A great night’s sleep can make all the difference on holiday, helping you to recharge and feel your best while you explore every corner of a new city. But for many travellers living with medical conditions, quality sleep isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s essential.
Whether you manage chronic fatigue, diabetes, or any condition where rest and recovery are key, finding a destination where you can sleep soundly can help ensure your holiday leaves you feeling refreshed, not run down.
This got us thinking, with the cost of living rising all over the globe, getting a comfortable night’s sleep – without spending a fortune – is more important than ever. So where can you get the best chance of a peaceful and great-value night’s sleep?
Which cities offer the best night’s sleep at the best price?
We analysed over 140,000 hotel reviews across 90+ popular city break destinations, looking at the following factors:
- The number of reviews mentioning sleep
- The percentage of those reviews that were positive
- The average hotel cost per night
Each city was then given a ‘Great Sleep Value’ score out of 100 – revealing where travellers can expect a restful night and excellent value for money.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the best-scoring cities tend to be smaller and less crowded, often coastal or surrounded by nature – as well as being noticeably more affordable than some of the world’s busiest tourist hubs. Europe dominates the rankings, with over half of the global top 25 made up of cities from the continent.
In contrast, cities that scored poorly are often well-known traveller destinations: popular, but noisier, more expensive and less conducive to a good night’s sleep.
The 25 best cities for sleep quality vs price
| Rank | Location | Sleep Mentions Score | Sleep Satisfaction Score | Sleep Cost Score | ‘Great Sleep Value’ Score /100 |
| 1 | Auckland, New Zealand | 20.8 | 49.8 | 21.7 | 92.3 |
| 2 | Wellington, New Zealand | 20.4 | 45.2 | 22.5 | 88.1 |
| 3 | Granada, Spain | 21.1 | 44.5 | 21.4 | 87.0 |
| 4 | Brisbane, Australia | 20.6 | 44.7 | 21.5 | 86.8 |
| 5 | Bruges, Belgium | 21.1 | 46.5 | 18.5 | 86.1 |
| 6 | Krakow, Poland | 21.3 | 42.2 | 21.8 | 85.3 |
| 7 | Helsinki, Finland | 21.3 | 41.0 | 20.7 | 83.0 |
| =8 | Valencia, Spain | 21.6 | 40.0 | 20.9 | 82.5 |
| =8 | Madrid, Spain | 22.8 | 43.6 | 16.1 | 82.5 |
| 10 | Bath, UK | 20.3 | 42.5 | 19.6 | 82.4 |
| =11 | Stockholm, Sweden | 23.0 | 39.4 | 19.9 | 82.3 |
| =11 | Cairns, Australia | 20.5 | 41.7 | 20.1 | 82.3 |
| 13 | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 21.8 | 38.1 | 22.3 | 82.2 |
| 14 | Adelaide, Australia | 19.7 | 39.1 | 22.8 | 81.6 |
| 15 | Sydney, Australia | 23.3 | 39.3 | 18.9 | 81.5 |
| 16 | Prague, Czech Republic | 24.2 | 35.7 | 21.2 | 81.1 |
| 17 | Melbourne, Australia | 21.4 | 41.9 | 17.4 | 80.7 |
| 18 | Manchester, UK | 23.3 | 36.6 | 20.7 | 80.6 |
| 19 | Galway, Ireland | 20.5 | 40.8 | 18.3 | 79.6 |
| 20 | Seville, Spain | 22.1 | 45.1 | 12.3 | 79.5 |
| 21 | Seattle, USA | 23.0 | 42.0 | 14.3 | 79.3 |
| 22 | Dublin, Ireland | 23.9 | 37.5 | 17.5 | 78.9 |
| 23 | Reykjavik, Iceland | 21.1 | 36.6 | 20.8 | 78.5 |
| 24 | Berlin, Germany | 23.9 | 32.5 | 21.7 | 78.1 |
| 25 | Vancouver, Canada | 22.7 | 42.3 | 13.0 | 78.0 |
What makes these cities so sleep, and purse-friendly?
Auckland, New Zealand
Score 92.3/100
Known as the “City of Sails”, Auckland blends fresh sea air, bountiful scenic landscapes, and low pollution levels – the perfect recipe for a restful city break. It topped the table for positive sleep-related reviews and a relatively low average nightly cost, with travellers praising the city’s calm atmosphere and plush bedding in its hotels
Wellington, New Zealand
Score 88.1/100
The world’s southernmost capital is also one of the windiest, but is a fantastic city break, nevertheless. Its vibrant cafe scene makes it world famous for coffee-lovers, and its affordable hotels and scenic waterfront strolls make it excellent for winding down and having a restful trip. Although a few reviews mention softer beds and older air conditioning units, the majority highlight restful nights – especially given the great value
Granada, Spain
Score 87/100
The beautiful Andalusian city of Granada is steeped in history, with spectacular architecture to marvel at. The city’s peaceful courtyards and maze of delightful streets to wander invite tourists to explore all day long. While a lack of bedside plug sockets is often mentioned in reviews, guests frequently describe their sleep experiences as surprisingly comfortable despite the hot temperatures experienced in the summer months, making Grenada a great value destination for some quality R&R
Brisbane, Australia
Score 86.8/100
With over 300 days of sunshine a year, and a famously laid-back vibe, Brisbane and its many green spaces and artificial city beaches offers a restful stay for all types of travellers. Those staying in high-rise rooms often note excellent sleep with minimal noise pollution, though there are some noise complaints among those staying in ground-floor rooms in livelier parts of the city
Bruges, Belgium
Score 86.1/100
The picturesque medieval city of Bruges, referred to as the “Venice of the North”, charms travellers with its canals, cobblestones, and castles. While some reviews mention the rooms are particularly compact and not always spacious, the calming canal views and quiet atmosphere goes a long way to helping weary sightseers get a great night’s rest
Krakow, Poland
Score 85.3/100
This Polish gem has become one of Europe’s most popular city breaks in recent years, with travellers flocking to the affordable city to experience Polish culture and sample the delicious Pierogi on offer. Travellers often praise the excellent customer service at hotels in the city, as well as mentioning the comfortable rooms and reliable delivery of a good rest at a good price
Helsinki, Finland
Score 83/100
Helsinki, Finland’s capital, is known for its sauna and coffee culture – offering travellers easy access to nature, and a relaxing trip in one of the world’s happiest cities. Reviews consistently highlight quiet rooms, modern furnishings and comfortable bedding, with little to no noise complaints and all at reasonable prices.
