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The 50 best cities in the world for 2025 — see where NYC ranked

Call it Bronze Apple.

The timeout is published A list of the world's 50 best cities to visit in 2025 — and New York will be forced to settle for third place behind two unlikely competitors.

Time Out has released its list of the world's 50 best cities for 2025. Kieferpix – Stock.adobe.com

The global travel authority surveyed more than 18,500 people around the world to find out their opinions of their hometowns on everything from food, nightlife, culture, affordability, happiness and overall atmosphere. was analyzed.

Time Out then asked a panel of experts to vote on the best Burg to visit this year.

In the survey, 78% of New Yorkers ranked The City That Never Sleeps as “exciting,” and while Gotham didn't come out on top, it did rank among the best in the United States.

Let's take a closer look at the top 10 here.

1. Cape Town

A South African city was ranked the best in the world in 2025. Harris Pinkham – Stock.adobe.com

The majority of Cape Town residents (97%) say they are happy in their city. Maybe that will cheer you up too?

95% praised the city's food scene, and 82% described the location as “beautiful.”

2. Bangkok

Bangkok's second-best rating likely has something to do with the “cool” status of the Ekamai district. Witiwallasis – Stock.adobe.com

Bangkok's Ekamai district is The world's coolest timeout.

86% of locals say Bangkok's food is “delicious” or “excellent” and 84% say eating out is affordable.

3. New York

Most New Yorkers disagree that their city ranks third. TTstudio – Stock.adobe.com

A whopping 78% of New Yorkers find the city “exciting,” the highest percentage of any city on the list.

The Big Apple also received a 92% approval rating for its world-class arts and culture scene.

melbourne, australia

This restaurant in the heart of Australia is highly regarded on the restaurant scene. f11 Photo – Stock.adobe.com

Melbourne came second overall in the 'restaurants and eating out' category.

However, that's not the only attraction; “Culture” also ranked fourth.

london

London is listed as the 5th largest city in 2025. Dario – Stock.adobe.com

London is the city Time Out staff love most.

Residents especially emphasize its diversity and inclusiveness.

new orleans

New Orleans was ranked 6th in the world and 2nd among American cities. Kevin Luck – Stock.adobe.com

New Orleans was the third most affordable city on the list. 72% of residents claimed that seeing live music is budget-friendly, and 83% said going out for cocktails doesn't cost a fortune.

mexico city

Mexico City has become a popular tourist destination in recent years. Mariana Ianowska – Stock.adobe.com

Mexico's capital was ranked the fourth happiest city on the list.

An overwhelming 96% of local residents say their city makes them happy, and the same proportion agree that they are delighted by the everyday experiences their city offers. I am.

porto, portugal

Porto is Portugal's second largest city, beating Lisbon into the top 10. SeanPavonePhoto – Stock.adobe.com

Porto was named the fourth most beautiful city on the list, with 78% of locals rating it that way.

And the locals will not go anywhere. 80% were delighted to say they were happier in Porto than anywhere else in the world.

Shanghai

To discover the real fun of Shanghai, wait until the sun goes down. ABC Stock – Stock.adobe.com

Shanghai's nightlife scene received the highest overall rating from locals.

This is likely why 80% of respondents in Shanghai said it was easy to meet people and make friends.

copenhagen

Denmark's capital rounds out the list of the top 10 best cities of 2025. Nikolai N. Antonov – Stock.adobe.com

Residents said the investment in the city itself has paid off.

Some 59% of residents say their sense of well-being in the Danish capital has increased recently.

50 best cities in the world in 2025

  1. cape town
  2. Bangkok
  3. new york
  4. melbourne, australia
  5. london
  6. new orleans
  7. mexico city
  8. porto, portugal
  9. Shanghai
  10. copenhagen
  11. chicago
  12. lisbon
  13. edinburg
  14. Hong Kong
  15. sydney
  16. Amsterdam
  17. Barcelona
  18. seville
  19. Paris
  20. Medellin
  21. Hanoi
  22. madrid
  23. Berlin
  24. dubai
  25. Singapore
  26. rio de janeiro
  27. Beijing
  28. chiang mai
  29. jakarta
  30. vienna
  31. Tokyo
  32. marrakech
  33. perspective
  34. brighton
  35. prague
  36. glasgow
  37. brisbane
  38. marseille
  39. budapest
  40. Los Angeles
  41. lagos
  42. soul
  43. valencia
  44. montreal
  45. bilbao
  46. abu dhabi
  47. belfast
  48. bristol
  49. mumbai
  50. warsaw
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