In the year 2024, which city is the world’s nightlife capital? Is it Rio with its dancehalls, samba parties and carnival? Berlin, with its decades-cemented rep as a techno paradise? Budapest, with its eclectic ruin bars? In truth, there’s no definitive answer – and crowning Earth’s nightlife capital is contentious stuff.
But that hasn’t stopped us here at Time Out from chiming in with our take on the world’s best cities for nightlife. Our newly-published ranking took into account surveys of thousands of city-dwellers around the world, quizzing locals on their favourite venues and asking them to rate the quality and affordability of their city’s nightlife.
Rubbing shoulders with the likes of Rio, Berlin and Lagos was one UK nightlife hub: Manchester. Manny came eighth overall, placing higher than cities like Budapest, Taipei and Buenos Aires.
Manchester received an impressive 80 percent score for the ‘quality’ of its nightlife, with Mancunians praising the ‘inclusiveness’ and ‘variety’ of the scene. The only category Manchester didn’t score highly in was price, receiving an ‘affordability’ score of just 28 percent.
Manny-based writer Ian Jones described the city’s club scene as being ‘in a state of flux’, saying:
‘As the city grows, so does the number of sub-par spaces charging sky-high prices. Clued-in clubbers are rejecting slick corporate clubbing and adopting the spirit of early rave – less TikTok, more arms-in-the-air.
‘Most great nights involve a trip to an industrial estate for Hidden or The White Hotel, but nearer the centre, the cutting-edge stuff is happening in unflashy basements and backrooms at newer places like Peste, DBA and N/OM. Old-school outsider venues like Soup Kitchen, Star & Garter and Eagle Inn have a similarly unorthodox, queer-friendly vibe. Bottom line? Swerve the mainstream moneymakers, Manchester’s best clubs are equal parts inclusive and authentic.’
Elsewhere in the ranking, Rio de Janeiro topped the list thanks to its affordability and the quality of its dancehalls, boho bars and multiple booming nightlife districts. Second was Manila, which locals described as ‘beautiful’, ‘bright’ and ‘alive’.
You can read the full ranking on Time Out here.
Time Out and Manchester’s nightlife
Up for a night out in the UK’s best nightlife city? We’ve got you covered. Here are Manchester’s best pubs, bars and cocktail bars – and of course, the city’s finest clubs. Plus, read about how a Manchester club has just been named one of the best in the world.
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