Melbourne is the second most diverse and inclusive city in the world, according to locals

Time Out

a day ago

Here at Time Out Melbourne, it's easy to assume that our beloved city is a friendly space where diversity and inclusivity are welcomed. After all, Melbourne is a thriving metropolis that prides itself on being highly liveable, with cool neighbourhoods and streets that are home to various cuisines, communities and cultures.
But sometimes it's good to get that confirmation from others, and off the back of Time Out's huge annual survey, we can reveal that locals themselves actually consider Melbourne the second most diverse and inclusive city in the whole world.
The survey asked 18,500 city-dwellers what they think of their hometown's transport, food, nightlife, green spaces and more. But all of this is pointless if people don't actually feel welcome, so we also wanted to find out whether they would describe their city as 'diverse' and 'inclusive' too. Melburnians responded in an overwhelmingly positive fashion, with 77 per cent of people agreeing with the sentiment.
The city that (just!) nabbed the crown ahead of Melbourne was London, with 78 per cent of locals deeming the UK capital diverse and inclusive. And look, we get it – with a long history as a hub of immigration and around 300 languages spoken, it's a true representation of what a modern, multicultural city looks like.
Rounding out the rest of the top five were Brighton (also in the UK) and New York City tied for third, followed by Los Angeles and Chicago, respectively.
So what are some of the factors that make our city worthy of the silver medal? Melbourne – aka Naarm – is located on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung and Bunurong Boon Wurrung peoples, and boasts a rich First Nations history. There are many ways you can learn more and immerse yourself in this culture, including through walking tours or exhibitions like Wurrdha Marra and 65,000 Years: A Short History of Australian Art.
And let's not forget the culinary influence of Melbourne's many international communities. Box Hill is known for its abundance of fantastic Chinese restaurants, while Footscray boasts some epic bánh mì spots thanks to its large Vietnamese population. Oakleigh is the Greek heartland for souvas and gyros, and recent waves of migration from Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon have culminated in a mushrooming of West African eateries.
Add in a stacked line-up of festivals and events, a proud and ever-growing queer community (Melbourne was even voted the fourth most LGBTQIA+-friendly city in the world in 2022), and a thriving nightlife scene – and we're not surprised that locals would consider our capital a place where everyone is welcome to show up and be their most authentic selves.
So, come as you are – Melbourne is open to all.
These are the most diverse and inclusive cities in the world:
London, UK
Melbourne, Australia
Brighton, UK
= New York, USA
Los Angeles, USA
Chicago, USA
Madrid, Spain
Barcelona, Spain
Bangkok, Thailand
Johannesburg, South Africa
= Cape Town, South Africa
Montreal, Canada
= Medellin, Colombia
= Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
= San Francisco, USA
This Melbourne university has been named in the world's top 20 for 2026, beating out Yale and Princeton