Unveiled: The world’s most relaxed cities

If peace of mind is about walking home past lush greenery, enjoying financial security, and having a stable job to look forward to, then Germany is the place to be.

A recent study has ranked the world’s most and least stressful cities of 2017, taking into account factors like traffic congestion, public transport, green spaces, financial well-being (including debt levels), overall health, and annual sunlight hours.

Out of 150 cities ranked, four of the top ten most stress-free cities are located in Germany. Stuttgart leads the pack, followed by Hanover in third, Munich in fifth, and Hamburg tied for ninth with Graz, Austria.

Luxembourg, a small yet affluent country with fewer than 600,000 residents, claims the second spot for lowest stress levels.

Bern, Switzerland ranks fourth, followed by Bordeaux, France (No. 6), and Edinburgh, UK (No. 7), which also secure top spots.

Sydney, Australia (No. 8) is the only city outside Europe to make the top ten, while Seattle is named the most relaxed city in the US.

Cash and greenery

The study, conducted by UK-based dry-cleaning service Zipjet, analyzed 500 locations using data from 17 categories, including infrastructure, pollution, finances, and citizens' well-being.

This led to the creation of a ranking of 150 cities, based on comprehensive data across all factors considered in the study.

Baghdad tops the list as the most stressful city overall, with a score of 10, compared to Stuttgart’s score of 1, followed by Kabul.

Stuttgart’s formula for stress-free living includes a robust local economy, home to giants like Porsche, Bosch, and Mercedes-Benz, alongside a high percentage of green spaces. The city, nestled among hills and valleys, also boasts vineyards.

Stuttgart’s abundant greenery 'has a clear impact on reducing stress,' says David Moos, a PR professional from Stuttgart. 'The feeling of openness helps prevent a sense of being confined, and personally, I find it alleviates anxiety. The security in the city, both financially and in terms of personal safety, is incredibly reassuring.'

The secret to easy living

Public transport stressing you out? Not in Singapore, where it’s a different story altogether.

Public transport stressing you out? That’s not the case in Singapore.

Luxembourg, with the lowest population density after Kuwait City, is joined by Sydney and Melbourne (ranked No. 6 and No. 7) as relatively uncrowded cities.

Residents of Singapore and Taipei report the highest satisfaction with their public transport systems, while Leipzig, Germany and Montpelier, France experience the least traffic congestion.

In terms of security, Abu Dhabi ranks as the safest city based on local perceptions of safety and crime statistics, with Osaka, Japan following closely in second place.

Although sunny weather is often seen as a mood booster, it didn’t have a significant impact on a city’s overall ranking. Damascus topped the sunshine category, while Bordeaux, ranked No. 56, was the sunniest city among the top ten.

North America leads with the lowest air pollution levels, with Miami, Seattle, Vancouver, and Boston topping the list. Abidjan, Ivory Coast, has the least noise pollution, while Antananarivo, Madagascar, and Reykjavik are the cities with the least light pollution.

Disposable income

Reykjavik ranks highest in both the Physical Health and Gender Equality categories. AFP/Getty Images/Leon Neal

Phnom Penh boasts the lowest official unemployment rates, while Bandar Seri Begawan in Brunei has the lowest per capita debt. However, the true indicator of a city’s financial health is the Family Purchasing Power category, which compares household income to the cost of living.

Munich topped the rankings by this measure, followed by Luxembourg, Sydney, Monaco, and Stuttgart.

Athens ranked highest in the Social Security category, but with protests over tax and social security hikes earlier this year, it may be a 'Pyrrhic victory' as the Ancient Greeks would call it.

Luxembourg, Bordeaux, and Graz excelled in the Mental Health category, while Reykjavik leads in Physical Health and also ranks highest for gender equality.

Surprisingly, the race equality category, based on data from a World Bank ethnic inequality report, is led by US cities. San Francisco, Boston, and Seattle occupy the top three spots.

Glamorous global cities like London (No. 70), Tokyo (No. 72), and Paris (No. 78) fall around the middle of the rankings, with New York (No. 84) emerging as the most stress-inducing of the major cities.

This study shares similarities with other recent rankings, such as the 'world’s most liveable cities,' where Melbourne holds the top spot, and the 'world’s happiest countries,' which is led by Norway.

However, peace of mind doesn't come without a price: Sydney, Vancouver, and Melbourne are also among the 'world’s most expensive cities.'

For the complete results and methodology, visit the Zipjet website.

The world’s least stressful cities

1. Stuttgart, Germany

2. Luxembourg City, Luxembourg

3. Hanover, Germany

4. Bern, Switzerland

5. Munich, Germany

6. Bordeaux, France

7. Edinburgh, United Kingdom

8. Sydney, Australia

9. (tie) Graz, Austria and Hamburg, Germany