Where are the most stressed cities in the world?

The following cities rank as the most stressed in the world, based on factors like air pollution levels, green spaces and LGBTQ+ safety rating.

The results show that geography may have an impact on stress levels, with 8 of the top-10 cities located in the Asian continent.

1/ Cairo, Egypt Score: 7.67

• Cairo is one of the busiest cities on Earth, and the second-largest in Africa. Based on the factors used, Cairo is the most stressed city.
• Cairo has the second-lowest cleanliness rating of all cities on the list at 17.22! The only city with a lower rating is Marseille in France.
• In Cairo, the LGBTQ+ safety rating is also one of the lowest in the world at -96. The only city rated less safe for members of the LGBTQ+ community is Tehran in Iran.
• Despite this, Cairo has one of the lowest suicide rates per 100,000 of the population, at just 3.41.

2/ Delhi, India Score: 6.96

• Delhi is one of the most stressed cities. Cleaner than Cairo, Delhi has a cleanliness rating of 28.78.
• Delhi has one of the highest suicide rates per 100,000 people, at 12.91, while the LGBTQ+ safety rating is 65.
• Although the cost of living in Delhi is just £270 per month for a single person, over 17% of the population lives in poverty.

3/ Karachi, Pakistan Score: 6.47

• Pakistan’s largest city is one of the most stressed cities on the list.
• Karachi has a cleanliness rating of 20.26, and an air pollution level of 290 PM10. The only city with a higher level of air pollution is Delhi.
• The LGBTQ+ safety rating in Karachi is -89, while the suicide rate is 9.77 per 100,000 people.
• The cost of living in Karachi is lower than in Delhi, at £230 per month for a single person, while 4.47% of the population lives in poverty.

Where are the least stressed cities in the world?

These cities are the least stressed in the world, based on factors including pollution levels, LGBTQ+ safety, cleanliness and cost of living.

Three of the top-10 least stressed cities in the world are in Australia, with Brisbane ranking highest. All of the top-10 least stressed cities are in the northern hemisphere, except those in Australia.

1/ Helsinki, Finland Score: 2.45

• Often cited as one of the happiest places in the world, Helsinki in Finland is the least stressed city!
• The World Bank shows that 0% of people in Helsinki live in poverty, while the monthly cost of living for a single person is £700 without rent. Only 20 cities on the list have a higher cost of living than Helsinki!
• Helsinki has the lowest pollution index at just 13.65 and a noise and light pollution level of just 25.21.

2/ Vienna, Austria Score: 2.49

• Vienna is one of the least stressed cities in the world. In Austria’s capital city, just 1% of the population lives in poverty on $5.50 a day.
• Alongside low poverty rates, the cost of living in Vienna is more affordable than most. A single person would spend £660 per month on living costs without rent.
• Vienna’s LGBTQ+ safety rating is 300, higher than most cities on the list and has the third-highest cleanliness rating of any city at 83.57.

3/ Munich, Germany Score: 2.59

• Munich ranks as one of the least stressed cities — the Bavarian capital has just 1% of the population living in poverty. The cost of living in Munich is £750 per month for a single person.
• Munich is the best city for the quality of green areas and parks. It has a green area quality rating of 85.6 which is the highest on the list! The German capital Berlin also scores highly with a green area rating of 83.38.
• The cleanliness rating of Munich shows that it’s the fifth-cleanest city on the list, with a score of 82.42.