This is the only Canadian city named one of the world’s friendliest
Canada has a reputation for being one of the friendliest countries across the globe. Though that thought might be debatable, thanks to this new list. Time Out has unveiled its list of the friendliest cities in the world, and only one Canadian city made the cut, out of 20. Here’s what to know.
Our wonderful country is known for many things, and it’s especially admired for its kindness. We’re known for this! But according to Time Out‘s latest findings, Canada doesn’t really compare to the rest of the world.
Methodology
According to the report, the magazine polled 18,500 residents of cities across the globe, who were then asked a series of questions about their hometowns.
“Their answers helped us compile our list of the 50 best cities in the world right now, and they also gave us insight into stuff like which cities offer the best green spaces, where to go for arts and culture, and where people are happiest,” Time Out shared.
So, in order to find out the friendliest cities, the publication asked locals how likely they were to describe their hometown as “welcoming and friendly.”
Here’s what they found.
The friendliest cities in the world in 2025
Porto, Portugal; Bilbao, Spain; and Medellin, Colombia took first, second and third place, respectively. As a matter of fact, European countries dominated the top 10 ranking despite city mentions from Nigeria, South Africa, and the U.S.
Now, as for Canada, we came in 17th place. And the city that represents us on the global scale is none other than Montreal.
Here’s the full list:
- Porto, Portugal
- Bilbao, Spain
- Medellin, Colombia
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Lagos, Nigeria
- Brighton, U.K.
- Madrid, Spain
- Lisbon, Portugal
- Chicago, USA
- Belfast, U.K.
- Hanoi, Vietnam
- New Orleans, USA
- Valencia, Spain
- Glasgow, U.K.
- Abu Dhabi, UAE
- Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Montreal, Canada
- Seville, Spain
- Brisbane, Australia
- Dubai, UAE
Whether or not you agree with the list, there’s no denying that Montreal is a wonderful city with culture, character and enough friendliness to keep Canada’s rep intact.
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Karen Doradea
Managing Editor, Toronto – Karen is a multimedia journalist based in Toronto. With a strong knowledge of reporting and editing through all forms of media, she has a true passion for storytelling. She carries several years of journalistic experience and has covered the Toronto scene from local stories to national news. When Karen isn’t publishing fire content, you can find her binge-watching sitcoms on Crave, at a must-try restaurant, or scrolling endlessly on TikTok looking for the next best thing – News never sleeps.
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