Archive · 7 Nov 2025
Mumbai Named Asia's Happiest City in Time Out Survey
A magazine called Time Out asked many people in cities across Asia if they liked living there.
Mumbai, a big city in India known for Bollywood movies and being a business hub, was found to be the happiest city in all of Asia!
Most people, 94 out of 100, who live in Mumbai said their city makes them very happy.
They also felt happier living in Mumbai compared to other places.
The survey looked at things like the city's culture, food, and how nice it is to live there.
But, when this news came out, many people on the internet were surprised and disagreed.
They said that living in Mumbai is actually hard because of noisy traffic, bad roads, and crowded buses.
Some people felt the survey might have only asked people who are rich, and that the real happiness is hard to find in daily life.
Time Out's survey of over 18,000 urban dwellers named Mumbai the happiest city in Asia for 2025.
94% of Mumbai respondents reported that their city brings them joy, with 89% feeling happier there than elsewhere.
Factors contributing to Mumbai's happiness include its vibrant lifestyle, Bollywood industry, and street food culture.
Beijing and Shanghai ranked second and third happiest cities in Asia, respectively.
The survey results were met with backlash online, with critics citing daily hardships and questioning the survey's methodology and target audience.
- Who
- Time Out magazine, over 18,000 urban dwellers across Asia, and internet users
- What
- Mumbai was named the happiest city in Asia according to a Time Out survey, a finding met with skepticism by some internet users.
- When
- 2025
- Where
- Asia, specifically Mumbai, Beijing, and Shanghai
- Why
- The survey cited Mumbai's vibrant lifestyle, social scene including Bollywood, and its popular street food culture as contributing factors to its high happiness quotient, while critics cited daily urban challenges.
Survey Findings
Internet Reaction
Resident Happiness
Survey Findings
A Time Out survey of over 18,000 urban dwellers across Asia found Mumbai to be the happiest city, with 94% of residents reporting that their city brings them joy.
Internet Reaction
Internet users expressed skepticism, with some suggesting the survey may have targeted affluent residents and complaining about daily challenges like noise, traffic, and poor infrastructure, stating they must 'create [their] happy space in [their] imagination'.
Perception of Happiness
Survey Findings
The survey indicated that 89% of Mumbai residents feel happier in their city compared to other locations, and 88% believed people in Mumbai seemed genuinely happy.
Internet Reaction
Critics argued that the reality of living in Mumbai includes constant struggles with heat, humidity, heavy traffic, bad air quality, unhygienic conditions, and overcrowded public transport, questioning the survey's methodology.
- Survey Name
- Time Out Survey
- Year
- 2025
- Asia's Happiest City
- Mumbai
- Global Ranking
- Implied to be outside top 10 in Asia but not specified globally
- Respondents
- Over 18,000 urban dwellers across Asia
- Mumbai Residents Loving City
- 94%
- Mumbai Residents Feeling Happier vs. Other Locations
- 89%
- Perception of Happy People in Mumbai
- 88%
