Is Melbourne really the world's most liveable city?

Melbourne was rated the world’s most liveable city for the third time running while Adelaide, Sydney, Perth and Auckland were all in the top 10.

But transport and urban development consultant Alan Davies says no one should be under any illusion that it has any relevance to whether or not Melbourne is a better place to live permanently than Auckland.

He says it doesn’t take account of the cost of living for permanent residents or key issues like job opportunities and housing affordability.