The most stressful cities to drive in

Driving in a major city can bring plenty of pressure, from crawling traffic and long commutes to difficult parking and bad weather. As car insurance comparison experts, we analysed 79 cities across Australia, the United States and Europe to reveal the most stressful cities to drive in, based on six factors linked to everyday motoring conditions.

The study considered congestion, average driving speed, traffic inefficiency, average commute time, parking difficulty and adverse weather days. Together, these measures show why driving stress can look very different from one city to another.

The world’s most stressful cities to drive in

Here are the five cities that rank highest for driving stress, with scores out of 100 (the higher the score, the more stressful the drive). The figures below show why some of the hardest cities to drive in can be stressful for very different reasons. Looking at traffic congestion by city alongside journey times, parking and speed gives a fuller picture than congestion alone.

1. Dublin, Ireland: 68.38

Dublin ranks first with an overall driver stress score of 68.38. The Irish capital records 72.9% congestion, which is the highest among the global top five. It also has an average traffic speed of just 17.4 km/h and 167 adverse weather days a year. This combination puts Dublin at the top of the most stressful cities for drivers.

2. Los Angeles, USA: 61.76

Los Angeles follows with 61.76. Its average commute is 57.06 minutes, the longest among the leading five cities, while its traffic inefficiency (that is, traffic stopping and starting below optimal speed levels wasting time and fuel) figure reaches 681.80, the highest in the index. These figures also make Los Angeles stand out among the longest commute cities in the study.

3. London, UK: 58.03

London ranks third globally, with a driver stress score of 58.03. The UK capital records the slowest average driving speed among the top five cities at just 16.5 km/h, alongside a high parking difficulty score of 57.89.

4. New York, USA: 57.98

New York ranks fourth, scoring 57.98 overall. The city records an average commute time of 43.34 minutes, an average driving speed of 19 km/h and a parking difficulty score of 54.77, highlighting the range of pressures faced by drivers in one of the world’s busiest urban areas.

5. San Francisco, USA: 58.82

San Francisco completes the global top five, with a traffic inefficiency of 555.73 and an average commute of around 49 minutes, showing how journey complexity contributes to driving stress alongside congestion.

Top 10 Global Most Stressful Cities to Drive in 2026

Australia’s most stressful cities for drivers

From the longest commute cities to the hardest cities to drive in, here’s how Australia scores.

1. Sydney: 56.54

Sydney is Australia’s highest-scoring city, with a 43.52-minute average commute, 43.7% congestion, and 140 adverse weather days per year. It ranks first among the most stressful Australian cities for drivers.

2. Adelaide: 51.15

Adelaide comes second with a driver stress score of 51.15. Despite recording much lower parking difficulty, the city’s congestion level of 55.1% is notably higher than Sydney’s. This is a useful reminder that the most congested cities don’t necessarily top the overall stress rankings.

3. Melbourne: 50.17

Melbourne follows as the third most stressful Australian city to drive in, with 52.9% congestion, an average speed of 26.3 km/h and a 42.06-minute average commute. Although ranked high, Melbourne has the lowest parking difficulty score in the index at 1.83, demonstrating how stress is built upon by numerous factors, even when one aspect of driving may be positive.

4. Brisbane: 49.21

Ranking fourth in Australia is Brisbane at 49.21. Brisbane motorists experience an average commute of 42.61 minutes and 138 adverse weather days per year.

5. Gold Coast: 49.01

Rounding out the Australian top five is another Queensland city. The Gold Coast has an average 136 adverse weather days a year, along with congestion at 48.6% and an average commute time of 33.74 minutes.

Driving stress elsewhere in Australia

Lower down the rankings, Wollongong scores 38.91, Canberra 38.62 and Darwin 30.88.

Darwin has 164 adverse weather days, yet its average commute is only 21.11 minutes and congestion sits at 27.5%. That contrast shows why the worst Australian cities to drive in can’t be identified through one measure alone.

 Most Stressful Australian Cities to Drive in 2026

The USA’s most stressful cities to drive in

As seen in the global rankings, Los Angeles leads the US ranking, followed by New York, San Francisco, Miami and Chicago.

Miami scores 55.88 overall and records 163 adverse weather days a year, while Chicago scores 53.34 with 46.1% congestion.

Comparing the cities with the worst traffic with parking, weather and commute data shows how the experience behind each overall score can differ.

That distinction matters because rankings of the worst traffic cities can look quite different when other pressures are considered. Severe congestion might dominate in one location, while another becomes stressful through a combination of lengthy journeys, difficult parking and poor weather.

Europe’s most stressful places to drive

Dublin leads Europe as well as the global index, followed by London with a score of 58.03, Zurich with 55.41, Brussels with 51.96 and Paris with 51.69.

Zurich records 143 adverse weather days a year and a parking difficulty score of 43.46. Brussels has an average driving speed of 18.3 km/h, while Paris averages 20 km/h and has a 41.10-minute commute.

Once again, the most stressful places to drive are shaped by a combination of pressures rather than one defining problem.