These questions are worth considering since finding a suitable place to live in a city not only affects ones quality of living, but it also has a direct impact on the social and economic growth of the city. This is true because a person who lives in a suitable place will tend to contribute to the surrounding neighborhoods in many ways. For example, if a person really likes to shop, then living close to a shopping center would maximize his/her quality of living, and at the same time, the money this person spends would further simulate the economy. If a person is really enthusiastic about working with people and getting involved in many activities, then living close to community centers would maximize his/her quality of living, and at the same time his/her involvement would also contribute to the community by bringing people closer together. Therefore, finding a suitable place to live in a city is an important issue and it is certainly worth considering.

Since the quality of living has a great impact of an executive's willingness to move or stay in a location, it is important to know what are the major factors that would affect ones quality of living. The Mercer Human Resource Consulting Organization had done a survey to determine the citizens' quality of living in for all the major cities in the World. This study is based on detailed assessments and evaluations of 39 key quality of life determinants, grouped in the following categories:

• Consumer goods: availability of food/daily consumption items, cars, et
• Economic environment: currency exchange regulations, banking services, etc
• Housing: housing, household appliances, furniture, maintenance services, etc
• Medical and health considerations: medical supplies and services, infectious diseases, sewage, waste disposal, air pollution, etc
• Natural environment: climate, record of natural disasters
• Political and social environment: political stability, crime, law enforcement, etc
• Public services and transportation: electricity, water, public transport, traffic congestion, etc
• Recreation: restaurants, theatres, cinemas, sports, and leisure etc
• Schools and education: standard and availability of schools etc
• Socio-cultural environment: censorship, limitations on personal freedom, etc
  
  

Based on all these above criteria, Vancouver is ranked the world's second best place to live in 2003, the third in 2004.