The Best Cities Around the World to Live in During Your 20s

If you’ve ever dreamed of living in Spain, great news: Madrid is considered one of the best cities in the world for people in their twenties. It’s also one of the cheaper places to live on this list, which means you’ll get to enjoy the beauty of living in a European city without causing your poor, long-suffering credit card to fly into a panic.

Pros: Proximity to the Hemsworth brothers, a temperate climate, an abundance of avocados, incredible laneways (pedestrian-only paths that are full of amazing food and art), and St. Kilda Beach. Cons: Literally nothing. Actually, according to Confused a pint of beer is pretty pricey, but that’s about it.

Want to live in a gorgeous coastal city full of incredible architecture, delicious wine (technically port, but ya know), and alfresco cafes? Hi, and welcome to Porto. Rent is cheap, vibes are top notch, it’s super chill, and—provided you can get a job—you. will. thrive.

Thanks to cobblestones, cafes, gothic revival buildings, and general French vibes, visiting Montreal is basically like taking a mini European vacation, only in Canada. So, gotta assume that living there is a delightful experience, right? Right. Though according to data, nightlife isn’t a huge thing, so if you’re someone who likes to party, maybe try NYC, Barcelona, or Madrid.

Colorful buildings that are worthy of the grid? Yes. Some casual palaces for you to gawk at? Also yes. Stunning gardens to stroll through? Absolutely. Add in a legendary restaurant scene and the fact that you can get almost anywhere by bike (love a city with free transportation) and Copenhagen is best described as perfection.

First of all, it’s the home of Gritty, and if that isn’t enough of a reason to move there IDK what is. But Philly is also just a great city overall, with lots of job opportunities, a ton of young people (how do you do, fellow youths), and a solid restaurant scene. Basically, if you want to live in a big city on the east coast, it’s cheaper than NYC and just as much fun.

I mean, who wouldn’t want to live in Dublin? It’s gorgeous, there’s a ton to do, it’s super moody, you might fall in love with someone sporting the world’s hottest accent, and according to Confused it’s extremely LGBTQ+ friendly, which we love to see. The only downside? Rent is pretty high, but nowhere close to the cost of living in New York City or San Francisco, so.

If Melbourne isn’t doing it for you, but you still want to live in Australia, apparently Sydney is an even better spot for people in their twenties to live in—mostly because it has a slightly better nightlife scene. And honestly, the proximity to the iconic and pristine Bondi Beach (and the opera house!) makes living there a win-win.

What’s not to love / be obsessed with? Barcelona is one of the most gorgeous big cities in Europe, with amazing museums, incredible art, tons of performance spaces, a gazillion restaurants, super cute neighborhoods, and beautiful apartments. Rally your best friends and move there stat.

In case you can’t tell from this photo, Lisbon is basically a fairytale dream city come true. Living here is like living in a postcard, only with good food, cheapish rent, and a ton of places to explore. However, according to Confused the nightlife leaves something to be desired, so if that’s a priority for you, maybe look elsewhere.

If moving to Toronto means I get to kayak on this river with a skyline in front of me, sign me up. Bonuses? The symphony, the ballet, the Toronto Maple Leafs (bless them), and some gorgeous public parks and markets.

This riverfront city is famous for its abundance of castles, it’s close to the sea, and it’s just a drive away from the famous Loire Valley and its châteaux. If you can get a job there, you’ll be happy to know rent is pretty cheap too, so run, don’t walk.

Duh. Pretty much nothing beats living in New York City, because it quite literally has it all. Including extremely high rents and cost of living (it’s the most $$$ city to live in on this list!), not to mention pizza rats—but that doesn’t stop the Big Apple from being on this list.

London gets a lot of hype, but Manchester is also a pretty cool city to live in, and has a super well-known club scene. (And good food in Ancoats! And cute cafes on Beech Road!) Plus, The Smiths are from there if you’re in the mood to feel emo.

Yet another French city on this list! If you’re a history nerd, you will love living in Lyon (the Renaissance architecture is to die for). If you’re not a history nerd, you can just enjoy the gorgeous scenery, walks through the rose gardens, and yummy food (it’s known as the gastronomy capital of the world for a reason).

Prague is potentially the most gorgeous city in Europe, full of Gothic buildings, Medieval architecture, and fancy Baroque homes in rainbow colors. Your Instagram will simply not know what to do with itself. On top of all that, rent is cheap, drinks are cheap, and the cost of transportation won’t break the bank either.

Live that Oktoberfest vibe all year round! Munich is an inclusive city with a reasonable cost of living and more beer gardens than you can count. The city is also famous for Apfelstrudel (apple strudel), which seems important to note, thx.

You already love Outlander, so a move to Scotland just makes sense you know? But for real, Glasgow is a great city to consider for people in their twenties. There are some truly top notch bars, pubs, and whiskey distilleries, monthly salaries tend to be pretty high (so you can actually enjoy all the culture this city has to offer), and the people are known for being extremely friendly.

If watching way too much Emily in Paris has you in the mood to move to France tout de suite, good news: Paris happens to be the 12th best city for people in their twenties to live in. Yeah, it’s expensive, but what Paris lacks in budget-friendliness it makes up for in style, cultural attractions, art, scenery, croissants, architecture, and general vibes.

London almost (but not quite) cracks the top 10 for the best places people in their twenties can live. Come for the tea-time scones, stay for the cozy apartments (er, flats) and pubs, and maybe go ahead and book a vacation in the winter because things can get rainy.