Millennials demand flexibility at work, push off marriage until they have established their career and have become financially stable, and are more interested in experiences than homeownership. These digital, entrepreneurial, and well-travelled young people cherish change and are keen to take up the challenge of relocation. But where do Millennials flock to, and what are their criteria for liking a place? Nestpick, a global accommodation website, has ranked 110 cities based on professional opportunities, good quality of life, tolerance, and recreation. Here are the five most popular urban centres among Millennials for this year.
Berlin
In the capital city of Germany Millennials can tick most of their boxes regarding aspects of everyday life, employment, personal freedom, and entertainment. Berlin may not rank as high as other cities when it comes to housing affordability (53rd), healthcare (64th), internet speed (55th), and immigration tolerance (51st), but the city has a very good transportation system (13th) and a thriving startup ecosystem (12th). Also, Berlin is renown for its LGBT community, gender equality in the workplace, and festivals — film, art, music, fashion, and food events take place throughout the year. Nightlife may not be Millennials' number one priority, but those living in Berlin can boast about having access to the best nightlife in the world.
Montreal
Montreal's tolerance towards immigrants (4th) and pro-immigrant measures, flourishing startup environment (22nd) with a special focus on artificial intelligence and machine learning, acknowledged LGBT community (5th), and abundance of first-class universities (24th), justifiably bring the city at the second place of the overall ranking. There's room for improvement in the transportation system (65th), and the cost of food (54th) and housing (40th) is quite high, while levels of unemployment aren't insignificant. However, Millennials in Montreal feel they have the overall control of their life and have many opportunities to enjoy themselves at bars and festivals without necessarily spending a lot.
London
Those considering moving to London should keep in mind that the capital of the United Kingdom is among the cities with the highest cost of living; rental, food, and transportation may account for the majority of one's monthly income with a few chances for savings. However, London's costly living doesn't put off Millennials, who seem to find balance in the feeling of freedom (5th) that the city instils, the recognition of the LGBT community's rights (7th), and the vibrant nightlife (7th). Also, London ranks at the top for access to prominent higher education institutions and takes the third place in the startup ecosystem ranking, just after New York City and San Francisco. The city offers an excellent international environment thanks to the presence of many multinational companies, international students, and about 20 million tourists per year.
Amsterdam
Millennials' priority is the quality of living over the cost of living, and they seem to manage these two aspects of everyday life separately, and not letting the one interfere with the other. Thus, Amsterdam, which is a very expensive city for housing (103rd) and food (91st), with quite a high gender inequality (49th), takes the fourth place in the overall ranking. Amsterdam's strong points are the personal freedom and choice (1st), LGBT friendliness (2nd), and abundance of festivals (4th). Employment levels are relatively stable (25th), and the city's startup ecosystem is promising (19th).
Toronto
Toronto, the second Canadian city in the top five most appealing cities to Millennials, also scores better in the categories which are related to personal freedom and choice (7th), LGBT friendliness (3rd), and tolerance towards immigrants (5th). As with the cities above, cost of housing and food is high in Toronto, and employment opportunities may be scarce, especially among expats. However, the startup ecosystem is among the world's best (6th), inspiring entrepreneurial Millennials to settle in the city, and search for ways to apply their creativity and leadership skills. Toronto isn't a very popular (62nd) tourist destination, and Toronto's transport network (53rd) doesn't seem to keep up with the increased demands of the city's 2.8 million people; a fact which does not prevent monthly passes from being some of the most expensive (CAD 150 in the world.
