Travel Destinations That Will Boost Your Happiness & Won’t Cost You a Fortune

Travel Destinations That Will Boost Your Happiness & Won’t Cost You a Fortune

Generating trillions of dollars in revenue each year, tourism is one of the world’s major industries. It has a massive economic effect, creating jobs, generating income, and boosting local economies. Travellers, on the other hand, have a direct impact on a city’s well-being by staying in its hotels, dining at local restaurants, shopping at artisan markets, and booking tours with local guides.

According to the latest edition of Euromonitor’s Top 100 City Destinations Index, the top performing locations are Paris, Dubai, Amsterdam, Madrid, and Rome. But are these cities where tourists feel most at ease, and are there equally appealing but less expensive options? Our team at SuperCasinoSites decided to help you choose your next destination by rating 100 cities based on four criteria: cost of living, safety, air quality, and the amount of sunshine these cities get on average (i.e. the number of sunlight hours per year).

While half of the cities on our list are in Europe, the two best-scoring destinations are Chiang Mai and Antalya, both located in Asia. Surprisingly, Edinburgh, the highest-ranked UK city, only ranks 50th overall.

Methodology

The following sources provided data for each criterion:

The first phase in our research was to gather information on each factor for the cities listed in the latest edition of Euromonitor International’s Top 100 City Destinations Index. Since cost of living data for 15 of the locales was not accessible, they were omitted from the review and substituted with other popular travel destinations, including Bogotá, Quito, Liverpool, and Rimini, to name a few.

Each city was then assigned a score ranging from 100 to 1 based on how high it ranked in that particular criterion. For example, 100 points were given to the city with the best air quality index and 1 for the city which ranked last. This was done for each of the four factors we looked at. In the end, we added up the points for each city and the one with the most points, i.e. the one that ranked high the most times, came out as the overall winner.

The Top 5 Cities That Will Make You Feel Good The Most

Of course, all of the 100 cities we explored are worth a visit as they all boast unique selling points, such as tasty local cuisine, picturesque scenery, friendly locals, or wonderful weather. However, neither time nor budget are unlimited for most of us, so our team decided to focus on the five top-ranked locations.

So, pack your luggage and let’s go!

1. Chiang Mai, Thailand 🇹🇭

Perhaps unexpected to some, Thailand’s Chiang Mai emerged as the city capable of providing the most delightful travel experience. The city is located in the north of the country and is mostly known for its historical temples, magnificent mountains, and pleasant weather. There are plenty of tourist attractions too, including the stunning Botanic Garden, a terrific place to soak up some local culture and take in the beautiful aroma of Thai orchids.

Everyone has heard of the markets and nightlife in Bangkok. Well, in Chiang Mai, you can have the same fun but for less money. Furthermore, the data we gathered suggests that Chiang Mai is the safer of the two cities, with an index of 76.36 vs 60.02 in the capital.

Chiang Mai’s rank for each factor:

  • Cost of living: 11th
  • Safety: 13th
  • Air quality: 16th
  • Amount of sunshine: 41st

2. Antalya, Turkey 🇹🇷

If you are on a limited budget, want to have a good rest, and avoid boredom, pack your suitcase for the Turkish city of Antalya. It has the third lowest cost of living index on our list, trailing only Cairo and Delhi by a small margin. The only slight concern is that, according to AccuWeather, the Air Quality Index is 47 or on the verge of being designated “poor”.

From mountain lodges to beachfront hotels, Antalya offers pretty much everything a tourist would want in terms of accommodation. Add to this the friendly local population, delicious food, turquoise Mediterranean waters, and stunning nature, and there is no doubt that Antalya is well worth a visit.

Antalya’s rank for each factor:

  • Cost of living: 4th
  • Safety: 19th
  • Air quality: 61st
  • Amount of sunshine: 20th

3. Granada, Spain 🇪🇸

When you think of Spain as a holiday destination, probably the first cities that come to mind are Barcelona and Madrid, and maybe even Seville or Palma de Mallorca. However, it turns out that Granada has a considerably higher ranking, occupying the 3rd position on our list.

