Pylio

KTEL Attikis - Travel within Athens (ktelattikis.gr)

Ag. Andreas, Ag. Apostoli, Ag. Dimitrios, Agia Marina, Ag. Nikolaos, Ag. Theodori, Airport (Eleftherios Venizelos), Alepoxori, Anavyssos, Anatoli, Ancona, Avlaki, Dilesi, Erythres, Grammatiko, Halkoutsi, Kakia Thalassa, Kalamos, Kalenzi, Kalyvia, Kamariza, Kapandriti, Keratea, Koropi, Kouvara, Lagonissi, Lavrio, Legraina, Lykouriza, Marathona, Markati, Markopoulo, Mati, Megara, Mazi, Nea Makri, Oropos, Paiania, Pallini, Paralia Fokaias, Pikermi, Plaka, Polydendri, Porto Germeno, Porto Rafti, Psatha, Rafina, Saronida, Schinia, Sikamino, Souli, Sounio, Thymari, Varnava, Vilia, Vlastos, Vravrona, Zouberi

KTEL Argolis (ktel-argolis.gr)

Argos, Epidavros, Galatsas, N. Kios, Kranidi, Nafplio, Tolo

KTEL Chios (Summer schedule and Winter schedule)

Ag. Fotini, Ag. Galas, Ag. Georgios, Amades, Armolia, Didima, Elata, Emporios, Flatsia, Giari Beach, Kalamoti, Kalimasia, Kampia, Kardamyla, Kataraktis, Kini, Komi, Lagada, Limenas Lithi, Meston, Mesta, Mirmigki, Nagos, Nenita, Olympi, Pagida, Pantoukios, Paparia, Patrika, Pirama, Pyrgi, Pytios, Sykiada, Tholopotami, Vessa, Viki, Volissos, Vouno

KTEL Crete (bus-service-crete-ktel.com and ktel-heraklio-lassithi.gr)

Aetania, Ag. Galini, Ag. Nikolaos, Ag. Pelagia, Ag. Varvara, Anogia, Archanes, Arkalohori, Asimi, Assites, Astiraki, Dafnes, Elounda, Fodele, Gonies, Hania, Harakas, Heronissos, Ierapetra, Irakleio, Kastelli, Kroussona, Lassithi, Ledas, Malia, Matala, Megali Vrissi, Mires, Peza, Phaestos, Pr. Ilias, Prinias, Pyrgos, Rethymno, Rodia, Sikologos, Sisi, Sitia, Tibaki, Tilissos Kalessa, Venerato, Vianno

KTEL Evia (eviapress.gr)

Aidipsos, Aliveri, Amarinthos, Athens, Halkida, Istiaia, Karistos, Kymi, Limni, Mantoudi, Prokopi, Psachna, Rovies

KTEL Halkidiki (English or Greek)

Ag. Mama, Dionysiou, Flogita, Gerakini, Hanioti, Ierisos, Kalamitsi, Kalikratia, Kalyves, Kassandra, Kriopygi, Marmara, Moundania, Mt. Athos, Olynthos, Ouranoupoli, Paliouri, Pefkoxori, Plagia, Polygyros, Potidea, Sikia, Simantra, Skioni, Sozopoli, Thessaloniki, Toroni

KTEL Kefallonia (kefallonia.net.gr)

Ag. Efimia, Argostoli, Athens, Divarata, Fiskardo, Irinna, Ithaca, Katelio, Kylini, Lixouri, Myrtos, Patra, Poro, Sami, Skala, St. Gerasimo, Xi

KTEL Kozani (ktelkozanis.gr - Greek only)

Ag. Dimitrios, Aiani, Anthotopo, Athens, Chromio, Ektakto, Eratyra, Florina, Gallatini, Grevena, Ioannina, Kastoria, Larissa, Lefkara, Livera, Mathitiko, Metamorfosi, Neapoli, Pontokomi, Ptolemaida, Rymnio, Serbia, Siatista, Sidera, Sparto, Thessaloniki, Tsotyli, Velvendo, Veria, Volos, Xteni

KTEL Samos (samos-online.com)

