37 Cities That Have Been Voted the Top Places to Live

According to a poll of 27,000 city-dwellers done by TimeOut, some cities are clearly better to live in than others. Considering factors like employability, expenses, and safety, each city has its own pros and cons — nowhere is perfect, right? Ranking last is Bangkok at number 37, closely followed by the Turkish metropolis of Istanbul. Have a read to discover which city is considered to be the best one to live in.

At Bright Side, we were very curious about where the best place to live might be and why. Discover for yourself the top cities in the world and see if you’re living in one yourself!

37 — Bangkok, Thailand

36 — Istanbul, Turkey

• 35 — Buenos Aires, Argentina

• 34 — Moscow, Russia

• 33 — Rome, Italy

• 32 — Johannesburg, South Africa

• 31 — São Paulo, Brazil

30 — Abu Dhabi, UAE

• 29 — Budapest, Hungary

• 28 — Paris, France

• 27 — Beijing, China

• 26 — Dubai, United Arab Emirates

25 — Miami, U.S.A

• 24 —Singapore, Singapore

• 23 — Milan, Italy

• 22 — Boston, U.S.A

• 21 — Lisbon, Portugal

20 — Hong Kong, China

• 19 — Mexico City, Mexico

• 18 — Madrid, Spain

• 17 — Shanghai, China

• 16 — Sydney, Australia

15 — Melbourne, Australia

• 14 — Barcelona, Spain

• 13 — London, England

• 12 — Chicago, U.S.A

• 11 — Los Angeles, U.S.A

10 — Tokyo, Japan

Without a doubt, Tokyo has a reputation for its creative culture from the arts to fashion, food, and design innovations. You could spend years exploring the city and still uncover new and exciting gems every day. Moreover, their public transport is on another level of efficiency, boasting one of the best systems in the world. This is an up-and-coming city to live in, where everything imaginable is available.

9 — Porto, Portugal

This is an extremely pedestrian-friendly city (minus the hills) that can proudly show off its stunning public spaces. From community gardens to squares and viewpoints across the city, you can instantly feel at home on its streets. Porto has also expanded its cycling infrastructure, making it an environmentally aware and progressive city. Add a splash of Portuguese art and culture on top and you have a recipe for a beautiful life.

8 — Tel Aviv, Israel

This city also happens to be a world-class beach resort and a global technology hub, giving it a unique edge. Here you can enjoy the stunning Mediterranean fusion, whether it’s in the food, art, or culture. It’s hard to beat such a vibrant and innovative city when it comes to relocating, with the city and beach both at your doorstep.

7 — Prague, Czech Republic

As a historic city, Prague can hold its head high with its fabulous architecture and old winding streets. The city is extremely walkable and pedestrian-friendly, with uncountable corners to visit daily down the side streets. It is also considered to be an extremely clean city, which is pretty neat if you’re walking the streets every day. And of course, as a resident, you’ll never get bored of visiting historic sites and big cultural spots.

6 — Montreal, Canada

To live in Montreal means to be part of a community, as this city is famous for its inclusive and open community spirit. This city has everything of a modern innovative society, while still maintaining a friendly and creative atmosphere. For this reason, many musicians, artists, and poets have called it home over the years, adding to its vibrant and leading cultural scene.

5 — New York, U.S.A

Of course, New York is a huge bustling metropolis that is one of the financial and artistic capitals of the world. Living here means that you’ll be brushing shoulders with people from every walk of life and you’ll always find a community for yourself. Known as “the city that doesn’t sleep,” New York is a city of convenience where you can get all that you could dream of any time of the day or night.

4 — Copenhagen, Denmark

It is no secret that Denmark is widely thought of as one of the happiest places in the world, and Copenhagen can be considered a happy and relaxed city. Living here means a high quality of general life, with innovative green initiatives being used within the city. It is also the home of “hygge,” which is a Danish word for comfortable conviviality and coziness. Now that sounds like a beautiful city to move to!

3 — Manchester, England

This is the city that is home to music legends (like the Smiths), stunning architecture, and a buzzing friendly culture. This multicultural city can boast about being the most livable city in the UK for almost a decade, making it an all-around great place to be. Its exciting restaurants and night culture mean that it’s a young city, ideal for students and for people in their early career stages.

2 — Amsterdam, Netherlands

Even though Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands, it is still considerably smaller than other major European capitals like Paris or Rome. This gives it its rather laidback and distinctive atmosphere that is hard to find in other capitals. Living here means that you can enjoy the benefits of the facilities of a city, while still enjoying the local neighborhood markets and eateries.

1 — San Francisco, U.S.A

This was voted as the top place to live in the world for its adaptability and innovative initiatives that all help the local residents. This city has some close-knit communities that know how to pull together and give a helping hand. Accompanied by a great climate, good career opportunities, and its inclusive and forward-looking attitudes, anyone can thrive in San Francisco.

The thing about the city is that it caters to everyone, and does it very well. Whether you’re a foodie, into sports, a culture hawk, or a nature enthusiast, San Francisco has it all and takes the game up a notch to go the extra mile.

We would love to hear your thoughts about these cities! Do you live in one of the top 37? What other cities would you like to see in the top 10 list?