The cities that got most essentials reasonably right ranked highest
In a June 2026 continental assessment, South Africa emerged as the dominant force in African urban liveability, with five cities placing in the top ten — a quiet testament to the enduring power of practical infrastructure over global prestige. Gqeberha, a port city on the Eastern Cape largely unknown to the wider world, recorded the highest quality-of-life score on the continent, surpassing New York and London not through glamour but through the unglamorous virtues of affordable living and accessible healthcare. The ranking reminds us that what makes a city truly liveable is rarely what makes it famous.
- An unexpected city — Gqeberha, once called Port Elizabeth — has quietly outscored New York, London, and Barcelona on quality-of-life metrics, upending assumptions about where in the world people can live well.
- South Africa's dominance across five top-ten spots creates a tension with the country's well-documented struggles: safety concerns, inequality, and infrastructure strain that coexist with these high rankings.
- Kigali holds the overall crown on the strength of safety, low costs, and clean air — a reminder that liveability is a constellation, and no single city gets every element right.
- Researchers and residents alike are being pushed to reconsider what 'liveable' actually means — not prestige or skyline, but whether the hospitals work, the internet connects, and the rent can be paid.
- South Africa's collective urban showing signals a trajectory: cities that deliver on essentials are increasingly drawing those who want to build real lives, not just impressive addresses.
A June 2026 study by JB.com assessed African cities across healthcare, safety, cost of living, pollution, traffic, and connectivity — and the result was a striking portrait of South African urban life. Five of the country's cities claimed spots in the continental top ten, making South Africa the best-represented nation in the ranking.
Kigali took first place overall, its position anchored by high safety scores, low living costs, and a clean environment. But the deeper story belonged to Gqeberha, the Eastern Cape port city formerly known as Port Elizabeth. With a quality-of-life score of 161.9 — the highest on the continent — it surpassed not only Cape Town's 160.4 but also New York, London, and Barcelona. The engine behind that score was practical rather than spectacular: moderate living costs and dependable healthcare, the foundations that determine whether daily life is actually sustainable.
Cape Town followed in second place globally, its score reflecting strong healthcare infrastructure, economic opportunity, and natural appeal, even as safety concerns tempered the picture. Durban ranked sixth, Pretoria seventh, and Johannesburg eighth — each city contributing a version of the same story: reasonable balance across the factors that shape how people actually experience where they live.
The researchers were clear that liveability is not a single measure but a convergence of many. A city can be safe but unaffordable, or affordable but medically underserved. What the highest-ranked cities shared was not perfection in any one area, but adequacy across most. For South Africa, a country whose urban challenges are well documented, the ranking was less a celebration than a recognition — that for people trying to build lives in African cities, the essentials are, more often than not, in place.
A new study of African cities has delivered an unexpected verdict: South Africa dominates the continent's liveability rankings, with five of its urban centres claiming spots in the top ten. The June 2026 assessment by JB.com measured cities across Africa using a broad lens—healthcare quality, safety, cost of living, pollution levels, traffic flow, and internet connectivity—and what emerged was a portrait of South African cities as places where the fundamentals of daily life are, by and large, in order.
Kigali, Rwanda's capital, took the overall crown, but the real story belongs to what happened just behind it. Cape Town claimed second place globally with a quality-of-life score of 160.4, a figure that reflects the city's reputation for solid healthcare infrastructure, genuine economic prospects, and the undeniable draw of its landscape. Yet even Cape Town was outpaced by a city many outside South Africa have barely heard of. Gqeberha, the Eastern Cape port city formerly known as Port Elizabeth, achieved the highest quality-of-life score in the entire continental ranking at 161.9. That number surpassed New York, London, and Barcelona—cities with vastly larger global profiles and deeper pockets. What made Gqeberha stand out was a combination of moderate living costs and dependable healthcare, the kind of practical infrastructure that shapes whether a person can actually afford to live somewhere and whether they can access a doctor when they need one.
The other three South African cities in the top ten told a similar story of balance. Durban, positioned sixth, scored 151.8 on the quality-of-life index, buoyed by affordability, healthcare access, and the simple fact of living near the ocean. Pretoria came seventh with a score of 143.5, praised for its reliable medical services. Johannesburg, the country's economic engine, rounded out the showing in eighth place with 140.5. Together, these five cities represented South Africa as the best-represented nation in the entire top-ten list—a distinction that speaks to something deeper than marketing or chance.
The researchers behind the study noted that liveability is not a single measure but a constellation of factors working in concert. Safety matters, but so does whether you can breathe the air and whether your internet actually works. Cost of living matters, but not if the hospitals are failing. Traffic congestion wears on people, but so does isolation. The cities that ranked highest were those that got most of these elements reasonably right, not necessarily all of them perfectly.
Kigali's first-place finish rested on a different foundation than Cape Town's or Gqeberha's. Rwanda's capital drew strength from a notably high safety rating, genuinely low living costs, and a clean environment—factors that have tangible weight in how residents experience their daily lives. But South Africa's collective showing suggested something worth noting: the country's urban infrastructure, for all its documented challenges, delivers on the essentials in ways that matter to people trying to build lives in African cities. The ranking, in other words, was less about glamour than about whether the lights stay on, whether you can see a specialist without waiting months, and whether you can afford to do both.
Notable Quotes
When you strip away the marketing and focus on the numbers, the cities that make everyday life easier aren't always the ones people expect.— JB.com travel analyst
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does Gqeberha rank higher than Cape Town if Cape Town is more famous?
Because the study measured what actually makes daily life workable—healthcare, cost of living, pollution—not tourism appeal or international reputation. Gqeberha delivers those fundamentals at a lower price point.
So this isn't saying Gqeberha is a better place to visit?
Not at all. It's saying if you live there, the practical infrastructure supports you. That's different from whether it has Table Mountain or a famous waterfront.
What surprised the researchers most?
That South Africa had five cities in the top ten at all. Most people think of African liveability as a few standout capitals. Instead, the country showed consistent strength across multiple cities.
Does safety drag down South Africa's scores?
Yes, noticeably. Cape Town's safety rating was lower than some continental competitors. But it compensated with healthcare and economic opportunity. The study shows liveability is about balance, not perfection.
Why did Kigali win if it's not as developed as Cape Town?
Because it nailed the fundamentals differently—safety, affordability, clean air. For residents, those matter as much as healthcare infrastructure. Different cities solve the liveability puzzle in different ways.
What does this mean for people considering where to live in Africa?
It suggests South African cities offer something reliable: you can access healthcare, find work, and afford rent without constant anxiety. That's not glamorous, but it's what shapes whether you can actually stay.