New York Topped the List of Most Stressful Cities
Recently, New York City earned the title of the second-best city in the world from Resonance Consultancy, impressing experts with its vibrant cultural economy and extensive urban infrastructure projects.
However, the Big Apple has lost its crown as the most stressful city on the globe.
The financial firm Remitly examined various factors such as living costs, crime rates, congestion, pollution, and healthcare access to create a stress score for major cities worldwide.
Unsurprisingly, New York topped this list as well, with a stress score of 7.59.
The main contributing factor to this high score? It’s the staggering cost of living that burdens many of its residents.
A 2025 study from Cornell University revealed that the rising cost of living is a significant concern for most New Yorkers.
In November, Manhattan set a record for median rent, which skyrocketed 7.6% from the previous year to $4,625, according to real estate firms Miller Samuel & Co. and Douglas Elliman.
Residents are grappling with inflation affecting groceries, utilities, and insurance, which led Remitly to assign an alarming score of 100 for New York’s cost of living.
In comparison, Athens, Greece has a cost of living score of 56.6, while Mexico City falls even lower at 44.4.
Although it’s perhaps expected that New York would lead this list, the city in second place might be a surprise. Dublin, Ireland is not the relaxing city one might think, scoring 7.55 on the stress scale due to rising affordability issues and pressure on the locals.
Dublin also ranks as one of the most congested cities in Europe, with residents taking an average of 32 minutes and 45 seconds to traverse 10 kilometers (about 6.2 miles).
Finishing the top five are Mexico City, Manila, and London.
On a more positive note, Eindhoven in the Netherlands was named the least stressful city in the world, boasting a low score of 2.34.
Utrecht, also from the Netherlands, followed closely behind. Both cities improved their rankings thanks to excellent healthcare access and minimal crime and pollution levels.
