Abu Dhabi and Dubai rank highest in the Arab world for quality of life and infrastructure, according to a survey by the HR consultancy Mercer.
For overall quality of life, Abu Dhabi ranks 78th globally - level with last year - while Dubai edged up one place to 73rd, according to Mercer's rankings.
That puts the two UAE cities ahead of others in the Middle East and North Africa, with the next highest in Mercer's ranking being Oman, which was placed 103rd.
"That the two UAE cities maintained and exceeded their high ranking shows that development is up to par with major cities around the world," Mercer said.
Dubai - which opened its Metro system in 2009 - ranked 34th globally in terms of its infrastructure, ahead of cities including Geneva, Miami and San Francisco.
Quality of life in Cairo and Damascus fell sharply in Mercer's rankings due to the impact of social unrest, the survey found.
Mercer's study measures elements including social and economic conditions, plus the availability of medical, education, transportation and recreational facilities.
Vienna retained the top spot in Mercer's ranking, followed by Zurich at second and Auckland third. Baghdad ranked lowest among the global rankings for quality of life.