Ag. Konstantinou, Airport, Ambelos, Arvanites, Avlakia, Drakei, Hora, Ireon, Kallithea, Karlovasi, Kastania, Kokkari, Kondeika, Koumeika, Lekka, Lemonakia Beach, Marathokampos, Mavratzei, Mytilini, Ormos, Pagondas, Platanos, Potokaki, Pyrgos, Pythagorio, Samos Town, Spatharei, Tsamadou Beach, Tsambou Beach, Votsalakia, Vourliotes, Ydrousa

KTEL Santorini (ktel-santorini.gr)

Airport, Akrotiri, Athinios Port, Baxedes, Fira, Imerovigli, Kamari, Monolithos, Oia, Perissa, Vlihada

KTEL Syros (syros.com.gr)

Ano Mana, Ano Syros, Azolimnos, Bissa, Chroussa, Danakos, Finikas, Galissas, Hermoupoli, Kini, Megas Gyalos, Pagos, Parakopi, Poseidonia, Vari

KTEL Thessaloniki (ktel-thes.gr)

Apollonia, Asprovalta, Athens, Ioannina, Karditsa, Kastoria, Kozani, Larissa, Olympiada, Ptolemaida, Stavros, Volos, Vrasna

KTEL Volos (ktelvolou.gr - Greek only)

Almyros, Athens, Ioannina, Kozani, Lamia, Larissa, Patra, Pylio, Thessaloniki, Trikala, Velestino

KTEL Zakynthos (ktel-zakynthos.gr - Greek only)

Agalas, Ag. Leon, Alykes, Argasi, Ekso Xora, Galaro, Gerakaria, Kalamaki, Kambi, Katastari, Keri, Korithi, Kypseli, Laganas, Lithakia, Maxairado, Nerotsoulithres, Tragaki, Tsivili, Vasilikos, Volima, Zakynthos Town

* More Web sites will be added if they come available. Valid additions and corrections are welcome, as always.

Related posts

“KTEL Web site“
“The first time I drove in Athens“

* Hat tip to Graf for his input on KTEL Crete.

Back in April, the official KTEL Web site pulled all schedules and information about its vital long-distance bus network in Greece from public view. It wasn’t covered in English-language media, but what I understand from Greek media is a private company was using KTEL’s free information to make money by starting a pay-for-info call service.

Instead of starting a free service to put this company out of business — which should have been done years ago to prevent this kind of violation to begin with — KTEL countered by also starting a pay-for-info call service. With most residents addicted to their cars, not to mention damage to the environment, traffic getting worse and trains being limited in destinations, it seems wrong to create obstacles and make people pay money for information that should be free to the public.

Further, many travelers and residents will have a difficult time since these services are only offered in Greek. As tourism is Greece’s primary source of income, the timing couldn’t be worse as it happened just before Easter when many Greeks abroad came home and now it’s high season.

Fortunately, some municipalities and independent Web sites have put up schedules to fill the void. In the next post, links will be provided for anyone in need of schedules and information in English for KTEL long distance buses operating in different areas of Greece.

Related posts

“KTEL Buses of Greece“

* Hat tip to Costantinos, whose KTEL post reminded me I never wrote up an article.

News channels in Greece all put up lengthy special reports about the earthquake as if it’s a big tragedy, even describing it as a “catastrophe.” Please, let’s put things in perspective.

Earthquakes in Greece have become commonplace and pose no real threat unless panic ensues, your home is ancient and poorly built, or a factory is built on a landfill (Ricomex was a terrible and needless loss). The only characteristic I can point to is this one rolled (S-wave) and was of some length.

It may be helpful to click, “How Quakes Happen” by the BBC. Why? Because knowledge is power. If you look at the frame with the tectonic plates, you’ll notice that Greece is indeed outlined by a plate and therefore vulnerable to regular Earth movement.

For everyone traveling or living in Greece, please review earthquake safety with this quick and educational Earthquake Quiz and “Earthquakes and Epiphany” that details guidelines for every situation. I especially recommend them to anyone who thinks running outside is a good idea. There is absolutely no reason to be frightened or worried if you understand what to do.

Related posts

“Two earthquakes in 20+ minutes“

* Hat tip to Grits’ friend in Souda Bay for sharing the quiz