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

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  • 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.

prmustafa/Getty Images

  • 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




Hong Kong, China.

kan wang/Getty Images

  • 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




São Paulo, Brazil.

StockLapse/Getty Images

  • 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




Toronto, Canada.

Deejpilot/Getty Images

  • 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




Shanghai, China.

Yaorusheng/Getty Images

  • 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




Beijing, China.

Ping Shu/Getty Images

  • 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




Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

CreativeNature_nl/Getty Images

  • 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




Seoul, Korea.

Mongkol Chuewong/Getty Images

  • 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




Los Angeles, California.

Cavan Images / Toby Harriman/Getty Images/Cavan Images RF

  • 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.

andresr/Getty Images

  • 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




Barcelona, Spain.

Pol Albarrán/Getty Images

  • 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




Berlin, Germany.

Nikada/Getty Images

  • 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, United Arab Emirates.

Umar Shariff Photography/Getty Images

  • 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




Rome, Italy.

LeonU/Getty Images

  • 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




Singapore City, Singapore.

Eric Yang/Getty Images

  • 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




Madrid, Spain

alxpin/Getty Images

  • 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




Tokyo, Japan.

tawatchaiprakobkit/Getty Images

  • 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

3. Paris




Paris, France.

querbeet/Getty Images

  • Population: 13,171,000
  • Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $1,206.80
  • Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $1,609.17
  • Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant: $74.93
  • Cost of a cappuccino: $5.01

2. New York




New York City, New York.

Tim Robberts/Getty Images

  • Population: 19,940,000
  • Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $1,668.60
  • Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $4,142.86
  • Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant: $145
  • Cost of a cappuccino: $5.72

1. London




London, England.

Gary Yeowell/Getty Images

  • Population: 12,451,000
  • Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $1,393.7
  • Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $3,112.03
  • Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant: $104.58
  • Cost of a cappuccino: $5.27
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