Cleanest Tourist Cities in the World 2026

/ Environment, Global Stats, Travel & Tourism / By

Clean cities create better travel experiences, healthier environments, and stronger tourism economies. Travelers today look beyond attractions and hotels — they care about air quality, street cleanliness, waste management, and overall urban hygiene. The ranking of the cleanest tourist cities highlights places that consistently maintain high environmental standards while welcoming millions of visitors each year. From highly organized Asian hubs to eco-focused European capitals and coastal cities, these rankings show how smart governance, public awareness, and sustainable planning improve quality of life. Understanding which cities perform best helps tourists choose healthier destinations and encourages cities worldwide to adopt cleaner urban practices.

Cleanliness in cities is usually measured using a combination of environmental indicators, including waste management efficiency, public sanitation, air pollution levels, green space coverage, and citizen behavior. Many international surveys and city benchmarks convert these factors into standardized cleanliness scores and air quality indexes. Over the last decade, stricter environmental laws, electric public transport, smart waste systems, and digital monitoring have helped cities reduce pollution and improve urban hygiene. Climate awareness has also pushed cities to invest in clean energy and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure. Tourist cities face added pressure because high visitor traffic can strain cleanliness systems, making consistent performance especially valuable.

Top 10 Cleanest Tourist Cities in the World 2026

  1. Singapore: 89.4 score
  2. Zurich: 87.1 score
  3. Tokyo: 86.3 score
  4. Copenhagen: 85.6 score
  5. Helsinki: 85.2 score
  6. Vienna: 84.8 score
  7. Reykjavik: 84.1 score
  8. Wellington: 83.7 score
  9. Vancouver: 82.9 score
  10. Munich: 82.4 score

Singapore leads the global ranking with the highest cleanliness score, reflecting strict public cleanliness laws, efficient waste management, and consistently low pollution levels. Zurich and Tokyo closely follow, combining disciplined urban maintenance with advanced infrastructure. Nordic cities such as Copenhagen, Helsinki, and Reykjavik demonstrate how sustainability policies and renewable energy usage contribute to cleaner living environments. Vienna and Munich show that large historic cities can maintain high cleanliness through smart transport systems and strong civic discipline. Wellington and Vancouver highlight how coastal geography and environmental planning support fresh air and well-maintained public spaces. Overall, the top performers balance regulation, technology, and public responsibility effectively.

Full Data Table

# City Cleanliness score Air quality index
1 Singapore 89.4 22
2 Zurich 87.1 19
3 Tokyo 86.3 28
4 Copenhagen 85.6 21
5 Helsinki 85.2 17
6 Vienna 84.8 23
7 Reykjavik 84.1 12
8 Wellington 83.7 18
9 Vancouver 82.9 26
10 Munich 82.4 24
11 Oslo 81.9 18
12 Stockholm 81.5 20
13 Bern 81.1 16
14 Tallinn 80.7 19
15 Ljubljana 80.3 21
16 Seoul 79.8 32
17 Taipei 79.4 29
18 Melbourne 79 27
19 Adelaide 78.6 23
20 Calgary 78.2 24
21 Amsterdam 77.8 25
22 Hamburg 77.4 28
23 Bruges 77 17
24 Lucerne 76.6 15
25 Lausanne 76.2 18
26 Kyoto 75.9 30
27 Osaka 75.5 31
28 Hobart 75.1 14
29 Queenstown 74.7 13
30 Innsbruck 74.3 16
31 San Diego 73.9 29
32 Portland 73.5 27
33 Auckland 73.1 22
34 Basel 72.7 18
35 Freiburg 72.3 19
36 Bergen 71.9 16
37 Graz 71.5 21
38 Salamanca 71.1 24
39 Girona 70.7 23
40 San Jose 70.3 31
41 Nuremberg 69.9 22
42 Ghent 69.5 20
43 Brugge 69.1 18
44 Maastricht 68.7 21
45 Bilbao 68.3 26
46 Valencia 67.9 28
47 Nice 67.5 30
48 Ljubljana 67.1 23
49 Dubrovnik 66.7 24
50 Tallinn 66.3 19

Key Points

  • Asian and European cities dominate the top rankings, reflecting strong environmental regulations and public discipline.
  • Cities with colder climates often show better air quality due to lower dust and reduced industrial smog buildup.
  • Coastal cities such as Wellington and Vancouver benefit from natural airflow that supports cleaner air conditions.
  • High cleanliness scores generally correlate with efficient public transport and well-maintained pedestrian zones.
  • Smaller capital cities tend to manage waste and sanitation more effectively than megacities with heavy congestion.
  • Several Swiss and Nordic cities consistently rank high due to strong sustainability policies and green infrastructure.
  • Cities with tourism-heavy footfall still maintain strong cleanliness when enforcement and technology are aligned.

The ranking of the cleanest tourist cities in 2026 reflects how smart governance, public cooperation, and environmental innovation shape healthier urban destinations. Cities like Singapore, Zurich, and Tokyo show that cleanliness can coexist with dense populations and heavy tourism when systems are well managed. European and Nordic cities continue to set benchmarks in sustainability and air quality, while coastal cities benefit from favorable natural conditions. As travelers become more health-conscious and environmentally aware, demand for clean destinations will keep rising. Future improvements in smart infrastructure, renewable energy, and digital monitoring will likely push even more cities toward higher cleanliness standards worldwide.

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