Time Out has just announced the best cities in the world for Gen Z – and half of those in the top 20 places are in Europe.
After researching 4,000 residents aged 18 to 29 in 150 cities worldwide, Tokyo emerged as the number one option for those born between 1997 and 2012.
According to euronews, Residents were asked to evaluate their overall happiness and joy in daily experiences, quality and accessibility of restaurants, nightlife and entertainment, how easy it is to walk, community feeling and ease in making new friends.
The Japanese capital won the first place thanks to its excellent scores in terms of the happiness and quality of nightlife, although only a third of respondents consider an evening out affordable.
Porto took second place for various reasons, including the strong feeling of community, as well as the accessibility of food out, the outlet for drinking and access to art and culture.
All respondents of Generation Z also described Portugal's second city as beautiful.
Porto, Portugal
For Melbourne youth, the cultural scene is the one that secured the Australian city third place, with 97% of respondents praising the fact that one can find independent theatre, live music, comedies and improvisation performances almost every night of the week.
Restaurants and food exits in Melbourne were also evaluated positively by respondents, although the city itself is certainly not considered affordable financially.
In fourth place, Edinburgh overcame London and emerged as the city with the highest rating in the UK, thanks to the abundance of green spaces, nightlife and its cultural programs, in particular the Edinburgh International Festival, which offers discount tickets for people under 30 years of age.
Indeed, 90% of respondents said they were happier living in Edinburgh than in any other place where they had lived.
The first five complements Shanghai, where 76% of Gen Z respondents said it was easy to meet new people and make friends.
Time Out praised the Chinese city as «social and relatively affordable city, where young people can access nightlife, culture and an increasing range of ‘third-places’».
Other European cities included in the first 20 places are Copenhagen, Berlin, Valencia, Naples, Krakow, Paris, Athens and Vienna.
What Time Out wrote about Athens
According to Time Out, Athens stands out because social life unfolds almost all year round outdoors, from the squares of the Exarchia and Agia Irini to the bars, music scenes and underground bars of Psyrri.
The international magazine also points out that young people in the city feed a dynamic creative scene, with independent galleries, vintage shops and community actions, while the possibility for a dip in «Athenian Riviera» or a hike in Parnitha on the same day is a unique advantage.
It is no coincidence that 82% of the young people involved in the survey said he feels happy living in Athens, 91% described his neighborhood as being «good» or «Great.» and 64% described the city as a relaxing place to live.
However, this image does not always reflect everyday life. All residents.
In recent years the accuracy, increased housing costs and low wages have been pushing young people particularly, while complaints are often also recorded about delays, crowding and the reliability of public transport.
Thus, although Athens continues to offer a unique lifestyle and intense social life, many locals believe that their everyday life is becoming increasingly demanding due to increased cost of living and infrastructure problems.
Akihabara, Tokyo, Japan
The best cities in the world for Gen Z in 2026
- Tokyo, Japan
- Porto, Portugal
- Melbourne, Australia
- Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Shanghai, China
- New York, USA
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Berlin, Germany
- Valencia, Spain
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Naples, Italy
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Kraków, Poland
- Seoul, South Korea
- Paris, France
- Athens, Greece
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Vancouver, Canada
- Vienna, Austria
