The city’s cost of living index is 19.6, which reflects the price of items like food and transportation (excluding rent).
New York City is often seen as the place where dreams come true, but a new report says it’s also one of the most stressful places to live. The city has been named the world’s most stressed due to its very high living expenses, crowded roads, and increasing crime. And it’s not just the big global cities on the list, India’s Kolkata has also made it into the top 10. The study, done by finance company Remitly, compared more than 170 major cities by looking at costs, traffic, safety, pollution, and healthcare. New York ranked first, with Dublin following in second place.
Kolkata: India’s Entry at Number 10
Kolkata is the only Indian city in the top 10 most stressed cities. The main reasons behind the stress are its crowded population, long traffic jams, and rising everyday expenses. On average, people in Kolkata spend 34 minutes and 33 seconds to travel just 10 km. The city’s cost of living index is 19.6, which reflects the price of items like food and transportation (excluding rent). Its healthcare index is 60, showing that medical facilities are fairly good. The crime index is 46, meaning there are moderate safety concerns. Kolkata’s overall stress score stands at 6.89 out of 10.
New York takes the top spot for stress
New York City has been named the most stressed city in the world with a score of 7.56 out of 10. The biggest reason is the extremely high cost of living, rents are at record levels, and everyday expenses like food, electricity, and insurance keep getting more expensive.
Even though the city offers good healthcare and some cleaner neighbourhoods, many people still feel a heavy financial burden. This pressure makes daily life in the Big Apple very stressful. The report comes as Manhattan rents hit new highs again, with the average rent reaching USD 4,625—about 7.6 per cent higher than last year, according to Miller Samuel Inc. and Douglas Elliman.
Dublin takes second place, followed by Mexico City, Manila and others
Dublin, the capital of Ireland, has been named the second most stressful city in the world, coming just behind New York. It earned a stress score of 7.55 out of 10, mainly due to high living costs and long travel times.
Housing is one of the biggest problems. A recent study shows that home prices in Ireland are about 11% higher than what people can normally afford, making it very difficult for many families to buy a house. Daily travel is also a challenge. People in Dublin spend about 32 minutes and 45 seconds to cover just 10 kilometres—one of the slowest commute times in Europe.
Mexico City is ranked third with a score of 7.38. The city struggles with heavy traffic, long travel hours, and safety issues. Its crime index is among the highest in the entire study.
Manila and London also appear in the top five, mainly because of expensive living costs, traffic jams, and other big-city problems.
At the other end of the list, Eindhoven in the Netherlands was named the least stressed city in the world, with a very low score of just 2.34.
