At Remitly, we know that financial security can play a major role in reducing someone’s stress. When your finances are stable, it’s easier to plan ahead, support loved ones abroad, and find peace of mind wherever you call home.
That’s why we set out to discover which global cities could be the most (and least) stressful to live in today.
A 2025 study by Cornell University shows that most New Yorkers cite rising living costs as their biggest concern.3 While excellent healthcare and cleaner air help offset some strain, financial pressure remains part of daily life in one of the world’s most dynamic cities.
Housing prices in Dublin and surrounding areas continue to outbalance earnings. In December 2024, Ireland’s house-price-to-income ratio stood at roughly 111, which is around 11% higher than its long-term average, showing that homes have become less affordable.4
Safety is another key concern. The crime index of 66.8 is among the highest in the ranking, and data shows that residents cite violent crimes such as assault and armed robbery as one of their top safety concerns.4
European cities feature prominently at the top of the list, joined by two Australian locations that combine open space with high standards of living.
The city also benefits from exceptionally strong public services. The Netherlands ranks 4th globally in the 2024 World Index of Healthcare Innovation, reflecting high-quality, accessible care nationwide.5
It has a similar crime index score to Eindhoven (just a 0.6 difference), but the cost of living is slightly higher here, at 74.0. However, the city also achieves one of the highest healthcare ratings in the dataset and maintains air pollution levels that are a fraction of those recorded in Kolkata or Manila.
Canberra's commutes are relatively short and predictable, and the city has one of the world’s cleanest air profiles. According to IQAir, the annual average PM2.5 level was 3.9 µg/m³ in 2024.
One of the most powerful ways to reduce stress is through financial stability, like knowing that your money, savings, and support network are secure no matter where you live.
How long it takes to move around a city can make a major difference to residents’ stress levels. Across all cities, residents travel an average of around 21 minutes per 10 kilometres.
According to data from TomTom, Kolkata, India, records the longest travel time in the dataset at 34 minutes and 33 seconds. The city's high population density and heavy congestion can make navigating it a major challenge, contributing to one of the highest stress scores overall.
By contrast, San Antonio, United States, is the quickest city to get around, with average journeys taking just 10 minutes and 13 seconds.
Affordability for most will be a key driver of stress. Research shows that rising living costs for essentials such as housing, utilities, and food are strongly linked with increased anxiety and depression.6
Numbeo data shows that Basel, Switzerland, has the highest cost of living in the world, at almost double the global average of 61.0. However, higher local wages could offset the strain of these elevated prices.
At the opposite end, Jaipur, India, is the most affordable city in the dataset with an index of 19.2. However, affordability does not automatically guarantee low stress, as factors like pollution and commuting challenges could add to residents’ stress.
In our analysis, cities with strong healthcare systems tend to have a lower overall stress score. Numbeo figures have Taipei, Taiwan, topping the global rankings with a score of 87.1. This could be down to the universal healthcare system - (NHI), which has a coverage rate of 99%.7 Easy access to this affordable, high-quality care could help residents feel secure and supported in daily life.
Whereas Cairo, Egypt, has a score of 45.8. While there are both public and private healthcare systems, the one widely available to the public is seen as of low standard because of a lack of funding and staffing.8
Numbeo figures show Pretoria, South Africa, records the highest crime index at 81.9, more than 60% above the global average of 43.5. Public perceptions rate their feeling of safety walking alone during both daylight and night as low.9
At the other extreme, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, has the best score in the dataset with an index of 11.0. In some external analyses, it was rated as the safest city in the world in 2025, with very low worries of being a victim of violent crime.10
Air quality is measured using PM2.5, a metric for the tiny particles we breathe in from sources like internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, construction, and industrial activity. While the global average stands at 11.6 µg/m³, some cities have higher exposure than others.
Jaipur, India, has the highest pollution levels at 53.7 µg/m³, nearly five times the global average. It is also almost 10 times higher than the WHO annual guidelines.11
People in the Gold Coast, Australia, enjoy cleaner air at just 2.8 µg/m³. Australia, in general, has good air quality due to a lower population density, strict regulations, and geographic conditions like extensive coastlines.12
With that in mind, we set out to explore which global cities could offer the calmest living environments and which may present greater daily pressures based on stress-influencing factors. Analysing over 170 major locations, we created an index measuring five key factors that influence stress levels worldwide:
Each individual’s perspective of stress will differ. This is just one view of how living in different places around the world could influence stress based on financial, environmental, and health factors.
