If you live in any of these 20 cities, you spend the most time stuck In traffic…

02 Sep 2024

4 mins read

Written by Team Instarem

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Sitting behind the wheel and looking at a bevvy of vehicles inching their way forward on the highway – if this scenario sounds a bit too familiar, you are one of the millions of people who drive to and from work each day (Kudos to you!).

In an era where companies are vying to grab the consumer’s attention with the sleekest of gadgets, the fastest of cars and the promise of saving time, it’s ironic that people end up spending a big chunk of their day stuck behind the wheels daily.

How does traffic congestion affect society?

Ah, traffic congestion, is the bane of every commuter’s existence. It’s like standing in line for the roller coaster at Disneyland, except you don’t get a thrill at the end. All you get is frustration, increased travel costs, and an overwhelming desire to scream at the top of your lungs.

But it’s not just your sanity that suffers. No, no. Your city’s economic growth takes a hit and noise pollution levels go through the roof. And let’s not forget about the ever-present driver stress and decreased mental satisfaction.

Now, let’s look at the world’s worst cities where an average commuter spends anywhere between 1 hour and 1.5 hours stuck in traffic.

20 worst cities to commute in the world

Rank	City	Time Index (In minutes)
1	Lagos, Nigeria	67.4
2	Dhaka, Bangladesh	61.6
3	Colombo, Sri Lanka	59.5
4	Kolkata, India	59.4
5	Los Angeles, CA, United States	58
6	Delhi, India	57.7
7	Mumbai, India	55.3
8	Manila, Philippines	54.5
9	Bangalore, India	54.1
10	Nairobi, Kenya	53.4
11	Mexico City, Mexico	52.9
12	San Francisco, CA, United States	52.7
13	Tehran, Iran	52.5
14	Jakarta, Indonesia	52.4
15	Bogota, Colombia	51.9
16	Washington, DC, United States	51.8
17	Istanbul, Turkey	51.3
18	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	51.2
19	Sao Paulo, Brazil	50.4
20	Lima, Peru	50.3

Let’s look at how cities fare continents wise…

Africa

Rank	City	Time Index (In minutes)
1	Lagos, Nigeria	67.4
2	Nairobi, Kenya	53.4
3	Cairo, Egypt	50
4	Pretoria, South Africa	45.1
5	Cape Town, South Africa	42.4
6	Johannesburg, South Africa	40.8
7	Durban, South Africa	25.5

North America

Rank	City	Time Index (In minutes)
1	Los Angeles, CA, United States	58
2	San Francisco, CA, United States	52.7
3	Washington, DC, United States	51.8
4	Seattle, WA, United States	47
5	San Jose, CA, United States	46.3
6	Boston, MA, United States	46.3
7	Atlanta, GA, United States	44.4
8	Houston, TX, United States	44.3
9	Toronto, Canada	44.3
10	Honolulu, HI, United States	44
11	New York, NY, United States	43.6
12	Chicago, IL, United States	42.6
13	Miami, FL, United States	42.1
14	San Diego, CA, United States	40.7
15	Philadelphia, PA, United States	40.4
16	Albuquerque, NM, United States	40.2
17	Dallas, TX, United States	40
18	Montreal, Canada	39.6

South America

Rank	City	Time Index (In minutes)
1	Sao Paulo, Brazil	50.4
2	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	51.2
3	Lima, Peru	50.3
4	Bogota, Colombia	51.9
5	Buenos Aires, Argentina	49.7
6	Recife, Brazil	46.5
7	Belo Horizonte, Brazil	43.6
8	Medellin, Colombia	39
9	Montevideo, Uruguay	38.8
10	Santiago, Chile	37.9
11	Curitiba, Brazil	32.6
12	Brasilia, Brazil	30.6
13	Porto Alegre, Brazil	31.3

Asia

Rank	City	Time Index (In minutes)
1	Dhaka, Bangladesh	61.6
2	Colombo, Sri Lanka	59.5
3	Kolkata, India	59.4
4	Delhi, India	57.7
5	Mumbai, India	55.3
6	Manila, Philippines	54.5
7	Bangalore, India	54.1
8	Tehran, Iran	52.5
9	Jakarta, Indonesia	52.4
10	Istanbul, Turkey	51.3
11	Shanghai, China	47.8
12	Chennai, India	46.8
13	Bangkok, Thailand	45.6
14	Pune, India	45.5
15	Beijing, China	43.3
16	Karachi, Pakistan	42.7
17	Hyderabad, India	42.6
18	Hong Kong, Hong Kong (China)	42.4
19	Seoul, South Korea	42.2
20	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	41.8

Europe

Rank	City	Time Index (In minutes)
1	Moscow, Russia	50
2	Saint Petersburg, Russia	48.5
3	London, United Kingdom	45.3
4	Kiev (Kyiv), Ukraine	43
5	Novosibirsk, Russia	41.3
6	Zurich, Switzerland	41.1
7	Paris, France	41.1
8	Bucharest, Romania	40.8
9	Dublin, Ireland	40.7
10	Manchester, United Kingdom	39
11	Budapest, Hungary	39
12	Rome, Italy	38.4
13	Athens, Greece	38.2
14	Kharkiv, Ukraine	38.2
15	Yekaterinburg, Russia	37.5
16	Brussels, Belgium	36.9
17	Odessa (Odesa), Ukraine	36.6
18	Milan, Italy	36.3
19	Belgrade, Serbia	36
20	Wroclaw, Poland	35.6

Source: https://www.numbeo.com/traffic/rankings.jsp

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Before you go…

Let’s face it, being stuck in traffic is one of those situations that makes you want to scream, cry and pull your hair out all at once. It’s the perfect storm of frustration, anxiety and boredom. But instead of dwelling on your misery, why not take advantage of the situation?

Instarem is the perfect solution for you to send money overseas without having to physically be there.

*Rates are for illustration purposes only.

You can complete the entire process from the comfort of your car – well, as long as you’re not driving of course! So while you’re stuck in traffic, don’t let the stress get to you. Just download the app and send some money back home. It’s the perfect distraction from all those honking horns.

Try Instarem for your next transfer by downloading the app or sign up here.

*Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational purposes only. All details are accurate at the time of publishing. Instarem has no affiliation or relationship with products or vendors mentioned.