Call us biased, but Asia has some of the most kick-ass cities in the world. You get ultra-modern megacities like Shanghai, Seoul, and Bangkok – colourful, chaotic, with a centre of gravity of their own – and quainter destinations like Hanoi and Kyoto, threaded through with tradition and old-world charm. Whatever your lifestyle or holiday needs, we guarantee there's an Asian city to suit your preferences.
If you're searching for a place in Asia to visit (or settle down in), then you've come to the right place. Every year, Time Out talks to thousands of locals worldwide (18,500 city dwellers this year, to be exact) to suss out how they feel about living, working, and playing in their hometowns. We're talking food, culture, nightlife, affordability, and even how easy it is to find love. Our city editors also chip in by voting on the most exciting places in the world right now. The result – a definitive list of the 50 best cities in the world.
And guess what? 11 hip and happening Asian cities made the global list for 2025, with some exciting new entries and incredible comebacks. Let's take a closer look at the results.
Bangkok is the second-best city in the world
Give it up for Bangkok, the second-best city in the world and officially the best city in Asia for 2025. That records an incredible jump of 22 spots from our 2024 round-up of the world's best cities.
So, what propelled Bangkok to the top? Time Out staff writer Kaweewat Siwanartwong boils it down to a few essential factors: the friendliness of the locals, the city's rich cultural heritage, its green spaces, and the trendy nightlife scene in Thonglor and Ekkamai. It helps that the BTS Skytrain and MRT systems have been expanded, so getting around Bangkok is easier than ever.
If you talk to the locals, there's one standout: the food. 86 percent say the fare in Bangkok is 'good' or 'amazing', and 84 percent say the meals are affordable too. So, you know you're really getting for your buck when eating out in Bangkok.
If you intend to visit, do so soon: Bangkok's events calendar is currently heaving with fascinating exhibitions and workshops thanks to the Bangkok Art Biennale.
Shanghai makes a comeback; Hong Kong and Hanoi make leaps
Talk about a comeback. The last time Shanghai was in Time Out's World's Best Cities list was in 2021. This year, it stages a re-entry at an impressive #9 – making it the second-best city in all of Asia. There's a lot to love about this cutting-edge, "cinematic city", the most wonderfully bizarre of which is Fumin Lu's famous alpaca, says Shanghai expert Sammi Sowerby. You'll never be alone or out of party options in Shanghai too: 80 percent of locals say it's easy to meet people and make friends in Shanghai, and its nightlife scene received the highest overall rating.
Next on the list is Hong Kong (#14), up an impressive 35 spots from its ranking in 2024. Results from our survey named this small but mighty city the world's safest and most convenient of all. Zip around on its well-connected public transport system (98 percent of locals approve of it) to get to hotspots like Hollywood Road, Bar Leone (the best bar in Asia right now), or the shiny new sports complexes Go Park Sai Sha and Kai Tak Sports Park.
Then there's charming Hanoi, coined by local expert Dan Q Dao as "the cradle of Vietnamese culture for over a thousand years". It jumped 15 spots to land at #21 in this year's list, winning big with its strong community ties and affordability. Visit this year to get a taste of its burgeoning fine dining and cocktail scene and to immerse in festivities marking 50 years of reunification.
Chiang Mai and Jakarta rank for the first time
These two incredible Southeast Asian cities finally get their roses. Chiang Mai and Jakarta debut on Time Out's World's Best Cities list at #28 and #29, respectively, and the recognition is well-deserved.
"The largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand", Chiang Mai's well-established art, culture and food scene is getting a boost this year with the Chiang Mai Festival City project. There'll be vinyl festivals, mega food markets, and local music performances to enjoy all month, every month.
Meanwhile, Jakarta will dazzle with its "effortless balance between traditional and modern", says local expert, Leyla Rose. Check out colonial Dutch buildings alongside upscale malls, and dive into its healthy live music scene at festivals like Djakarta Warehouse Project and Java Jazz Festival. Love your tipples? Don't miss out on new bars like Cosmo Pony and Barcadia.
Other Asian cities like Singapore, Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul, and Mumbai also do the region proud – find out everything there is to love about them in our global list of the 50 best cities in the world for 2025.
These are the 50 best cities in the world in 2025, according to Time Out:
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Bangkok, Thailand
- New York, USA
- Melbourne, Australia
- London, UK
- New Orleans, USA
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Porto, Portugal
- Shanghai, China
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Chicago, USA
- Lisbon, Portugal
- Edinburgh, UK
- Hong Kong
- Sydney, Australia
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Barcelona, Spain
- Seville, Spain
- Paris, France
- Medellín, Colombia
- Hanoi, Vietnam
- Madrid, Spain
- Berlin, Germany
- Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Singapore
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Beijing, China
- Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Jakarta, Indonesia
- Vienna, Austria
- Tokyo, Japan
- Marrakech, Morocco
- Perth, Australia
- Brighton, UK
- Prague, Czech Republic
- Glasgow, UK
- Brisbane, Australia
- Marseille, France
- Budapest, Istanbul
- Los Angeles, USA
- Lagos, Nigeria
- Seoul, South Korea
- Valencia, Spain
- Montreal, Canada
- Bilbao, Spain
- Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Belfast, UK
- Bristol, UK
- Mumbai, India
- Warsaw, Poland
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