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- 1. This German City is Considered the Most Unfriendly in the World
- 2. Munich is 'the Most Unfriendly City in the World'
- 3. Munich Residents are Inaccessible
- 4. Hamburg: 'Cold Locals'
- 5. Berliners 'Unfriendly and Hard to Approach'
- 6. Overview of the World's Most Unfriendly Cities
- 7. Overview of the World's Friendliest Cities
This German City is Considered the Most Unfriendly in the World
Hospitable, helpful, open - when the locals in a place are friendly, it's an added bonus that makes you feel comfortable and welcome. Germany ranks 8th in the world's top 25 friendliest countries according to a 2024 ranking. However, some cities might not meet expectations of newcomers.
A recent evaluation reveals which metropolises are considered especially unfriendly by expats. Bad news for city trip enthusiasts or those planning to move within Germany: five German cities rank at the bottom, making new beginnings seemingly difficult, especially for one metropolis.
Munich is 'the Most Unfriendly City in the World'
Southern Germany is actually known for its warmth. However, this doesn't seem to apply to the Bavarian capital: 'No Bavarian Gemütlichkeit for Expats in Munich,' concludes a report from the platform 'InterNations'.
This international network for people living and working abroad conducted a survey of 12,500 expats worldwide as part of the 'Expat City Ranking 2024'. A key aspect of the study is the 'Ease of Settling in Index' - an acclimation index showing how well newcomers adapt to their new city. It consists of three subcategories, each with two to three factors.
Criteria also include the category 'Friendliness of the Locals'. It assesses the population's friendliness toward newcomers. The 'Culture and Welcome' area evaluates how welcome expats feel and how well they adapt to the local culture. 'Finding Friends' covers aspects of social networking, satisfaction with social life, and the ease of making local friendships.
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'Ease of Settling in Index'A minimum of 50 respondents per city was required for inclusion in the index - a relatively small sample size, but sufficient to reveal initial trends. A total of 53 cities worldwide met this criterion. The number of respondents per city is not specified in the study. Here are the further results.
Munich Residents are Inaccessible
Munich ranks 53rd in the global ranking, performing worse than ever according to the review. The city fares the worst in 'Friendliness of the Local Population Towards Expats', with nearly half of the reviews being negative, placing the city last in this category.
41 percent of respondents find integration into the local culture challenging. Many don't feel welcome or at home in the Bavarian capital. 'It is difficult to build social connections with locals,' remarks an expat from Italy.
Things also look bleak regarding 'Social Integration': 65 percent of respondents have trouble finding new friends in Munich, and only 37 percent are satisfied with their social life. Consequently, for many (54 percent), the friend circle is mainly made up of other expats. However, Munich isn't the only German city at the bottom of the ranking.
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MunichHamburg: 'Cold Locals'
Hamburg ranks 52nd in the 'Ease of Settling in Index'. Known for its wet and cold climate, but according to expats, it's not just the weather that lacks warmth, reveals the hard-nosed evaluation.
When it comes to feeling welcome, Hamburg holds the last place. Almost half (44 percent) don't feel at home, attributed to 'low cultural openness' (rank 51).
'The locals are cold and not very hospitable towards foreigners,' shares an expat from Spain. Only 42 percent of respondents find Hamburg residents friendly - significantly below the global average (63 percent). The result: 73 percent find it hard to build local friendships. 31 percent rate this aspect the worst. In the 'Social Network' category, Hamburg ranks 50th. Nearly half of the expats (49 percent) have a circle mainly comprising other expats.
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HamburgBerliners 'Unfriendly and Hard to Approach'
Among the worst three cities for a new start is another German city: Berlin ranks 51st in the index. Like Munich and Hamburg, many expats in the German capital feel neither welcome (rank 51) nor at home (rank 53). Placing 41st in the 'Satisfaction with Social Life' subcategory isn't encouraging. The local population appears, according to evaluations, 'both unfriendly and hard to approach'.
In the 'Friendliness of the Locals' category, Berlin comes in last, and 64 percent of respondents report that it's hard to find new friends in the city.
Alongside the bottom three - Munich (53rd), Hamburg (52nd), and Berlin (51st) - Frankfurt (50th) and Cologne (48th) also fall at the lower end of the ranking. None of these five German cities score convincingly in the various areas of the index.
Notably: They jointly hold the last five positions in expat acceptance - from Cologne (rank 49) to Hamburg (rank 53). Thus, they form the worldwide bottom line in this category.
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BerlinOverview of the World's Most Unfriendly Cities
- Munich - Germany
- Hamburg - Germany
- Berlin - Germany
- Frankfurt - Germany
- Zurich - Switzerland
- Cologne - Germany
- Basel - Switzerland
- Oslo - Norway
- Stockholm - Sweden
- Vancouver - Canada
- 1. Munich - Germany
- 2. Hamburg - Germany
- 3. Berlin - Germany
- 4. Frankfurt - Germany
- 5. Zurich - Switzerland
- 6. Cologne - Germany
- 7. Basel - Switzerland
- 8. Oslo - Norway
- 9. Stockholm - Sweden
- 10. Vancouver - Canada
Overview of the World's Friendliest Cities
- Málaga - Spain
- Mexico City - Mexico
- Alicante - Spain
- Valencia - Spain
- Ras Al Khaimah - United Arab Emirates
- Bangkok - Thailand
- Madrid - Spain
- Panama City - Panama
- Nairobi - Kenya
- Muscat - Oman
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- 1. Málaga - Spain
- 2. Mexico City - Mexico
- 3. Alicante - Spain
- 4. Valencia - Spain
- 5. Ras Al Khaimah - United Arab Emirates
- 6. Bangkok - Thailand
- 7. Madrid - Spain
- 8. Panama City - Panama
- 9. Nairobi - Kenya
- 10. Muscat - Oman