Exploring the spatial inequalities of foundational liveability in Vienna

Livability is a central principle in urban planning. However, dominant global indicators like the Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) Global Livability Ranking fail to capture socio-spatial inequalities due to arbitrary evaluation criteria. To address this gap, we operationalize human need theory to measure foundational livability defined as the capacity of a place to ensure access to essential services required for need satisfaction, such as healthcare, housing, or culture. We develop the Foundational Livability Indicator (FLI), a novel livability metric grounded in human need theory that combines geospatial methods with two key accessibility dimensions: (i) availability, measured via the container method, and (ii) affordability, estimated through households’ residual income after covering essential service costs. 

To demonstrate this approach’s value, we apply the FLI to Vienna’s 23 municipal districts, a city regularly ranked top by global indicators. Our results reveal significant socio-spatial disparities, including a clear mismatch between service availability and affordability. While availability clusters in central and north-western districts, affordability is higher in the north-west. Consequently, foundational livability is highest in the north-west, moderate in the center, and lowest in southern and eastern districts. 

Our study responds to global calls for grounded, theory-informed livability metrics by introducing an indicator that is robust, replicable, and adaptable to varied contexts. In addition to situating our findings within broader urban trends — such as the cost-of-living crisis — we critically reflect on our methodology and outline avenues for future research, including integrating environmental quality and defining absolute thresholds for foundational livability.