Generating trillions of dollars in revenue each year, tourism is one of the world’s major industries. It has a massive economic effect, creating jobs, generating income, and boosting local economies. Travellers, on the other hand, have a direct impact on a city’s well-being by staying in its hotels, dining at local restaurants, shopping at artisan markets, and booking tours with local guides.
According to the latest edition of Euromonitor’s Top 100 City Destinations Index, the top performing locations are Paris, Dubai, Amsterdam, Madrid, and Rome. But are these cities where tourists feel most at ease, and are there equally appealing but less expensive options? Our team at SuperCasinoSites decided to help you choose your next destination by rating 100 cities based on four criteria: cost of living, safety, air quality, and the amount of sunshine these cities get on average (i.e. the number of sunlight hours per year).
While half of the cities on our list are in Europe, the two best-scoring destinations are Chiang Mai and Antalya, both located in Asia. Surprisingly, Edinburgh, the highest-ranked UK city, only ranks 50th overall.
Methodology
The following sources provided data for each criterion:
The first phase in our research was to gather information on each factor for the cities listed in the latest edition of Euromonitor International’s Top 100 City Destinations Index. Since cost of living data for 15 of the locales was not accessible, they were omitted from the review and substituted with other popular travel destinations, including Bogotá, Quito, Liverpool, and Rimini, to name a few.
Each city was then assigned a score ranging from 100 to 1 based on how high it ranked in that particular criterion. For example, 100 points were given to the city with the best air quality index and 1 for the city which ranked last. This was done for each of the four factors we looked at. In the end, we added up the points for each city and the one with the most points, i.e. the one that ranked high the most times, came out as the overall winner.
The Top 5 Cities That Will Make You Feel Good The Most
Of course, all of the 100 cities we explored are worth a visit as they all boast unique selling points, such as tasty local cuisine, picturesque scenery, friendly locals, or wonderful weather. However, neither time nor budget are unlimited for most of us, so our team decided to focus on the five top-ranked locations.
So, pack your luggage and let’s go!
1. Chiang Mai, Thailand 🇹🇭
Perhaps unexpected to some, Thailand’s Chiang Mai emerged as the city capable of providing the most delightful travel experience. The city is located in the north of the country and is mostly known for its historical temples, magnificent mountains, and pleasant weather. There are plenty of tourist attractions too, including the stunning Botanic Garden, a terrific place to soak up some local culture and take in the beautiful aroma of Thai orchids.
Everyone has heard of the markets and nightlife in Bangkok. Well, in Chiang Mai, you can have the same fun but for less money. Furthermore, the data we gathered suggests that Chiang Mai is the safer of the two cities, with an index of 76.36 vs 60.02 in the capital.
Chiang Mai’s rank for each factor:
Cost of living: 10th
Safety: 13th
Air quality: 16th
Amount of sunshine: 41st
2. Antalya, Turkey 🇹🇷
If you are on a limited budget, want to have a good rest, and avoid boredom, pack your suitcase for the Turkish city of Antalya. It has the third lowest cost of living index on our list, trailing only Cairo and Delhi by a small margin. The only slight concern is that, according to AccuWeather, the Air Quality Index is 47 or on the verge of being designated “poor”.
From mountain lodges to beachfront hotels, Antalya offers pretty much everything a tourist would want in terms of accommodation. Add to this the friendly local population, delicious food, turquoise Mediterranean waters, and stunning nature, and there is no doubt that Antalya is well worth a visit.
Antalya’s rank for each factor:
Cost of living: 3rd
Safety: 19th
Air quality: 61st
Amount of sunshine: 21st
3. Granada, Spain 🇪🇸
When you think of Spain as a holiday destination, probably the first cities that come to mind are Barcelona and Madrid, and maybe even Seville or Palma de Mallorca. However, it turns out that Granada has a considerably higher ranking, occupying the 3rd position on our list.
This sun-soaked city is widely recognised for its Moorish architecture and history, as well as its tapas culture and Flamenco performances. Those tempted by history will surely want to stroll through the amazing gardens of the Alhambra, where Catherine of Aragon lived. Moreover, the air is extremely clean, as Granada’s AQI is 22, or nearly “excellent” on the AccuWeather scale.
Granada’s rank for each factor:
Cost of living: 37th
Safety: 46th
Air quality: 6th
Amount of sunshine: 20th
4. Lisbon, Portugal 🇵🇹
Fourth on our list of mood-boosting cities is the Portuguese capital, Lisbon. The city is famous for its warm, sunny climate, colourful, old buildings, great nightlife, and welcoming locals. Each of Lisbon’s neighbourhoods has a distinct vibe, waiting to be discovered.
The city is an interesting mix of old and new and is home to a number of well-known landmarks, including São Jorge Castle, Belém Tower, and Praça do Comércio, among others. Lisbon also boasts many different viewpoints (miradouros), each offering a different take on the city. Don’t forget your camera!
