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In what may come as a shock to our older readers, Gen Z really are all grown up and paying rent, holding down important jobs and just trying to have as much fun as possible without spiralling about the current state of the world (tough, we know!).
So where's the best place for a twenty-something to try and live their best life right now? Well, as part of Time Out's annual ranking of the best cities in the world (which, ICYMI, Melbourne ranked number one on), we filtered down our 2026 global data to reflect only the responses of those under 30.
Taking the crown is the city of Tokyo, which received standout scores for Gen Z happiness (100 per cent of the Gen Zs surveyed agreed that they find joy in everyday experiences) and nightlife. Landing at number two is Porto, thanks to its ‘community feel’ and affordability. And our very own city of Melbourne ranked third.
Why? Melbourne scored exceptionally well for restaurants and eating out, with a 100 per cent Gen Z approval rating, as well as for its culture, which garnered positive reviews from 97 per cent of our young respondents. While 94 per cent of people had good things to say about their local neighbourhood.
It shouldn't come as too much of a surprise. After all, Melbourne boasts an exciting and diverse arts scene, where indie theatre and live music (or comedy, improv and even secret raves) can be found most nights of the week. And those opportunities to get involved are only set to grow with the recent announcement of a $1-million initiative designed to help local creatives transform original ideas into fully-fledged stage productions.
Sure, it’s not the cheapest place to live, but Melbourne’s Gen Z can still hunt down bargain bites at cafés like Heart of Carlton (where everything costs $4) and restaurants like Frenchie (where the entire French menu is $14 – even the steak frites).
There are also green spaces galore, a public transport system with half-price fares until the end of the year and a thriving student community that’s considered one of the planet’s best.
Gen Z have every right to complain about property prices, cost of living, AI coming for their jobs and just how expensive it can be to buy a cheeky cocktail or two. But on a global scale, Melbourne really does go alright. And hey, we'll always take bragging rights when it comes to beating out other cities like Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.
The world's 20 best cities for Gen Z in 2026, according to Time Out:
- Tokyo, Japan
- Porto, Portugal
- Melbourne, Australia
- Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Shanghai, China
- New York City, United States
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Berlin, Germany
- Valencia, Spain
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Naples, Italy
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Krakow, Poland
- Seoul, South Korea
- Paris, France
- Athens, Greece
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Rio de Janiero, Brazil
- Vancouver, Canada
- Vienna, Austria
To find out more about Time Out’s best cities in the world for Gen Z, head over here.
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