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Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –
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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
British urban culture magazine Time Out recently published its ranking of the world's 50 best cities for 2026. Shanghai took second place, becoming the highest-ranked city in Asia. Melbourne took first place.
Time Out magazine, founded in 1968, is a renowned travel guide dedicated to urban lifestyle. Its annual ranking of the world's best cities has been conducted since 2016 and is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.
Unlike traditional city rankings, this one is based on the real-life experiences of residents and evaluates 44 indicators, including food, culture, nightlife, affordability, happiness, and urban atmosphere. This year, the study covered 150 cities worldwide, with over 24,000 respondents participating, and the final results were based on expert assessments.
Shanghai ranked 17th in 2021, rose to ninth in 2025, and has already reached second place globally this year. This upward trend clearly demonstrates that, in a rating system focused on the resident experience, Shanghai's international appeal is steadily growing.
Time Out magazine attributes Shanghai's inclusion in the ranking to four key factors: city atmosphere, everyday experience, degree of openness, and cultural appeal.
Regarding the city's atmosphere, Time Out describes Shanghai as a place where historical heritage and the spirit of the future combine: here, the "world-class" buildings of the Bund coexist with traditional neighborhoods, while new themed restaurants, popular international brands, signature coffee shops, and creative bars are popping up one after another.
Regarding everyday experiences in the city, the data shows that 88% of residents consider eating out affordable, 90% say they can afford cultural activities such as going to a coffee shop or a movie, and 78% say they find cycling convenient.
From a public policy perspective, Time Out particularly notes that China has been actively expanding its visa-free regime in recent years. Citizens of 50 countries enjoy unilateral visa-free entry, while reciprocal visa-free travel is available with 29 countries, and the list continues to grow. All this significantly simplifies travel for foreign tourists to Shanghai.
At the same time, social media is helping to dispel existing stereotypes about China abroad. On one hand, the "becoming Chinese" internet meme is gaining popularity on foreign platforms, and more and more foreign bloggers are trying to live the "Chinese way of life." On the other hand, foreign tourists are sharing their impressions of China through cameras: from public transportation and digital payments to food service, and more. These real and vivid stories are sparking interest in Chinese culture, the city's appearance, and the country's development and innovation.
Looking at this year's ranking as a whole, Melbourne, a city renowned for its sporting events, vibrant cultural scene, and diverse culinary scene, took first place. Edinburgh ranked third thanks to its walkability, abundance of green spaces, vibrant cultural scene, and high levels of resident satisfaction. London, New York, Cape Town, Mexico City, Bangkok, Seoul, and Tokyo also made the top ten, ranking fourth through tenth, respectively. Each of these cities scored highly in areas such as culture, environmental friendliness, consumer opportunities, nightlife, and urban atmosphere.
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