Copyright Forbes
I often report on the best places to live, the best places to work and the best places to visit. But what if you’re looking for a city that combines all three—places you’d happily call home, build a career and visit just for fun? The latest annual World’s Best Cities report from Resonance Consultancy has the answers. Each year in the World’s Best Cities report, Resonance—advisors in real estate, tourism and economic development—and its research partner Ipsos analyze hundreds of global destinations. The goal: to determine which places are truly shaping the way we live, work and explore. The 2026 edition evaluates more than 270 cities with populations over one million. Compare these results to last year’s edition. Unlike rankings that focus on a single metric, Resonance looks at hundreds of performance points, from airport connectivity and education levels to culture, nightlife and even social-media sentiment. This is combined with survey responses from more than 21,000 people across 30 countries. Resonance then rates the cities using what it calls the Place Power Score for three interconnected pillars: livability, lovability and prosperity. Livability includes metrics like air quality, walkability, health and standard of living. Lovability includes metrics like popularity on Google Trends, number of TikTok videos, nightlife, museums and more. Prosperity includes metrics like the number of large companies, economic output, the business ecosystem, unemployment rate and more. “Our methodology has evolved to capture this urban renaissance,” Resonance president Chris Fair explains in the report. “Beyond traditional metrics like GDP growth, airport connectivity and cost of living, we now measure emerging indicators of urban vitality: startup ecosystem dynamism, digital engagement by residents and visitors, cultural programming depth and climate risk and resilience.” Resonance has also enhanced its global coverage by integrating data from platforms like Weibo and Xiaohongshu. As Fair explains, this ensures that the report includes “authentic local perspectives.” The World’s Best Cities 2026 report arrives at a time when travel is roaring back and remote work has changed how people choose where to live. For individuals and companies alike, the findings show which destinations are thriving and why. “Cities that lead our 2026 rankings are not merely adapting, but pioneering new models of urban excellence,” said Fair. The Best City In The World For the 11th consecutive year, London has been named the world’s best city. The city scores a rating of one in the prosperity index, two for lovability and three for livability. Other highlights: It ranks No. 1 for airports and No. 1 for larger companies. “London’s magnetic appeal continues to draw a global audience, from students and entrepreneurs to tourists and corporate titans,” write the authors of the report. Despite years of turbulence, London has had a strong post-pandemic recovery. In 2024, international traveler spending reached almost $22 billion (up from $17.4 billion in 2023), outpacing destinations like New York City and Dubai. London also ranks among the top cities globally for foreign direct investment in tech and has a record number of Michelin-starred restaurants. And while the residential real estate market is flat, Americans are taking advantage of this, with real estate agents saying that they have been flooded with inquiries from U.S. buyers. Commercial real estate is also picking up with U.S. buyers: According to Resonance, there was $3.78 billion in U.S. funds invested in UK commercial property in the first quarter of 2024. As Resonance puts it, London is “the capital of capitals.” New York: The Best U.S. City New York City beats out Paris to take the number two spot this year. The city scores a two in the prosperity index, driven by a diversified economy that spans finance, media and tech. It gets a two for lovability, thanks to its arts scene, world-class dining and a flood of new hotels and attractions. It even does well in livability, scoring a three. “Gotham’s refusal to play by anyone’s script remains its greatest asset, which will keep the world transfixed and craving the Big Apple’s special sauce in 2026 and beyond,” writes Resonance. The report points to the city’s “velocity,” which is visible from “the corner offices of Hudson Yards to the stoops of Bed-Stuy.” Cultural momentum keeps the city near the top of the charts, ranking No. 2 globally for theaters and concerts and in the top five for museums. The city’s infrastructure overhaul has also played a major role. From the redevelopment of LaGuardia and JFK airports to the extension of Manhattan’s green spaces and waterfront parks, New York is modernizing for a new era. The Best Cities In The World The rest of the 2026 leaders show a mix of enduring powerhouses and emerging stars. Paris moves from No. 2 last year to the third spot. Resonance calls the French capital “the most compelling urban symphony on the planet—at once historic and progressive, elegant and gritty, intimate and global.” Ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games, Paris invested heavily in cleaner transport, public spaces and riverside redevelopment—momentum that continues into 2026. The city’s hospitality industry contributes more than $35 billion annually, with projections to approach $50 billion by 2032. Add to that its walkability, expanding bike network and pedestrian-friendly initiatives, and Paris is as livable as it is lovable. Tokyo holds steady at No. 4, celebrated for its unmatched safety, culinary scene and meticulous urban design. “Visitor numbers are smashing records on the back of a weak yen, with Japan welcoming almost 37 million international arrivals in 2024 and seeing monthly highs throughout 2025,” writes Resonance. Rounding out the top five is Madrid, which rises from No. 13 last year to No. 5, thanks to its thoughtful approach to modernization. “Madrid’s sustainability-driven investment in its bounteous urban and natural assets is an ode to reuse and the conviction that everything old can be new again,” writes Resonance. The U.S. Comes Out Strong The United States continues to make a strong showing, though there are fewer cities in the top 20 than year’s list. After New York City at No. 2, Los Angeles ranks No. 12, followed by Miami (No. 26), San Francisco (No. 28), and Chicago (No. 35). Smaller metros like Denver (No. 84), Austin (No. 87), Baltimore (No. 89) also rank among the best cities. Collectively, the number of U.S. cities on the list—the most of any country—highlights America’s enduring strength. But shifting global perceptions of “Brand America” are starting to reshape how the world views the U.S., according to Jason McGrath, EVP and head of U.S. corporate reputation. at Ipsos. “Recent Ipsos research on the impact of Brand America shows growing global backlash against American brands,” writes McGrath. “Brands perceived as ‘American’ suffer in terms of trust and purchase intent, approximately 20 points lower than when the same brand is perceived as ‘international.’ This undoubtedly spills into perceptions of the nation and its cities as well and leads to a behavioral impact on the desire to visit, work or live in U.S. cities.” Those global sentiments are reflected in this year’s results. “Our survey results show decreased desire to visit U.S. destinations from global respondents, while other destinations are seeing increased interest,” says McGrath. Still, the country’s urban centers remain some of the most dynamic in the world. From Los Angeles’ creative boom and Miami’s international rise to San Francisco’s ongoing reinvention and Chicago’s architectural magnetism, U.S. cities continue to evolve and influence the world. Tracking The Global Trends Europe still dominates the top 100, but Asia is closing the gap fast. Fair points to Asia-Pacific as a region of particular momentum, where “international tourism has rebounded selectively, with Asia-Pacific destinations experiencing unprecedented growth as travel patterns shift eastward.” Look at all the Asia-Pacific cities in the top 20: Tokyo (No. 4), Singapore (No. 6), Sydney (No 11), Seoul (No. 13), Beijing (No. 15), Shanghai (No. 16) and Hong Kong (No. 19), along with continent-crossing Istanbul at No. 20. Across the globe, some of the biggest topics that cities are navigating include the “accelerating impacts of climate change, shifting geopolitical and trade alliances and the rapid adoption of AI,” writes Fair, who says that AI might “prove to be more impactful on our city centers than the pandemic was.” McGrath notes that the shifting global landscape defined by persistent tensions. “Nationalism and protectionism are on the rise as countries view global economics from a zero-sum perspective. Such global developments have palpable repercussions, influencing the cost of everyday essentials and stirring both political landscapes and consumer behavior,” he writes. Read on for the 100 best cities in the world to live, work and visit in 2026. Ranked: The 100 Best Cities To Live, Work And Visit London, United Kingdom New York City Paris, France Tokyo, Japan Madrid, Spain Singapore, Singapore Rome, Italy Dubai, United Arab Emirates Berlin, Germany Barcelona, Spain Sydney, Australia Los Angeles, California Seoul, South Korea Amsterdam, Netherlands Beijing, China Shanghai, China Toronto, Canada São Paulo, Brazil Hong Kong, China Istanbul, Turkey Melbourne, Australia Bangkok, Thailand Osaka, Japan Oslo, Norway Stockholm, Sweden Miami, Florida Vienna, Austria San Francisco, California Bengaluru, India Mexico City, Mexico Munich, Germany Dublin, Ireland Copenhagen, Denmark Zürich, Switzerland Chicago, Illinois Milan, Italy Lisbon, Portugal Prague, Czech Republic Buenos Aires, Argentina Mumbai, India Vancouver, Canada Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Warsaw, Poland Hamburg, Germany Shenzhen, China Montreal, Canada Budapest, Hungary Brussels, Belgium Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Bogotá, Colombia Guangzhou, China Jakarta, Indonesia Delhi, India Las Vegas, Nevada Boston, Massachusetts Washington, D.C. Houston, Texas Auckland, New Zealand San Jose, California Helsinki, Finland Orlando, Florida Taipei, Taiwan Frankfurt, Germany Lima, Peru Atlanta, Georgia Seattle, Washington Perth, Australia Manchester, United Kingdom Cape Town, South Africa Kraków, Poland Valencia, Spain Ottawa, Canada Athens, Greece Santiago, Chile Medellín, Colombia Cologne, Germany Dallas, Texas Brisbane, Australia Hangzhou, China San Diego, California Hyderabad, India Chengdu, China Denver, Colorado Calgary, Canada Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Austin, Texas Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Baltimore, Maryland Stuttgart, Germany Rotterdam, Netherlands Lyon, France The Ruhr, Germany Busan, South Korea Düsseldorf, Germany Mecca, Saudi Arabia Porto, Portugal Bucharest, Romania Birmingham, United Kingdom Doha, Qatar MORE FROM FORBES: ForbesThe 25 Safest Cities In The U.S., According To WalletHub 2025 ReportForbesTennis Legend John McEnroe Shares His Top Travel Tips And His New Project In The Bahamas
