Sydney is officially one of the best cities in the world for Gen Z – here's why

Every year, the team at Time Out Global publishes a ranking of the world’s greatest cities. Each city makes it onto the list based on the results of a comprehensive survey of more than 18,500 locals, who share their feelings about their city’s nightlife, food and cultural scene, as well as other key city-shaping factors like access to green space and walkability. Their insights help the team create a definitive guide to the best cities on the planet to live in (and visit) every year. But the things that make a city great vary from generation to generation, and now, the has interrogated what today’s twenty-somethings think. Based on data from the under-30s respondents to our Best Cities survey, Time Out has compiled a global ranking of the world’s best cities for Gen Z – and Sydney has come in at number 11. 

The Harbour City didn't crack the top ten, and we get it – our housing market is super unaffordable, and Sydneysiders do tend to go to bed a little earlier than most. But Sydney is safe, clean, sunny, fun, active and inspiring – all important things to your average Gen Zer (I'd know, I'm one of them). Our world-class cultural spaces are accessible, our educational institutions are excellent and our city’s community lifts each other up (you only needed to see the crowds at this year’s City2Surf to see that support in action).

We picked the brains of the zoomers in the Time Out Sydney office, to find out what they love most about living in Sydney:

Estelle Dragan, Senior Creative Strategist: “Balance is Gen Z’s love language, and Sydney speaks it fluently. It’s the city that can do both. You can be sipping cocktails in a grungy underground speakeasy at midnight, then hitting up sunrise yoga by the beach the next morning.”

Kate Breytenbach, Account Manager: “After my hot girl Euro summer, I realised Sydney’s unmatched. The beaches, the coffee, the food, the pubs, the sporting events... I love it here. The fact that I cross the Harbour Bridge every day to get to work is crazy.”

Winnie Stubbs, Travel and Hotels Editor: “I moved to Sydney at the age of 20 and was lucky enough to be exposed to the city’s underground dance scene by my very talented DJ housemate. When the lockout laws put up barriers to the city’s clubbing culture, Sydney’s dance scene went underground, and now the best parties in the city are found at unofficial locations ranging from warehouses to Inner West alleyways. This kind of partying culture has fostered a wildly talented, beautifully connected generation of DJs and dance music enthusiasts, and tbvh, I’m not mad about missing out on a night in a sweaty club in favour of dancing on top of a WWII bunker overlooking the harbour.” 

Caitlyn Todoroski, Branded Content Writer: "The food! The bars! Sydney's cultural diversity makes for streets lined with authentic joints that feel like little pieces of Europe, Asia, and South America's funkiest food scenes right here in our backyard."

Rosie Johns, Client Relationship Executive: “The Emerald City has to be one of the best gems on the planet. Waking up on a Saturday like, ‘Beach? Markets? Food crawl?’; you can just play the day however you feel. Also, ferry commutes don’t get enough hype… hands down the most special way to get to work.”

Shannon Feeney, Campaign Manager: “The beaches, weather, and food and drink scene are what draw people to Sydney; the lifestyle is what makes you never want to leave! Work-life balance is so key in Sydney – people work to live here, not the other way around, which is so refreshing!” 

Melissa Woodley, Travel and News Editor: "I’ve travelled all around the world in my 20s, but there's nowhere I'd rather live right now than in Sydney. While I’ve had my wild nights of rooftop bars and sweaty dance floors (don’t believe the bad press — this city can party),  now I’m living for weekend pastry runs, market meanders, long beach days, and catching whatever festival, gig or pop-up is in town – all proof that Sydney has something for every type of Gen Z. And if you’re still in your party phase, you can get from the beach to the city in just 20 minutes. How good!" 

Emma Lawlor, Campaign Manager: "Coming from Ireland, I'd have to say the weather and the stunning beaches! Summer in Sydney feels too good to be true!! Having a morning coffee or a post work wine outside feels like such a luxury."

Our friends down in Melbourne ranked higher on the global leaderboard, coming in second place, with 77 percent of Gen Z describing their city as diverse and inclusive and 96 percent giving high ratings to the city’s art and culture scene. It also scored highly for quality of life, with a whopping 91 percent of twenty-somethings saying quality of life in Melbourne is ‘good’ or ‘amazing’.

These are the best cities in the world for Gen Z in 2025

1. Bangkok, Thailand
2. Melbourne, Australia
3. Cape Town, South Africa
4. New York City, United States
5. Copenhagen, Denmark
6. Barcelona, Spain
7. Edinburgh, United Kingdom
8. Mexico City, Mexico
9. London, United Kingdom
10. Shanghai, China
11. Sydney, Australia
12. Beijing, China
13. Paris, France 
14. Tokyo, Japan
15. Berlin, Germany
16. Seville, Spain
17. Chicago, United States
18. Chiang Mai, Thailand
19. Prague, Czech Republic
20. Lisbon, Portugal

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Sydney recently ranked among the top 5 global cities for culture.

And here’s how Sydney ranked in the Global Cities Index for 2025.