Dublin is the second best place in the world for Americans to live

A new study has put Dublin as the best place in Europe - and second in the entire world - for US citizens to live in.

The nation's capital came second in a study comparing 450 places for 'liveability' for North Americans, losing the top spot to Toronto.

The study, compiled by consultancy firm ECA international, measures factors including climate, health services, housing, isolation, social life, safety, and air quality.

The ranking is designed for businesses who are sending employees abroad, to calculate how much extra compensation they should receive for the inconvenience.

Toronto, Canada, pipped Dublin to the post.

It's also based on the "level of adaptation required" by the person's culture. So while Toronto might be the best place for North Americans, Europeans would be better off in Bern or Copenhagen, while Asian residents might prefer Singapore.

In Europe, Dublin's closest competitors are Copenhagen and Zurich, while US cities barely make it into the top 10.

And while Toronto might be a good spot for North Americans, it's popular among Dubliners too - 4,700 Irish people moved there in 2013 / 2014.

The top 20 places to live if you're from North America are:

• Toronto, Canada

• Dublin, Ireland

• Copenhagen, Denmark

• Zurich, Switzerland

• Ottawa, Canada

• Vancouver, Canada

• Bern, Switzerland

• Stockholm, Sweden

• Seattle, USA

• Boston, USA

• Greenwich, USA

• Geneva, Switzerland

• The Hague, Netherlands

• Stavanger, Norway

• Gothenburg, Sweden

• Basel, Switzerland

• Vienna, Austria

• Berlin, Germany

• Luxembourg City, Luxembourg

• Eindhoven, Netherlands

• Montreal, Canada

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