London is only the 40th highest ranked city in the world for quality of life, according to a new study.

The study was carried out by human resources consulting firm Mercer, and evaluated living conditions in more than 440 cities across the world, including their political, cultural and social environments, education systems, health considerations, recreation and housing.

Vienna was named as the city with the best quality of living in the world, Zurich came in second place and Auckland in third.

London was the highest-ranking UK city, with Birmingham in 52nd position, Glasgow 55th and Belfast 63rd.

Ellyn Karetnick, leader of Mercer's international mobility practice in the UK, said: "UK cities overall enjoy high standards of quality of living and remain stable and attractive locations for businesses.

"Security has been tightened in many major European cities following the attacks in Paris and Copenhagen, and Mercer is closely monitoring any potential impact on the living standard for expatriates and their families in these locations."

Top 10:

1. Vienna, Austria

2. Zurich, Switzerland

3. Auckland, New Zealand

4. Munich, Germany

5. Vancouver, Canada

6. Dusseldorf, Germany

7. Frankfurt, Germany

8. Geneva, Switzerland

9. Copenhagen, Denmark

10. Sydney, Australia