The least stressful cities to live in

2026-03-15 21:17:00, Lifestyle CNA

Life in big cities is often accompanied by stress, from traffic to the high cost of living and the fast pace of daily life.

However, new research shows that city life doesn't have to be stressful if you choose the right city to live in.

According to a study by money transfer company Remitly, the most peaceful city to live in the world is Eindhoven, Netherlands.

Researchers analyzed 170 cities around the world, examining five main factors that influence residents' stress levels:

- average travel time for 10 kilometers
- air pollution levels
- cost of living
- quality and access to healthcare
- crime rate and sense of safety

The data came from platforms related to travel, pollution and accommodation costs, such as TomTom, Numbeo and IQAir.

The cities were rated on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest level of stress.

No. 1: Eindhoven, the quiet and technological city

Eindhoven ranked first with a stress index of 2.34, offering its residents a more balanced daily life.

Located in the province of North Brabant, about an hour by train from Amsterdam, it is known for its modern architecture and vibrant technology ecosystem. The city is historically associated with the founding of Philips and is now part of the Brainport Eindhoven technology district, a major innovation hub.

At the same time, it invests in green development and has set a target to use 100% sustainable energy by 2045, with the support of the European Union.

Some other reasons that contribute to the low pressure of daily life in Eindhoven are that it takes residents less than 15 minutes to travel 10 km, the annual cost of living for a single person is estimated at approximately 13,645 euros, and the city benefits from the Netherlands' high-quality healthcare system.

Despite the strong technological element, the city also has a vibrant cultural life, especially in the Strijp-S area, and hosts Dutch Design Week every year.

The 10 least stressful cities in the world

According to the study, the top ten places are filled by the following cities:

1. Eindhoven, Netherlands
2. Canberra, Australia
3. Tallinn, Estonia
4. Trondheim, Norway
5. Bergen, Norway
6. Utrecht, Netherlands
7. Groningen, Netherlands
8. Rotterdam, Netherlands
9. Porto, Portugal
10. Brisbane, Australia

Cities with the most stress

At the other end of the scale is New York City, which topped the list of most stressful cities, with a score of 7.56. While it performed well on air quality and access to healthcare, the extremely high cost of living weighed heavily on the overall score. Dublin followed closely behind, with a score of 7.55.

Research shows that the quality of life in a city depends on many factors and that sometimes lesser-known destinations can offer a more peaceful daily life. /CNA