Price comparison site and travel insurance expert PayingTooMuch has recently published an analytical report on the world’s least chilled-out (and also, the most chilled-out) cities.
In a report published on their official website on the 11th of April, 2024, PayingTooMuch ranked 50 cities across the globe based on several metrics, namely the number of parks and walking trails, noise and light pollution, traffic levels, population density, and the happiness scores of residents in each city.
Out of those 50 cities, PayingTooMuch reported that Jakarta (Indonesia) is the third least chilled-out city in the world. Although Jakarta still has plenty of green spaces to offer, with 148 parks dotted throughout the city, as well as 19 walking trails to enjoy, the city’s high traffic index of 252 is what makes it ranked in the top three on the list of least chilled-out cities in the world.
The top spot on the list of the least chilled-out cities goes to Mumbai (India) due to the city’s high levels of noise and light pollution (with a score of 70 out of 100) and population density (which is 8,108 people per square mile). Following behind Mumbai is Marrakesh (Morocco), ranked as the second least chilled-out city, offering only two parks and high noise and light pollution levels (with a score of 67 out of 100).
As for the list of the most chilled-out cities in the world, the top spot is taken by Sydney (Australia), thanks largely to the city’s relatively high happiness score. With a happiness score of 1,567 out of 2000, Sydney’s happy residents and quality of life are attributed to several factors such as education, inclusive policies, economy, mobility, environmental protection, access to green areas, and innovation in each city.
In second place on the list of the most chilled-out cities in the world is Vienna (Austria). The city had the lowest noise and light pollution levels out of the 50 global cities in the study, with a score of 31 out of 100. Moreover, although Vienna does not have a huge number of walking trails (41) or parks (172), the quality of its green spaces has been given a relatively high score of 84. Coming in third on the list is Melbourne (Australia), thanks largely to the city’s low population density (which is 194 people per square mile).
Additionally, PayingTooMuch provided more specific lists of the most chilled-out and the least chilled-out cities in the United Kingdom. Crowned as the most chilled-out city in the United Kingdom is Durham, thanks largely to the city’s high happiness score and low population density. On the other hand, Manchester is considered the least chilled-out city in the United Kingdom due to its high population density and traffic index.