Zurich is the seventh best city in the world in which to study, according to a new table ranking university cities.

Home to the ETH technological institute and the University of Zurich, Switzerland's biggest city received high praise from QS, the group that compiled the rankings, for the quality of its education as well as its calm atmosphere and dramatic scenery.

ETH Zurich is the highest ranked university in continental Europe, QS noted, while the city itself receives routine accolades for the quality of living on offer.

The city is also steeped in wealth, a fact QS said had both its benefits and drawback. 

"On the one hand its affluence means Zurich is clean, safe and immaculately maintained, but on the other, living expenses can be eye-wateringly high," QS said. 

"That said, while rent and socialising may cost a packet, tuition fees averaging around US$1,000-2,000 for international students represent a huge saving compared to comparably prestigious universities in the UK, North America or Australia."

According to QS, Zurich's two institutions have a combined total of 42,000 students. Of these, 10,000, or 24 percent, are international students.

Paris topped the inaugural Best Student Cities table, which ranks cities according to measures taken from "public information, population sizes, number of educational establishments and their quality (as judged by the QS World University Rankings." 

London emerged as the world's second best study city, followed by Boston, Melbourne, Vienna and Sydney.

After Zurich, Berlin, Dublin and Montreal rounded out the top ten.

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