With travel restrictions easing all over the world, it's becoming easier to explore the world and check out what some of the coolest cities around the globe have to offer. From the bustling nightlife of vibrant metropolises like Mexico City and Rio de Janeiro to the spectacular cuisine and stylish interiors of the cafes and restaurants of Paris and New York, each city offers something authentic and unique.
But which is the trendiest city in the world? At Hey Discount we’ve looked into their popularity on social media, the number of people wanting to move there, the number of yoga studios and the local food and drink scene to crown the coolest city for young people to visit in 2022.
The World’s Trendiest Cities
1. London - Trendy City Score: 8.13
London can be crowned the trendiest city in the world largely due to its presence on social media, taking the top spot as the most picturesque city on Instagram and third place for the most views on TikTok. But it wasn’t just social media the city excelled in, London also takes third place for the number of vegan restaurants per million people and is in the top five for independent coffee shops too.
Book hotels in London: Booking.com
2. Chicago - Trendy City Score: 7.56
The Windy City takes second place, thanks to the number of yoga studios it has per million people, as it ranks first for this factor. Chicago also ranks in the top five for breweries, so it’s one of the best cities for craft beer lovers, and the top five for the most desired city to move to, making it one of the most in-demand cities to live in the index.
Book holidays to Chicago: Virgin Holidays
3. New York - Trendy City Score: 6.71
Taking third place when it comes to trendiness is New York. New York ranks highly thanks to its presence on social media, ranking in the top five for TikTok views and Instagram posts. The City That Never Sleeps is also one of the most desired places to move to, taking second place as the most in-demand city.
Book holidays to New York: TUI
The Most Viewed City on TikTok
London: 30.5 billion views
Coming first as the most viewed city on TikTok is London with over 30 billion views on the platform. The city is teeming with creative energy, and aspiring creators are eager to make their mark on London’s rich cultural landscape through social media so it's no surprise it's the most popular city for TikTok.
The Most Picturesque City
London: 156.5 million Instagram posts
London takes the top spot as the most photogenic city in the index, just over 20 million posts ahead of Paris in second place. The city is overflowing with beautiful historic landmarks and stunning landscapes as well as cutting-edge architecture, interior design and street art, making it the perfect backdrop for your holiday snaps.
The Most In-demand City
Singapore: 96,000 annual searches
Singapore ranks as the city with the most desired city to move to. The city boasts the highest quality of life in Asia, thanks to a great work-life balance. Singapore is also a multicultural Mecca teeming with art and culture. The city is perfect if you want to immerse yourself at the forefront of culture in Asia, as it’s packed with art galleries and cutting-edge architecture.
The Youngest City
Mexico City: 25.8% of people under 15
One of the fastest-growing cities in our index, Mexico City has the highest proportion of young people at just over a quarter of its population. Thanks to its youthful population, the city is at the forefront of culture with a thriving contemporary art scene and some of the most vibrant nightlife in the world.
The Best City For Vegan Restaurants
Edinburgh: 118.9 per 100,000 people
If you’re looking for vegan options, the Scottish capital is the best city in our index with nearly 120 for every 100,000 people. Edinburgh is home to some of the most exciting vegan restaurants in the UK and boasts cutting-edge plant-based cuisine that would please even the most discerning palates.
The Best City For Breweries
Edinburgh: 1.1 per 100,000 people
Edinburgh also comes top for breweries per 100,000 people, making it the perfect destination for craft beer lovers. The city hosts several beer festivals throughout the year and is home to numerous brewery taprooms, so you’ll never miss an opportunity to sample some of the most exciting and experimental beers from Edinburgh and beyond.
The Best City For Independent Coffee shops
Edinburgh: 107.6 per 100,000 people
Taking the top spot for independent coffee shops per 100,000 people, Edinburgh is the ideal destination for coffee aficionados. The city is home to hundreds of artisan coffee houses offering cosy atmospheres, exciting brunch options and of course some of the best coffee in the UK.
The Best City For Yoga Studios
Chicago: 9.0 per 100,000 people
Yoga has skyrocketed in popularity over recent years, with many people discovering its benefits as a tool to reduce stress. So if you’re looking to relax and unwind during your trip, Chicago is the perfect destination with the city’s fitness scene offering the highest proportion of yoga studios in our index.
Methodology
Beginning with list articles on the trendiest cities, we analysed each city on the following factors giving each city a normalised score out of ten for each factor, before taking an average across all the factors to reach our final trendy city score out of ten.
TikTok views: The total number of views on TikTok for all posts using #[city].
The most picturesque city: The total number of Instagram posts for each city using the hashtag #[city]
The most in-demand city: The total number of Google searches for each city using the keywords “move to [city]” in 2021 according to Google Ads Keyword Planner.
The youngest city: The proportion of the population of each city under the age of 15, according to the OECD.
The best city for vegan restaurants: The number of restaurants offering vegan options per 100,000 of the population according to Tripadvisor.
The best city for breweries: The number of breweries per 100,000 of the population according to Tripadvisor.
The best city for independent coffee shops: The number of coffee shops per 100,000 of the population according to Tripadvisor.
The best city for yoga studios: The number of yoga studios per 100,000 of the population according to Yelp.
Populations: The total population of each city according to World Population Review.
