Melbourne has been crowned the world's best city by Time Out, marking the first time an Australian city has claimed the title in the publication's ten-year rankings. Last year's winner, Cape Town, slips to sixth place. Shanghai, Edinburgh and London complete the top four, while the Asia-Pacific region secures five places in the top ten.
Time Out's annual ranking celebrates its tenth anniversary with a surprise winner. Australia's Melbourne has leapt from fourth place to take the crown. Cape Town, the 2025 champion, drops to sixth, while New York also slips down the rankings. Tokyo and London tie in the magazine's experts' assessment. The rankings are based on 24,000 responses collected across 150 cities, in 42 languages and measured against 44 criteria.
The world's 10 best cities in 2026, according to Time Out
- Melbourne, Australia
- Shanghai, China
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- London, England
- New York, United States
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Seoul, South Korea
- Tokyo, Japan / London, United Kingdom
Melbourne takes the crown
It's been a record-breaking period for Victoria's capital. The 2026 Australian Open attracted more than 1.3 million spectators, while the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix welcomed 480,000 fans. The Metro Tunnel, which became operational at the end of 2025, has transformed the city's public transport network. Some 94% of residents praise Melbourne's food scene, while people under 30 rank it as the world's third-best city.
This winter, the National Gallery of Victoria will also host the largest Cartier exhibition ever staged. Melbourne certainly doesn't do things by halves.
Edinburgh wins bronze
Scotland's capital takes third place and earns the highest score in the world for walkability. Its residents report a daily satisfaction rate of 91%—the highest in the entire ranking.
Arthur's Seat, a 350-million-year-old extinct volcano, rises 250 metres above the city's rooftops. To the north, Stockbridge draws bargain hunters with its Sunday market, while Leith, once an industrial port, has swapped warehouses for natural wine bars and modern Nordic-inspired bistros. Average rents remain around 30% lower than in London.
Shanghai opens up, while Seoul welcomes a Centre Pompidou
Shanghai holds on to second place, buoyed by China's easing of border restrictions. Visitors from more than 50 countries can now enter visa-free, making it easier than ever to discover the city's thriving café culture.
Ninth-placed Seoul has welcomed Asia's first Centre Pompidou this June, housed in the iconic 63 Building overlooking the Han River. Meanwhile, young South Koreans have embraced a new national pastime known as 'bakery hopping'—spending the day touring the city's best bakeries.
Cape Town loses its crown
After topping the rankings in 2025, Cape Town falls five places but remains as captivating as ever. Around 86% of respondents voted it the most beautiful city in the ranking. The Montreux Jazz Festival has recognised the region's appeal too, announcing a new event in Franschhoek, in the Western Cape winelands, scheduled for March 2027.
Towering 1,085 metres above the bay, the majestic Table Mountain continues to dominate the skyline, seemingly unfazed by the changing fortunes of the rankings.
Tokyo remains a favourite
Tokyo shares the experts' top spot with London, while continuing to collect honours of its own. Jimbocho, famed for its second-hand bookshops and specialist record stores, has been named the coolest neighbourhood in the world.
The PokéPark Kanto—the first permanent theme park dedicated to Pokémon—has also just opened. And Tokyo continues to boast more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other city, comfortably ahead of Paris.
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