We’ve all done it. Scrolling through Instagram, seeing someone’s sunset photo from a faraway place, and thinking, “They must be happier than me. Look at that light. Look at that coffee. Look at that… is that a platypus in the background?”
We’ve been conditioned to believe that happiness has a zip code. That if we could just pack our bags and move to the “right” city, our problems would magically dissolve in a sea of friendly neighbors, perfect weather, and affordable rent (okay, maybe that last one is asking too much).
So, where is this mythical place? Which city officially holds the crown for happiest on Earth in 2026? Grab your passport and maybe a therapist, because the answer is complicated.
The Usual Suspects (and One Surprise)
If you’re looking for rankings, the Canadians at Resonance Consultancy have become the unofficial Olympics judges of city coolness. Their 2026 World’s Best Cities list is out, and the top spots read like a European vacation brochure written by someone with very expensive taste .
London took the gold again. Yes, London. The city where the weather is 50 shades of grey and a pint of beer costs roughly the same as a small mortgage. According to the report, it’s the “capital of capitals,” attracting students, entrepreneurs, and oligarchs who all seem convinced they can find their future there . Maybe happiness is just… really good public transportation and the ability to get Indian food at 2 AM?
New York snagged silver, because apparently, being able to find a Broadway show at any hour outweighs the existential dread of stepping in something questionable on the subway. Paris took bronze, proving that happiness might simply be having a really good bakery on every corner .
But here’s the thing about these “best city” lists: they’re measuring “lovability” and “prosperity” . They’re counting museums, airports, and Fortune 500 companies. That’s not the same as happiness. A city can have a million Michelin-starred restaurants and still be full of people eating alone while crying into their soup.
Booking.com took a different approach for their 2026 awards. They asked travelers where they felt most welcomed . The winner? A tiny hill town in southern Tuscany called Montepulciano. Not London. Not Paris. A place known for red wine and friendly locals who won’t roll their eyes when you mispronounce “bruschetta” .
There’s a lesson there. Maybe happiness isn’t about the quantity of things a city has, but the quality of a single interaction.
The Indian Paradox (and the Japanese Reality Check)
If you really want to get into the weeds of happiness, look at the workforce data. A massive 2026 report from Manpower looked at employee satisfaction across the globe . The results are… telling.
India topped the charts for employee happiness, with 77% of workers reporting satisfaction. The same country also leads in AI usage at work . Coincidence? Maybe. Or maybe there’s something to be said for a culture that embraces technology while maintaining the human connections that keep us sane.
At the complete opposite end of the spectrum is Japan, which scored a dismal 48% on employee happiness . Think about that for a second. Japan has incredible cities—Tokyo ranked 4th globally in Resonance’s list . It has efficiency, politeness, and some of the best food on the planet. But its workers are miserable. What’s the point of a perfectly punctual train if the person riding it is having an existential crisis?
The same report found that nearly two-thirds of workers globally (63%) said they’re often exhausted, mainly due to stress and too much workload . We’re building smarter cities, but we’re burning out the people inside them.
Enter the Robot: How AI Is Trying to Make Us Smile
This is where things get interesting. Because for all our complaining about technology stealing our jobs and our privacy, there’s a growing movement to use AI for the opposite purpose: to make us happier.
The Cognitive City Dream
Researchers at the University of Glasgow just launched something called the Centre for Integrated Sensing and Communication Enabling Cognitive Cities (ISAC³), which might be the least catchy name for something that could actually change your life .
Forget “smart cities” that just tell you where traffic is bad. These “cognitive cities” would use AI and 6G networks to actually predict problems before they happen—gridlock, poor air quality, failing infrastructure—and fix them automatically . Imagine a city that knows you’re going to be stuck in traffic before you even leave the house and reroutes you. Imagine air quality sensors that trigger ventilation systems before you start coughing.
The really wild part? They’re talking about using data from your mobile devices to detect early signs of health problems and connect you to help before things get serious . A city that cares about your wellbeing isn’t just smart. It’s practically a parent.
The Architecture of Feelings
Meanwhile, researchers in Indonesia just published a whole journal issue on something called “neuroarchitecture” . Yes, that’s a real thing. They’re using AI to study how buildings actually affect our brains.
Turns out, the spaces we inhabit have a measurable impact on our mental state. A poorly designed room can stress you out without you even realizing it. A well-designed one can calm you down. AI can now analyze thousands of buildings and tell architects: “This design makes people anxious. This one makes them productive. This one makes them want to eat cake” (I’m paraphrasing).
The goal is to create “adaptive built environments” that respond to human needs in real-time . A building that knows when you’re stressed and adjusts the lighting. A park that’s designed based on actual data about what makes people stop and smile.
The UN Weighs In
This isn’t just academic navel-gazing. In January 2026, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme held a major conference in China on exactly this topic: “Artificial Intelligence and Cities” .
Their conclusion? AI is going to be a “key driver” for achieving sustainable development goals, but only if it’s “human-centered, ethical, and inclusive” . In other words, the robots are coming to help, but only if we teach them to be nice.
One of the Chinese院士 (academicians) at the conference put it beautifully: data is the new natural resource, and AI is how we use it to create better lives with fewer resources . The goal isn’t more stuff. It’s better living.
The Customer Service Connection
Here’s a plot twist you probably didn’t see coming: AI might make you happier by… answering the phone.
NICE, a global customer service technology company, just released their first-ever “International Happiness Index” . They surveyed thousands of people in the UK and US about what makes them happy when dealing with companies.
The results are fascinating:
- 76% of Brits said using AI in customer service could make them happier
- The top reasons? Faster problem resolution (41%) and not having to repeat themselves (36%)
- People are willing to pay 43% more for good service
Think about that last point. We’re so starved for decent interactions that we’ll literally pay extra to not be put on hold for 45 minutes while some elevator music slowly destroys our will to live.
The same study found that 97% of people experience happiness when they get good service . Not “satisfaction.” Happiness. A genuine emotional response to someone (or something) treating you like a human being.
And here’s the kicker: 66% of people said they’re just as happy getting a friendly interaction as they are getting a discount . A simple “thank you” from someone who sounds like they mean it can be worth more than 20% off.
The Invisible Assistant
This is where AI gets really interesting. Not the flashy robots or the ChatGPT writing your emails. The invisible stuff.
The “cognitive city” concept relies on AI that works in the background, quietly making things better without you even noticing . It’s not about having a conversation with a chatbot. It’s about living in a place where the trains run on time because the system predicted the maintenance need last week, where the air is clean because sensors triggered the scrubbers before pollution built up, where you don’t get sick because your phone noticed something off in your voice and suggested you see a doctor .
Professor Frances Mair from the University of Glasgow’s School of Health and Wellbeing put it perfectly: “We can use real-time information to spot early signs of risk, support people before problems escalate and make it easier to access services. In the future, we could see ISAC technology quietly working in the background to keep communities healthier, safer and more supported” .
Quietly working in the background. That’s the dream, right? Technology that helps without demanding our attention. That fixes without requiring us to file a complaint. That cares without making it weird.
The Bottom Line
So what’s the happiest city in the world in 2026?
It might be London, with its museums and airports and “capital of capitals” energy .
It might be Montepulciano, with its wine and its warm welcomes .
It might be Tokyo, with its efficiency and its 4th-place ranking .
It might be Taipei, which jumped 13 spots this year thanks to better restaurants and bike paths .
But here’s what the experts are starting to realize: happiness isn’t about the city. It’s about the experience.
And AI, for all its terrifying potential, might actually help us get there. By making cities more responsive . By helping architects design spaces that calm our brains . By ensuring that when we call customer service, someone (or something) actually listens . By freeing up human beings to do what they do best—be human .
The cities that figure this out—that use technology to serve people rather than the other way around—won’t just be “best cities.” They’ll be the happiest ones.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to book a trip to Montepulciano. For research purposes. Purely scientific.
BY FIN ANDREWS