About us
How we rank CEE cities from a human perspective.
11
countries
62
cities
6
ratings
6500
participants
11
countries
62
cities
6
ratings
6500
participants
Approach to Rating Cities
It Affects You More Than You Think
From your mental health to your monthly budget, your city shapes your everyday life in ways that are easy to overlook. Friendly City Index puts the most tangible, relatable impacts front and center.
Grounded in Expertise, Driven by Data
We collaborate with leading experts from across CEE – and let the data speak. Our focus is evidence that reveals the real relationship between cities and the people living in them.
No Black Boxes
We don't hide behind complex formulas. Every rating is built on data that any citizen can understand – because transparency is the only way to make comparisons meaningful.
Rivalry? No. Inspiration? Yes.
We're not here to shame cities – we're here to celebrate potential. Every city, big or small, has room to grow. And the first step is listening to the people who live there.
Launched in 2025, an annual survey currently covers 62 cities across 11 countries: Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine.
Citizens in each city answer the same set of questions, allowing direct, like-for-like comparisons across the region. Topics range from traditional urban issues – congestion, transport, infrastructure – to broader questions about how people feel, what they need, and how their city impacts their lives. Most ratings within the index reflect a single answer to a single question, keeping comparisons simple and transparent.
The survey is commissioned by European mobility platform Bolt and conducted by market research and insight technology company Syno International. Data is collected via online survey in compliance with GDPR, ISO, and ESOMAR standards, with analysis supervised by certified sociologists at Syno International.
by making citizens voice heard
Feel free to use and share data from Friendly City Index