This sun-soaked city is widely recognised for its Moorish architecture and history, as well as its tapas culture and Flamenco performances. Those tempted by history will surely want to stroll through the amazing gardens of the Alhambra, where Catherine of Aragon lived. Moreover, the air is extremely clean, as Granada’s AQI is 22, or nearly “excellent” on the AccuWeather scale.

Granada’s rank for each factor:

  • Cost of living: 38th
  • Safety: 44th
  • Air quality: 6th
  • Amount of sunshine: 19th

4. Lisbon, Portugal 🇵🇹

Fourth on our list of mood-boosting cities is the Portuguese capital, Lisbon. The city is famous for its warm, sunny climate, colourful, old buildings, great nightlife, and welcoming locals. Each of Lisbon’s neighbourhoods has a distinct vibe, waiting to be discovered.

The city is an interesting mix of old and new and is home to a number of well-known landmarks, including São Jorge Castle, Belém Tower, and Praça do Comércio, among others. Lisbon also boasts many different viewpoints (miradouros), each offering a different take on the city. Don’t forget your camera!

Lisbon’s rank for each factor:

  • Cost of living: 43rd
  • Safety: 31st
  • Air quality: 18th
  • Amount of sunshine: 22nd

5. Malaga, Spain 🇪🇸

Pablo Picasso’s home city, Malaga, ranks fifth on our list. As one of the world’s oldest cities, Malaga boasts a rich cultural tapestry dating back thousands of years, having an Andalusian background that adds some Moorish magic to its allure.

However, it is not just history that draws visitors to Malaga but also its thriving gastronomic offerings, 150 km of coastline, and a wealth of shopping opportunities. The city offers a great mix of sunshine, 2,910 hours per year, and clean air, AQI of 31 or fair according to the AccuWeather scale.

Malaga’s rank for each factor:

  • Cost of living: 37th
  • Safety: 32nd
  • Air quality: 28th
  • Amount of sunshine: 18th

The Mood-Boosting Factors We Focus On

Here is a breakdown of the mood-boosting factors, the four criteria on which we based our rankings, what they indicate, why we chose them, and which cities rank the highest. Interestingly, 5 of the 10 sunniest cities are also among the safest localities, and one, Cairo, is the cheapest to live in.

Cities with the Most Sunshine

How to make the most of a trip? Stay calm, positive, and focused while touring the destination of your choice: it is that simple. The more hours of daylight the better as the sun is scientifically proven to enhance the release of serotonin, the hormone that mediates satisfaction, happiness, and optimism.

We decided to consult the Weather and Climate platform and find out which cities receive the most sunlight. Data was collected about the average annual hours of sunlight for each of the 100 localities in our selection. Las Vegas, Nevada ranks first with 3,830 hours of sunshine each year.

Where would you choose to go?

Rk City Country Hours of Sunshine
1 Las Vegas USA 3830
2 Abu Dhabi UAE 3738
3 Dubai UAE 3580
4 Muscat Oman 3500
5 Sharjah UAE 3493
6 Cairo Egypt 3450
7 Doha Qatar 3440
8 Jerusalem Israel 3390
9 Tel Aviv Israel 3330
10 Los Angeles USA 3259

Cities with the Cleanest Air

Air quality is an essential component of our research as we believe that people need to be healthy in order to enjoy life and travel to the fullest. Using the AccuWeather Air Quality Scale, we found which cities rank highest in this category and where even a short walk down the streets poses a health risk.

We classified 70 cities as safe because their AQI indices were less than or equal to 49, with AccuWeather’s first two categories being excellent 0-19 and fair 20-49. Interestingly, the top three includes locations from three different continents, Miami in North America in 1st place, Quito in South America in 2nd place, and Tallinn and Edinburgh in Europe splitting 3rd place.

Here are the travel destinations with the cleanest air:

Rk City Country Air Quality Index
1 Miami USA 16
2 Quito Ecuador 18
3 Tallinn Estonia 20
3 Edinburgh UK 20
5 Bogota Columbia 21
6 Granada Spain 22
6 Porto Portugal 22
6 Melbourne Australia 22
9 Honolulu USA 23
9 Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam 23
9 Bologna Italy 23
9 Ljubljana Slovenia 23
10 San Francisco USA 24
10 Stockholm Sweden 24

Safest Cities

You can be in the sunniest city, breathing in the purest air and admiring the scenery, but if you have to keep an eye out for pickpockets at every turn, you will miss the fun part. It is therefore critical to research the region’s peculiarities in this regard, especially if you are visiting for the first time.