Valencia, Spain & Madrid, Spain
Score 82.5/100
The Spanish cities of Valencia and Madrid tie in 8th place, both making the global top 10 best night sleep cities. These two vibrant cities offer affordable accommodation, a mild Mediterranean climate, and plenty of green spaces, from Valencia’s Turia Gardens to Madrid’s Retiro Park, which help travellers to relax and unwind while they sightsee. Some guests mention street noise and dated décor in busier areas of both cities, but overwhelmingly, reviews reflect comfortable and affordable sleep options
Bath, United Kingdom
Score 82.4/100
Bath completes our global top ten. From the Roman baths to the windy streets and intricate Georgian architecture, Bath – which is also surrounded by the beautiful English countryside – shares many common traits with the other top ranking sleep cities in our study. Fantastic walkability, easy access to nature and great value accommodation – proving you don’t have to sacrifice comfort for cost
The 10 worst cities for sleep quality vs price
| Rank | Location | Sleep Mentions Score | Sleep Satisfaction Score | Sleep Cost Score | ‘Great Sleep Value’ Score /100 |
| 1 | Sedona, USA | 20.2 | 29.1 | 2.5 | 51.8 |
| 2 | San Diego, USA | 24.0 | 23.3 | 7.7 | 55.0 |
| 3 | New York City, USA | 25.0 | 32.3 | 0.0 | 57.3 |
| 4 | Key West, USA | 21.1 | 28.0 | 11.4 | 60.5 |
| 5 | Florence, Italy | 21.0 | 32.7 | 7.4 | 61.1 |
| 6 | Dubai, UAE | 22.8 | 39.5 | 0.4 | 62.7 |
| 7 | Venice, Italy | 19.5 | 32.7 | 11.2 | 63.4 |
| 8 | Paris, France | 23.2 | 32.3 | 8.3 | 63.8 |
| 9 | Rome, Italy | 24.0 | 35.6 | 5.7 | 65.3 |
| 10 | London, UK | 22.6 | 38.4 | 5.8 | 66.8 |
Why do these cities score lower?
Sedona, United States of America
Score 51.8/100
While Sedona is renowned for the red rock landscapes and stunning surroundings, high hotel costs and frequent complaints about older properties and unreliable air conditioning make restful sleep less predictable in this city, where temperatures often exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit
San Diego, United States of America
Score 55/100
San Diego offers coastal charm, and mild weather that offers travellers a pleasant trip. But despite the ocean views, hotel guests regularly note the disruptive noise from planes, traffic and nightlife – not ideal after a long day exploring.
New York City, United States of America
Score 57.3/100
New York is one of the most vibrant cities in the world, but it lives up to its title of the city that never sleeps. Even luxury hotels in the area draw complaints about street noise, thin walls and exceptionally high costs, making a restful night hard to come by for good value.
Wherever you travel this year, whether it’s sun-drenched Brisbane or the historic city of Bath, choosing a destination that offers restful nights at a fair price can transform your trip. For peace of mind throughout your trip, don’t forget to pack fully comprehensive Medical Travel Insurance, so you can sleep easy in more ways than one.
Methodology:
To reveal the best-value cities around the world for a good night’s sleep, we started by selecting a list of popular international city break destinations, covering a mix of well-known capitals, emerging travel hotspots and smaller, sleep-friendly locations
For each of these cities, we looked at the following data points among the top 10 most popular hotels
1) Sleep Mentions Score: The average number of sleep-related reviews left by hotel guests
2) Sleep Satisfaction Score: The average percentage of positive sleep-related reviews
3) Sleep Cost Score: The average nightly hotel cos
Each of these data points was then given a weighted score out of 100 and combined to create a final “Sleep Value Score”, highlighting the cities where travellers are most likely to enjoy a good night’s sleep, without the high price tag
Only cities with at least 100 sleep-related hotel reviews were included in the final ranking, to ensure results were based on a reliable sample size. The average hotel cost was calculated using the top 10 most popular hotels, for the same date period in April 2025. Only hotels ranked 3* and above were used in the analysis
Data correct as of April 2025.