Ranked: The world’s best cities for 2025
The World’s Best Cities has published its annual Best Cities report, ranking the top 100 destinations worldwide. Here’s the list…
The World’s Best Cities has published its annual Best Cities report, naming the top 100 cities worldwide.
Mayors, governors, business leaders, and global media frequently reference the report, which highlights cities that drive culture, commerce, and quality of life.
One South African city earned a spot on the list — take a look.
The World’s Best Cities for 2025
The report, which ranks cities based on factors such as livability, lovability, and prosperity, once again placed London at the top. The city’s unmatched blend of history, innovation, and cultural depth continues to draw talent and investment.
New York ranked second, showcasing relentless energy and economic strength, while Paris claimed third place, driven by its timeless romance, culinary influence, and world-class museums.
Cape Town secured the 85th spot, making it the only South African city on the list.
Here are the world’s top 100 cities:
| # | City | # | City | # | City | # | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | London | 26 | Oslo | 51 | Minneapolis | 76 | Taipei |
| 2 | New York | 27 | Munich | 52 | Ottawa | 77 | Tucson |
| 3 | Paris | 28 | Istanbul | 53 | Austin | 78 | Pittsburgh |
| 4 | Tokyo | 29 | Las Vegas | 54 | Calgary | 79 | Charlotte |
| 5 | Singapore | 30 | Helsinki | 55 | Dallas | 80 | Lyon |
| 6 | Rome | 31 | Atlanta | 56 | Brussels | 81 | Nagoya |
| 7 | Madrid | 32 | Bangkok | 57 | Lisbon | 82 | Porto |
| 8 | Barcelona | 33 | Prague | 58 | Honolulu | 83 | Perth |
| 9 | Berlin | 34 | Washington | 59 | Detroit | 84 | Bilbao |
| 10 | Sydney | 35 | Montreal | 60 | Krakow | 85 | Cape Town |
| 11 | Amsterdam | 36 | Beijing | 61 | Shanghai | 86 | Sapporo |
| 12 | San Francisco | 37 | Orlando | 62 | San Jose | 87 | Athens |
| 13 | Dubai | 38 | St. Louis | 63 | New Orleans | 88 | Hamburg |
| 14 | Los Angeles | 39 | Portland | 64 | Nashville | 89 | Phoenix |
| 15 | Toronto | 40 | Houston | 65 | Edmonton | 90 | Brisbane |
| 16 | Seoul | 41 | Dublin | 66 | Salt Lake City | 91 | Tampa |
| 17 | Chicago | 42 | Osaka | 67 | Baltimore | 92 | Naples |
| 18 | Vienna | 43 | Philadelphia | 68 | Bordeaux | 93 | Richmond |
| 19 | Seattle | 44 | Denver | 69 | Gothenburg | 94 | Birmingham |
| 20 | Milan | 45 | Copenhagen | 70 | Cleveland | 95 | Raleigh |
| 21 | Boston | 46 | San Diego | 71 | Valencia | 96 | Rochester |
| 22 | Vancouver | 47 | Auckland | 72 | Glasgow | 97 | Hong Kong |
| 23 | Miami | 48 | Frankfurt | 73 | Doha | 98 | Nantes |
| 24 | Stockholm | 49 | Zurich | 74 | Warsaw | 99 | Toulouse |
| 25 | Melbourne | 50 | Kuala Lumpur | 75 | Sao Paulo | 100 | Rio de Janeiro |