Of course, there is no way to know the crime level in any of the 100 cities in our selection. That is why we used Numbeo’s Crime Index, which summarises attributes like perceived safety while walking around day and night, property-related crimes, and others. Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Dubai in UAE are among the safest places, with Doha, Qatar situated in between in second place. The safest European city is Dubrovnik, Croatia.

Here is a breakdown of the top 10 and how they scored:

Rk City Country Safety Index
1 Abu Dhabi UAE 88
2 Doha Qatar 86
3 Sharjah UAE 83.96
4 Dubai UAE 83.8
5 Dubrovnik Croatia 82.25
6 Muscat Oman 79.84
7 Munich Germany 79.3
7 Zurich Switzerland 79.3
9 Hong Kong Hong Kong 78.3
10 Ljubljana Slovenia 78.2

Least Expensive Cities

It is no secret that when it comes to booking a trip, money is often the deciding factor. So, if you have weighed up the pros and cons of a certain city and decided you want it as your next travel destination, the only thing left to do is check if you can afford it.

That is why we did not hesitate to include this factor in our evaluation of the world’s mood-boosting travel destinations. Mumbai, India, ranked as the cheapest city to visit out of the 100 examined, closely followed by Cairo, Egypt, and another Indian city, Delhi. When researching which city has the lowest cost of living, we used Numbeo’s Cost of Living Index 2023.

Here are the top 10 cities that will cause the fewest money worries:

Rk City Country Cost of Living Index
1 Mumbai India 25.1
2 Cairo Egypt 25.2
3 Delhi India 25.5
4 Antalya Turkey 26.6
5 Bogota Columbia 29.3
6 Buenos Aires Argentina 30.2
7 Johor Bahru Malaysia 32.2
8 Istanbul Turkey 33.4
9 Quito Ecuador 34.6
10 Hanoi Vietnam 35

