London Wins Again - It's The World's Best City To Live In
LONDON VOTED THE WORLD'S BEST CITY TO LIVE IN
( NOVEMBER 2025 )
London has been voted the number one city in the world to live in, yet again.
For the 11th year running, it has taken 1st place ahead of New York (2nd), and Paris (3rd) among others.
See the list of 100 best cities to live,
which I first stumbled across in Forbes Magazine.
Read more…...
London has been voted the number one city in the world to live in - yet again. For many people this won’t come as a surprise, but the latest ranking marks something pretty remarkable: for the 11th year in a row, London has secured the top position, edging out New York (2nd), Paris (3rd), and dozens of other major global hubs. The list, which I first came across in Forbes Magazine, evaluates cities on everything from cultural vibrancy and economic resilience to safety, sustainability, education, and overall quality of life.
And having lived here for several decades, I can say that I completely understand why London continues to claim the crown. Rankings can sometimes feel arbitrary or overly influenced by trends, but London’s appeal has a staying power that goes far deeper than headlines or promotional campaigns. It’s a city that manages to be timeless and ever-changing all at once - a place where history and modernity coexist on nearly every street corner.
In recent times, a number of prominent public figures (none of them being Londoners, and mostly not based in the UK) have been bad mouthing London, claiming it is a dangerous and lawless city. I know they are wrong, and they know they’re wrong, but they have their own dodgy agendas. It seems to me that their main aim is to imply that the ethnic diversity in London is causing all kinds of social problems.
In reality, one of the most compelling reasons people fall in love with London is its sheer diversity. Walk through virtually any neighbourhood - from Camden to Brixton, from Notting Hill to Whitechapel - and you encounter a world’s worth of cultures, languages, and cuisines within just a few blocks. You can have Turkish Eggs for breakfast, Chinese Dim Sum for lunch, and a classic British roast dinner by evening, all within easy reach of public transport, or walking distance of your home or accommodation. The city is a living atlas, a place where global cultures don’t just exist, but thrive side by side.
Of course, diversity isn’t the only draw. London’s cultural offerings are legendary, and rightly so. Where else can you decide on a whim to visit a world class museum, or art gallery, usually for free? The British Museum, the Tate Modern, the Tate Britain (my favourite), the National Gallery, the V&A, and dozens of others are woven into the everyday life of the city. And if museums/galleries aren’t your thing, there’s theatre, music, comedy, dance, and festivals that run all year long. The West End easily rivals Broadway, and on any given evening you have a huge choice of events to choose from, whether you’re in the mood for a musical, drama, opera, live band, stand-up comedy, or an evening at Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club.
Then there’s the green spaces. People might imagine London as all concrete and grey skies. But London is, in fact, one of the greenest capitals in the world. Hyde Park, St James’s Park (my favourite), Greenwich Park, Hampstead Heath (another favourite), Victoria Park, Richmond Park with its deer—these are places that feel like entire worlds unto themselves. On a hot summer day, you’ll find office workers stretched out on the grass, trying to catch some Vitamin D from the suns rays, families picnicking, joggers, children feeding the ducks (and me among others feeding the wild Parakeets) , and everyone enjoying the sunshine.
London’s transport network is another high point of the city.. People tend to moan about public transport here, but the truth is that the system works astonishingly well for a city this large. The Underground, the Overground, the Elizabeth Line, the buses, the river taxis on the Thames, the large number of black taxis, and Cycle Hire schemes all adds up to a network that keeps the city moving in a way few places can match. And with the continued improvements to cycling routes and pedestrian-friendly areas, it’s becoming easier than ever to get around without relying on a car. It’s a very walkable city without a doubt.
Economically, London remains a globally influential powerhouse. Its financial district is one of the most significant in the world, but the city has also become a major centre for technology, creative industries, science, academia, and entrepreneurship. Whether you’re an artist, a banker, a researcher, a chef, or a startup founder, London offers both opportunity and inspiration. That mix of career potential and cultural richness is a major reason so many people are drawn here from every corner of the globe.
But beyond the statistics, the rankings, and the accolades, what makes London truly the “best city” is something harder to quantify. It’s the feeling of walking across Waterloo Bridge over the Thames at sunset and seeing the skyline glow. It’s the unexpected friendliness of strangers during a moment of shared inconvenience. It’s the way the city manages to reinvent itself while still holding tight to its traditions. It’s the sense that no matter how long you’ve lived here, there’s always something new waiting to be discovered.
For me, London isn’t just a place to live—it’s a place that lives with you. It grows, it changes, it challenges, and it rewards.
So when I see it named the world’s best city year after year, I am not surprised.
And having lived here for a very long time, I can only agree.
I came here hoping for an opportunity, and I found it.
London is the best city.
And I am lucky enough to call it home.
Read more: