Bangkok is the world’s ninth friendliest city – here's what that looks like on the ground

Bangkok has landed ninth among the world’s friendliest cities in Condé Nast Traveller’s Readers’ Choice Awards 2026. Nobody remembers a city’s friendliness as a number, though. They remember the stranger who walked them to the right station exit or the restaurant owner who translated the menu with a lot of enthusiastic pointing. 

Melbourne tops the table with 98.52, ahead of Porto (98.33) and Seoul (97.94). Bangkok scores 96.16, just behind Buenos Aires (96.37) and just ahead of Cape Town (96.00). For the full top ten and who beat Bangkok to it, see Time Out's global round-up of the world's friendliest cities.

What the ranking measures

The ranking reflects readers’ experiences of a warm welcome, with each city receiving a score out of 100. Think help with an unfamiliar menu or directions when a metro map has defeated you. It’s a reader survey, so treat it as snapshot of visitors’ impressions. For Bangkok, the magazine points to a welcome that lives up to Thailand's ‘Land of Smiles’ reputation.

The table has had a shake-up. Melbourne, Lisbon and Cape Town return from 2025’s top ten, while last year’s winner Quito drops out. Bangkok is back after a year away, having ranked fourth in 2024 with 92.00. Even that year’s winning score – Singapore’s 94.84 – would fall below this year’s top ten. Go easy on year-on-year comparisons: a higher score doesn’t tell us how much friendlier a city has become.

Our take: where the friendliness happens

The ranking doesn’t measure the following – but Bangkok regulars may recognise a few of these moments.

Bangkok’s welcome rarely arrives as a speech. A BTS staff member clocks your confusion before you do. A som tam vendor asks how spicy you want it,  then makes her own decision. Someone gives up a seat without making eye contact. A smile can do several jobs here – ‘hello’, ‘sorry’, ‘no thanks’, ‘it’s fine’ – and feeling welcome doesn’t always require much conversation.

That doesn't mean every ride is a hug. Anyone told a taxi meter is ‘broken’ knows the welcome has limits. But everyday help can arrive just when you need it, without much fuss. That’s the bit you remember long after the score.

The world's friendliest cities in 2026, according to Condé Nast Traveller

1. Melbourne, Australia (98.52)
2. Porto, Portugal (98.33)
3. Seoul, South Korea (97.94)
4. Lisbon, Portugal (97.50)
5. Amsterdam, Netherlands (97.35)
6. Perth, Australia (97.28)
7. Jaipur, India (96.67)
8. Buenos Aires, Argentina (96.37)
9. Bangkok, Thailand (96.16)
10. Cape Town, South Africa (96.00)