Raw Data

Rank City Country Sunshine Hours per Year (average) Air Quality Index Cost of Living Safety Index
1 Chiang Mai Thailand 2525 26 35.2 76.36
2 Antalya Turkey 2870 47 26.6 74.26
3 Granada Spain 2880 22 50.3 63.49
4 Lisbon Portugal 2801 27 52.2 70.67
5 Malaga Spain 2910 31 49.7 70.37
6 Playa del Carmen Mexico 2790 26 43 52.68
7 Porto Portugal 2485 22 46.6 67.36
8 Dubrovnik Croatia 2670 39 51.2 82.25
9 Seville Spain 2920 33 51.4 67.93
10 Ljubljana Slovenia 1982 23 55.2 78.2
11 Sharjah UAE 3493 108 49.2 83.96
12 Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam 2495 23 36.5 47.66
13 Varna Bulgaria 2158 27 40.3 63.4
14 Tallin Estonia 1930 20 58.1 76.5
15 Muscat Oman 3500 92 50.4 79.84
16 Cairo Egypt 3450 55 25.2 49.89
17 Istanbul Turkey 2185 30 33.4 52.08
18 Quito Ecuador 2240 18 34.6 37.44
19 Abu Dhabi UAE 3738 111 59.8 88
20 Budva Montenegro 2445 40 45.2 70.76
21 Tel Aviv Israel 3330 37 74.2 73.3
22 Heraklion Greece 2786 49 53.1 73.71
23 San Salvador El Salvador 2961 31 43.2 36.93
24 Buenos Aires Argentina 2520 27 30.2 36.72
25 Jerusalem Israel 3390 35 67.7 63.05
26 Doha Qatar 3440 115 59.4 86
27 Cancun Mexico 2715 28 44.9 43.85
28 Dubai UAE 3580 109 66.1 83.8
29 Bangkok Thailand 2630 45 44.9 60.02
30 Johor Bahru Malaysia 2632 43 32.2 46.77
31 Budapest Hungary 1980 25 51.9 65.6
32 Phuket Thailand 2100 38 40.3 57.28
33 Palma de Mallorca Spain 2785 48 55.1 66.37
34 Miami USA 3150 16 81.7 46.8
35 Verona Italy 2100 28 60.9 67.57
36 Vienna Austria 1925 27 65 72.6
37 Honolulu USA 3038 23 98.4 52.9
38 Madrid Spain 2740 60 52.3 72.71
39 Mumbai India 2590 70 25.1 55
40 Krakow Poland 1402 34 46.1 74.22
41 Tbilisi Georgia 2048 54 42.5 74.02
42 Pattaya-Chonburi Thailand 2055 42 38.9 54.82
43 Florence Italy 2488 29 68.9 60.6
44 Beijing China 2505 182 41.5 72.5
45 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia 2220 35 35.9 37.46
46 Rimini Italy 2050 27 60.2 55.87
47 Tokyo Japan 1930 43 57.3 76
48 Edinburgh UK 1440 20 64.7 68.7
49 Mexico City Mexico 2551 33 46.9 31.77
50 Melbourne Australia 2380 22 79.3 56
51 Valencia Spain 2701 119 49.4 70.18
52 Bologna Italy 2042 23 66.6 53.2
53 Munich Germany 1780 34 74 79.3
54 Sydney Australia 2600 34 81.1 65.7
55 Bogota Columbia 1340 21 29.3 33.58
56 Shenzhen China 1840 63 39.9 71.92
57 Delhi India 2780 108 25.5 40.72
58 San Francisco USA 3072 24 98.4 38.6
59 Santiago Chile 2750 41 52.5 37.97
60 Guangzhou China 1630 52 36.1 69.13
61 Orlando USA 3119 44 74.3 49.6
62 Thessaloniki Greece 2406 40 55.9 46.8
63 Stockholm Sweden 1907 24 69.4 54.5
64 Johannesburg South Africa 3126 105 38 19.12
65 Marseille France 2860 35 66.9 35.6
66 Barcelona Spain 2530 48 57.9 49.3
67 Macau Macao 1780 50 66.1 78.18
68 Hanoi Vietnam 1590 59 35 63.57
69 Singapore Singapore 2032 42 85.9 76.3
70 Zurich Switzerland 1699 35 128.5 79.3
71 Shanghai China 1780 74 43.4 70.32
72 Amsterdam The Netherlands 1670 37 69.2 70.9
73 Warsaw Poland 1595 68 48.3 74.47
74 Seoul South Korea 2133 51 76.3 75.2
75 Prague Czech Republic 1674 51 62.2 75.3
76 Athens Greece 2769 51 59.1 44.3
77 Nice France 2580 33 75.2 44.8
78 Milan Italy 1989 29 73 50.6
79 Copenhagen Netherlands 1635 32 83.1 73.4
80 Rio de Janeiro Brazil 2193 46 43.3 22.47
81 Rome Italy 2470 48 65.7 46.9
82 Las Vegas USA 3830 66 73.5 44.4
83 Vancouver Canada 1940 38 74.4 59.1
84 Hong Kong Hong Kong 1825 66 72.4 78.3
85 Los Angeles USA 3259 52 84 47.3
86 Sao Paulo Brazil 2007 51 44.7 29.43
87 Toronto Canada 2071 52 73.3 57.3
88 Lyon France 2006 35 74.6 46.1
89 Naples Italy 2378 56 56.5 37.6
90 Lima Peru 1240 47 37 29.06
91 Berlin Germany 1712 49 71.1 56.5
92 Frankfurt Germany 1680 49 71.6 54.8
93 New York USA 2540 56 100 50.5
94 Birmingham UK 1399 36 61 36.9
95 Brussels Belgium 1585 40 70.8 45.5
96 Liverpool UK 1502 55 65.4 51.9
97 Manchester UK 1420 47 66.3 45.1
98 Paris France 1735 44 77.6 42.9
99 London UK 1659 55 82.8 46.1
100 Dublin Ireland 1440 66 77.3 47.8