The 20 Best Cities within the World to Live in or Visit

2025-11-21T20:39:26.455Z

Resonance, a data and research firm, released its annual ranking of the world’s best cities.
The company compared more than 400 cities worldwide with populations exceeding 1 million.
The top cities include popular hotspots, but you’ll be surprised at some that didn’t make the cut.

There’s a big world out there to explore. If you haven’t made your 2026 travel plans yet, we’ll help you narrow down where to head next.

Resonance, a data and research firm, has released its Best Cities report, an annual ranking that spotlights the globe’s most influential and economically thriving cities.

To identify the best places to live and visit, the company compared over 400 cities with populations exceeding 1 million. It scored each city on three factors: livability, lovability, and prosperity — using measures such as the number of family-friendly attractions, walkability, public transit quality, nightlife, overall economic health, and more.

Resonance also analyzed user-generated data from platforms such as Google, Instagram, and TikTok to gauge appeal.

The top cities of 2026 are familiar names across Europe, the US, and Asia, with one in the Middle East. Surprisingly, a few popular tourist hubs, such as Mexico City and Miami, didn’t even crack the top 20. Read below to find out which cities did.

Business Insider included population data from Resonance, alongside housing and dining data from Numbeo, a crowdsourced comparison website that provides detailed cost-of-living information for major cities worldwide.

20. Istanbul

An aerial view of Istanbul. — Istanbul, Turkey.

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Population: 14,206,000
Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $714.60
Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $964.04
Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $47.20
Cost of a cappuccino: $3.81

19. Hong Kong

The city of Hong Kong. — Hong Kong, China.

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Population: 7,617,000
Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $1,081
Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $2,318.18
Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $70.64
Cost of a cappuccino: $5.14

18. São Paulo

A skyline view of São Paulo — São Paulo, Brazil.

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Population: 22,421,000
Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $636.60
Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $668.09
Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $38.36
Cost of a cappuccino: $2.14

17. Toronto

A skyline view of Toronto. — Toronto, Canada.

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Population: 7,605,000
Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $1,088.50
Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $1,685.81
Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $85.40
Cost of a cappuccino: $3.91

16. Shanghai

Skyline view of Shanghai — Shanghai, China.

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Population: 28,482,000
Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $588.30
Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $908.02
Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $32.33
Cost of a cappuccino: $3.14

15. Beijing

Skyline picure of Beijing. — Beijing, China.

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Population: 21,312,000
Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $578.20
Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $984.62
Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $28.11
Cost of a cappuccino: $2.86

14. Amsterdam

An overview of Amsterdam. — Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

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Population: 2,989,000
Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $1,330.10
Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $2,459.87
Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $115.28
Cost of a cappuccino: $4.92

13. Seoul

The skyline of Seoul, Korea. — Seoul, Korea.

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Population: 24,160,000
Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $1,034.80
Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $868.77
Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $54.47
Cost of a cappuccino: $3.61

12. Los Angeles

Skyline of Los Angeles. — Los Angeles, California.

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Population: 12,928,000
Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $1,348.80
Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $2,555.26
Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $100.00
Cost of a cappuccino: $5.74

11. Sydney

Sydney, Australia skyline and harbor — Sydney, Australia.

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Population: 5,450,000
Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $1,134.50
Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $2,197.54
Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $81.61
Cost of a cappuccino: $3.52

10. Barcelona

An aerial view of Barcelona. — Barcelona, Spain.

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Population: 5,094,000
Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $1,549.23
Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $911.3
Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $69.17
Cost of a cappuccino: $2.96

9. Berlin

Downtown Berlin. — Berlin, Germany.

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Population: 5,106,000
Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $1,140.7
Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $1,420.68
Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $72.05
Cost of a cappuccino: $4.44

8. Dubai

Dubai skyline — Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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Population: 6,000,000
Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $2,458.65
Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $1,128.6
Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $81.69
Cost of a cappuccino: $5.85

7. Rome

The skyline in Rome, Italy. — Rome, Italy.

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Population: 4,306,000
Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $1,022.6
Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $1,447.95
Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $80.69
Cost of a cappuccino: $2.09

6. Singapore

The Singapore skyline. — Singapore City, Singapore.

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Population: 6,038,000
Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $1,126.1
Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $2,967.40
Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $68.86
Cost of a cappuccino: $4.67

5. Madrid

The Cibeles Fountain and Gran Vía Street in Madrid. — Madrid, Spain

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Population: 6,983,000
Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $929.20
Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $1,512.80
Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $69.17
Cost of a cappuccino: $3.24

4. Tokyo

An aerial view of Tokyo. — Tokyo, Japan.

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Population: 36,635,000
Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $930.3
Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $996.97
Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $41.95
Cost of a cappuccino: $3.26