Lisbon’s rank for each factor:
Cost of living: 42nd
Safety: 32nd
Air quality: 18th
Amount of sunshine: 23rd
5. Malaga, Spain 🇪🇸
Pablo Picasso’s home city, Malaga, ranks fifth on our list. As one of the world’s oldest cities, Malaga boasts a rich cultural tapestry dating back thousands of years, having an Andalusian background that adds some Moorish magic to its allure.
However, it is not just history that draws visitors to Malaga but also its thriving gastronomic offerings, 150 km of coastline, and a wealth of shopping opportunities. The city offers a great mix of sunshine, 2,910 hours per year, and clean air, AQI of 31 or fair according to the AccuWeather scale.
Malaga’s rank for each factor:
Cost of living: 36th
Safety: 33rd
Air quality: 28th
Amount of sunshine: 19th
The Mood-Boosting Factors We Focus On
Here is a breakdown of the mood-boosting factors, the four criteria on which we based our rankings, what they indicate, why we chose them, and which cities rank the highest. Interestingly, 5 of the 10 sunniest cities are also among the safest localities, and one, Cairo, is the cheapest to live in.
Cities with the Most Sunshine
How to make the most of a trip? Stay calm, positive, and focused while touring the destination of your choice: it is that simple. The more hours of daylight the better as the sun is scientifically proven to enhance the release of serotonin, the hormone that mediates satisfaction, happiness, and optimism.
We decided to consult the Weather and Climate platform and find out which cities receive the most sunlight. Data was collected about the average annual hours of sunlight for each of the 100 localities in our selection. Las Vegas, Nevada and Ad Dammam, Saudi Arabia tied for first place, with 3,830 hours of sunshine each year.
Where would you choose to go?
Rk City Country Hours of Sunshine 1 Ad Dammam Saudi Arabia 3830 1 Las Vegas USA 3830 3 Abu Dhabi UAE 3738 4 Dubai UAE 3580 5 Muscat Oman 3500 6 Sharjah UAE 3493 7 Cairo Egypt 3450 8 Doha Qatar 3440 9 Jerusalem Israel 3390 10 Tel Aviv Israel 3330
Cities with the Cleanest Air
Air quality is an essential component of our research as we believe that people need to be healthy in order to enjoy life and travel to the fullest. Using the AccuWeather Air Quality Scale, we found which cities rank highest in this category and where even a short walk down the streets poses a health risk.
We classified 70 cities as safe because their AQI indices were less than or equal to 49, with AccuWeather’s first two categories being excellent 0-19 and fair 20-49. Interestingly, the top three includes locations from three different continents, Miami in North America in 1st place, Quito in South America in 2nd place, and Tallinn and Edinburgh in Europe splitting 3rd place.
Here are the travel destinations with the cleanest air:
Rk City Country Air Quality Index 1 Miami USA 16 2 Quito Ecuador 18 3 Tallinn Estonia 20 3 Edinburgh UK 20 5 Bogota Columbia 21 6 Granada Spain 22 6 Porto Portugal 22 6 Melbourne Australia 22 9 Honolulu USA 23 9 Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam 23 9 Bologna Italy 23 9 Ljubljana Slovenia 23 10 San Francisco USA 24 10 Stockholm Sweden 24
Safest Cities
You can be in the sunniest city, breathing in the purest air and admiring the scenery, but if you have to keep an eye out for pickpockets at every turn, you will miss the fun part. It is therefore critical to research the region’s peculiarities in this regard, especially if you are visiting for the first time.
Of course, there is no way to know the crime level in any of the 100 cities in our selection. That is why we used Numbeo’s Crime Index, which summarises attributes like perceived safety while walking around day and night, property-related crimes, and others. Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Dubai in UAE are among the safest places, with Doha, Qatar situated in between in second place. The safest European city is Dubrovnik, Croatia.
Here is a breakdown of the top 10 and how they scored:
Rk City Country Safety Index 1 Abu Dhabi UAE 88 2 Doha Qatar 86 3 Sharjah UAE 83.96 4 Dubai UAE 83.8 5 Dubrovnik Croatia 82.25 6 Muscat Oman 79.84 7 Munich Germany 79.3 7 Zurich Switzerland 79.3 9 Hong Kong Hong Kong 78.3 10 Ljubljana Slovenia 78.2
Least Expensive Cities
It is no secret that when it comes to booking a trip, money is often the deciding factor. So, if you have weighed up the pros and cons of a certain city and decided you want it as your next travel destination, the only thing left to do is check if you can afford it.
That is why we did not hesitate to include this factor in our evaluation of the world’s mood-boosting travel destinations. Cairo, Egypt, ranked as the cheapest city to visit out of the 100 examined, closely followed by Delhi, India, and Antalya, Turkey. When researching which city has the lowest cost of living, we used Numbeo’s Cost of Living Index 2023.
Here are the top 10 cities that will cause the fewest money worries:
Rk City Country Cost of Living Index 1 Cairo Egypt 25.2 2 Delhi India 25.5 3 Antalya Turkey 26.6 4 Bogota Columbia 29.3 5 Buenos Aires Argentina 30.2 6 Johor Bahru Malaysia 32.2 7 Istanbul Turkey 33.4 8 Quito Ecuador 34.6 9 Hanoi Vietnam 35 10 Chiang Mai Thailand 35.2
Raw Data
City Country Annual Sunshine Hours (average) Air Quality Index Cost of Living Index Safety Index Total Points Chiang Mai Thailand 60 85 91 88 324 Antalya Turkey 80 40 98 82 300 Granada Spain 81 95 64 55 295 Lisbon Portugal 78 83 59 69 289 Malaga Spain 82 73 65 68 288 Porto Portugal 55 95 71 60 281 Playa del Carmen Mexico 77 85 80 39 281 Dubrovnik Croatia 68 54 61 96 279 Seville Spain 83 70 63 62 278 Riyadh Saudi Arabia 89 43 58 79 269 Ljubljana Slovenia 32 92 53 91 268 Sharjah UAE 95 7 67 98 267 Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam 57 92 88 30 267 Varna Bulgaria 45 83 84 54 266 Tallin Estonia 29 98 48 89 264 Muscat Oman 96 9 63 95 263 Istanbul Turkey 46 74 94 38 252 Quito Equador 49 99 93 10 251 Cairo Egypt 94 22 100 34 250 Budva Montenegro 53 53 73 70 249 Abu Dhabi UAE 98 4 45 100 247 San Salvador El Salvador 84 73 79 9 245 Buenos Aires Argentina 59 83 96 7 245 Tel Aviv Israel 91 58 19 76 244 Heraklion Greece 76 34 55 78 243 Doha Qatar 93 3 46 99 241 Ad Dammam Saudi Arabia 100 8 68 64 240 Jerusalem Israel 92 64 31 53 240 Cancun Mexico 70 78 75 17 240 Dubai UAE 97 5 36 97 235 Bangkok Thailand 66 43 75 51 235 Budapest Hungary 31 86 60 57 234 Johor Bahru Malaysia 67 47 95 25 234 Phuket Thailand 43 56 84 48 231 Verona Italy 43 78 43 61 225 Palma de Mallorca Spain 75 37 54 59 225 Krakow Poland 4 67 72 81 224 Vienna Austria 27 83 39 74 223 Miami USA 88 100 9 26 223 Tbilisi Georgia 38 23 81 80 222 Honolulu USA 85 92 4 40 221 Madrid Spain 71 16 58 75 220 Pattaya-Chonburi Thailand 40 49 86 44 219 Beijing China 58 1 82 73 214 Florence Italy 56 76 30 52 214 Kuala Lumpur Malaisia 48 64 90 11 213 Tokyo Japan 28 47 50 86 211 Rimini Italy 39 83 44 45 211 Edinburgh UK 7 98 40 63 208 Mexico City Mexico 63 70 70 4 207 Munich Germany 23 67 20 94 204 Valencia Spain 69 2 66 66 203 Melbourne Australia 51 95 11 46 203 Bologna Italy 37 92 33 41 203 Sydney Australia 65 67 10 58 200 Bogota Columbia 2 96 97 5 200 Shenzhen China 25 15 85 72 197 Delhi India 74 7 99 15 195 Guangzhou China 12 26 89 65 192 San Francisco USA 86 88 4 14 192 Santiago Chile 72 50 56 13 191 Stockholm Sweden 26 88 28 42 184 Thessaloniki Greece 52 53 52 27 184 Orlando USA 87 45 18 33 183 Marseille France 79 64 32 6 181 Macau Macao 23 31 36 90 180 Barcelona Spain 61 37 49 32 179 Zurich Switzerland 18 64 1 94 177 Singapore Singapore 36 49 5 87 177 Shanghai China 23 10 77 67 177 Hanoi Vietnam 10 17 92 56 175 Warsaw Poland 11 11 69 83 174 Amsterdam The Netherlands 15 58 29 71 173 Prague Czech Republic 16 30 41 85 172 Seoul South Korea 44 30 14 84 172 Nice France 64 70 15 20 169 Copenhagen Netherlands 13 71 7 77 168 Milan Italy 33 76 23 36 168 Athens Greece 73 30 47 18 168 Rio de Janeiro Brazil 47 41 78 1 167 Rome Italy 54 37 37 28 156 Hong Kong Hong Kong 24 14 24 92 154 Las Vegas USA 100 14 21 19 154 Vancouver Canada 30 56 17 50 153 Los Angeles USA 90 26 6 29 151 Sao Paulo Brazil 35 30 76 3 144 Toronto Canada 41 26 22 49 138 Lyon France 34 64 16 24 138 Naples Italy 50 19 51 12 132 Lima Peru 1 40 87 2 130 Berlin Germany 19 34 26 47 126 Frankfurt Germany 17 34 25 43 119 New York USA 62 19 2 35 118 Birmingham UK 3 59 42 8 112 Brussels Belgium 9 53 27 22 111 Liverpool UK 8 22 38 37 105 Manchester UK 5 40 34 21 100 Paris France 20 45 12 16 93 London UK 14 22 8 24 68 Dublin UK 7 14 13 31 65
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