What makes a happy city? Some indexes look at stuff like environment, economy and health – all very important. But then there are the little things: a sense of community in your neighbourhood, for example, or a city’s green space and nature, art and culture and even its beauty.
At , we take the pulse of city living by going straight to the people that matter most: the locals. Over 18,000 urbanites took part in our annual city survey this year, used to create our definitive ranking of the world’s best cities. We asked about culture, nightlife, food, walkability, affordability and quality of life, among other things. And we also asked, specifically, about happiness.
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Our happiness metric was based on the percentage of positive responses to five statements: My city makes me happy; I feel happier in my city than other places I’ve visited or lived; The people in my city seem happy; I find joy in the everyday experiences my city offers; The sense of happiness in my city has grown a lot recently.
Based on locals’ responses, the world’s happiest city in 2025 is (drum roll, please)… Abu Dhabi!
The Emirati capital got all-round top marks, with a near-perfect 99 percent of locals agreeing that their city makes them happy, 96 percent saying the people in their city seem positive, and 93 percent saying they feel happier in their city than anywhere else. Abu Dhabi also topped the ranks for walkability and was named one of the best cities for culture and green space and nature.
In second place was Medellín, where locals were most likely to say they find joy in their everyday experiences (97 percent agreed with this statement). And who can blame them? There’s plenty to put a smile on your face in this lively Colombian city, from its energetic nightlife to its eternal springlike weather. It’s the world’s greenest city, according to locals, and it was also ranked the third-best city for food this year.
Cape Town, which topped our overall best cities ranking, came in third. South Africa’s coastal city boasts Blue Flag beaches, fascinating art and culture, and a diverse and exciting food scene – no wonder a whopping 97 percent of locals said their city makes them happy.
Did your city make the list? Read on to find out…
The 20 happiest cities in the world in 2025
1. Abu Dhabi, UAE
2. Medellín, Colombia
3. Cape Town, South Africa
4. Mexico City, Mexico
5. Mumbai, India
6. Beijing, China
7. Shanghai, China
8. Chicago, US
9. Seville, Spain
10. Melbourne, Australia
11. Brighton, UK
12. Porto, Portugal
13. Sydney, Australia
14. Chiang Mai, Thailand
15. Marrakech, Morocco
16. Dubai, UAE
17. Hanoi, Vietnam
18. Jakarta, Indonesia
19. Valencia, Spain
20. Glasgow, UK
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