Pedestrians use an umbrella and a portable fan to cool off in Seoul during a prolonged heatwave Copyright AFP ANTHONY WALLACE
The world’s most social city is Seoul, according to one set of criteria captured within a recent survey. This is largely based on the city’s number of restaurants and entertainment venues.
Another standout locale is Chiang Mai, which offers the most affordable living and dining in the top 10, along with the same restaurant density as Japan. Notably, Dutch cities lead European social life, with Eindhoven and The Hague ranking 2nd and 3rd.
This list stems from study by Deluxe Homes, who analysed the most social cities by evaluating key lifestyle factors.
The 50 safest cities were selected based on a safety index, followed by assessments of cost of living (excluding rent), walkability, meal affordability, and social venue density.
Event availability and entertainment options like cinemas and theatres were also considered. The final composite score ranked cities based on social opportunities, accessibility, and affordability, highlighting those with the most dynamic urban environments.
The top ten cities were identified as:
- Seoul, South Korea
- Eindhoven, Netherlands
- The Hague (Den Haag), Netherlands
- Tokyo, Japan
- Gent, Belgium
- Madrid, Spain
- Prague, Czech Republic
- Shenzhen, China
- Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Munich, Germany
As indicated above, based on this particular survey, Seoul, South Korea, is the world’s most social city, with a composite score of 100. The city leads in walkability with a score of 100, making it one of the easiest places to explore on foot. Seoul’s event scene is highly active, hosting 76 major events, and its 419 cinemas and theatres provide extensive entertainment choices.
Eindhoven, Netherlands, follows in second place with a score of 98. It hosts 7,180 events, making it one of the most eventfilled cities in the ranking. While it has less than 5 percent of Seoul’s restaurant density, its walkability score of 96 ensures easy exploration.
The Hague, Netherlands, takes third place with a score of 96. It has 70 percent more restaurants per 100 km² than Eindhoven, offering significantly more dining choices. While Eindhoven leads in event numbers, The Hague has more than double the cinemas and theatres, providing stronger entertainment options.
Tokyo, Japan, ranks 4th with a score of 94. The Japanese capital offers 264 entertainment venues and surprisingly affordable dining at $6.35 per meal, onethird of Munich’s costs.
Gent, Belgium, comes in fifth with a score of 92. Its walkability score of 99 makes it as pedestrianfriendly as the Hague. While it hosts just over half as many events as Eindhoven, it has more cinemas and theatres than the Hague, keeping its entertainment scene active.
Madrid, Spain, ranks 6th with a score of 90. The Spanish capital maintains perfect walkability while keeping living costs at $807.40 – lower than its European peers. Its 153 entertainment venues offer yearround social options.
Prague, Czech Republic ranks seventh with a score of 88. While it has fewer restaurants than Madrid, its entertainment sector is similar to that of Gent, with 147 cinemas and theatres. The city’s cost of living is lower than Madrid’s, making it a more budgetfriendly option for social life.
Shenzhen, China, takes eighth place with a score of 86. It offers the secondlowest meal costs on the list, at just $3.00, making dining out far cheaper than in Prague or Tokyo.
Chiang Mai, Thailand, ranks 9th, scoring 84. The Thai city offers the most affordable living ($509.10) and dining ($1.73) in the top 10. Additionally, it has the thirdhighest restaurant density (6,303 per 100 km²).
Munich closes the ranking with a score of 81. While its restaurant density is about half that of Madrid, it still provides strong entertainment options with 54 cinemas and theatres, making it one of the more balanced European destinations.
While the survey criteria focus on numbers of social spheres, there are other factors to account for. Social connectivity in a city is not just about the number of restaurants or events—it is also about how easily people can engage with them.
