Medellin, once known for being the stronghold of the Medellin drugs cartel, beat Tel Aviv and New York. The institute said Medellin had excelled in increasing the mobility of citizens living in poor communities. The city has an efficient metro and cable car system, which allows people to access the city centre easily. The Urban Land Institute compiled a list of 200 cities based on eight criteria ranging from culture and liveability to education and infrastructure. People were then asked to vote online for their top candidates.