The Burrow
Jul 29, 2025
In 2025, the skincare industry is thought to be worth around $180.3 billion worldwide, with revenue forecast to increase continually through 2030.1 Unfortunately, we can’t control a lot of what our skin is exposed to, and environmental factors like UV exposure, air pollutants and even water quality can have a negative impact on your skin.
In 2023, the health insurance experts at Compare the Market Australia looked at the worst cities for your skin in 2023; however, this time, we’re broadened our data set to include a climate score (taking into account air temperature, humidity, precipitation and wind speed) as well as water quality and the number of pharmacies and dermatologists in a given area.
First, let’s look at some of the factors that might cause environmental skin damage.
In carrying out this study, we ranked global cities based on nine key factors which can affect your skin. These are:
PM2.5 refers to fine particulate matter, with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less. The tiny size of these particulates allows them to get deep into the lungs and bloodstream, and long-term exposure can cause serious risks to your skin and overall health.
Too much exposure to UV radiation can increase your chances of developing wrinkles and liver spots, as well as breaking down your skin’s elasticity and slowing down its ability to heal over time. Additionally, the effects of over-exposing your skin to UV rays include a significant increase in your risk of skin cancer.
Hours of sunshine generally mean a higher risk of exposure to UV radiation, but the UV index itself can give you an idea of the severity of that exposure.
There are many factors that can led to skin diseases, including environmental; having a picture of the prevalence of skin diseases can help us spot geographical patterns.
Humidity – the amount of water vapour present in the air – can be a tricky one to manage. Too little humidity, and you’re more likely to experience dermatitis or eczema, but too much and your skin can become oily, irritated, sensitive or itchy.
Allergens can often make skin swell, itchy or form rashes, which can lead to discomfort, especially around the eyes and hands. The latest release of the National Health Survey found that 23.9% of Australians suffer from hay fever and allergic rhinitis, up 15% from 2007-2008, so we had to include it in our study.2
Hard water can dry out the skin, which can cause the skin to become irritated or exacerbate symptoms of inflammatory conditions like rosacea and eczema.
Stress can cause disruption to the epidermal barrier (the top layer of skin), meaning skin can become more prone to irritation, chronic skin conditions and delayed repair.
Commute times are a useful metric as a measure of stress, and lifestyle factors like city living and skincare can often go hand-in-hand.
The top risk factors we found for skin ill health were poor air quality, high levels of UV exposure and low water quality.
With one of the lowest scores for PM2.5 (beaten only by Honolulu), Porto came out on top as our best city for skin health. With relatively moderate temperatures and humidity levels, Porto just misses the top ten for water quality but it’s our best place for protected skin.
Although middling in a lot of categories, Vienna sneaks into second place by virtue of having the highest water quality score. Much of Vienna’s drinking water supply comes from Alpine spring water, where concerted efforts are made to use low-impact, natural methods of forest management, and regulations are tough. For both drinking water and cleaning your skin, Vienna is our best bet.
The UK’s temperate climate and humidity levels make it a haven for good skin. Edinburgh placed with the third-highest score for water quality in our survey, and despite being a capital city, Edinburgh also had one of the lowest PM2.5 scores on our list.
With a high UV index and incredibly dry air, Medina has a low climate rating of just 0.93 out of 10, and this combined with its high PM2.5 score is why Medina finds itself as our worst-rated city for skin health. This desert climate experiences extremely hot and dry summer weather, and temperatures frequently reach over 45ºC.
Far removed from the dry desert clime in Medina, Jakarta is a tropical, humid city near the Sunda Strait. The city has significant air pollution and a high PM2.5 score, as well as a high UV index and, despite being a coastal city, a poor water quality score, thanks to poor water infrastructure and pollution in the rivers.
Less than 500 miles from Medina, it’s no surprise to find Riyadh as another of our worst-ranking cities for your skin. With long, hot, dry summers and short, mild winters, the weather isn’t conducive to good skin health. Additionally, the city is known to experience dust storms that reduce visibility to fewer than 10 metres, drying out the skin further.
When it comes to cities in Australia, our study focused on Melbourne and Sydney. Both just missed out on scoring in the top 25 for skin health, with Melbourne ranking #28 and Sydney ranking #32 out of the 120 cities we reviewed. Melbourne’s average temperatures are around 4ºC cooler than Sydney’s, but Melbourne also receives 0.67mm per day fewer of rain. Both cities received low scores for PM2.5 and high scores for water quality.
Europe fared extremely well, with almost the entire top 25 cities in our rankings being European (aside from two cities in the US). Although Porta in Portugal took the top spot, four German cities made it into the top 25. Cities in Europe claimed the best water quality, most pharmacies and dermatologists per 10,000 capita, and the lowest UV index.
We ranked the cities on our list on their climate rating on a scale from one to ten. The lowest-ranked city was Copenhagen, with a shocking score of zero, followed by Moscow, Russia, with 0.09 and Dublin, Ireland with 0.17.
Tel Aviv and Jerusalem both scored clean 10/10 scores, while Melbourne and Sydney received scores of 6.56 and 7.57 respectively.
Delhi, India came in with the worst air quality. In fact, for PM2.5, the four lowest-scoring cities were all in India: Delhi, Agra, Jaipur and Kolkata. Parts of northern India have dangerously low air quality, with around 510 million people expected to lose 7.6 years of their life to air pollution if the situation doesn’t change soon.3
On our 1-100 scale of water quality, the lowest-scoring city was Accra, Ghana, with just 9.9/100, followed by Manila in the Philippines, with a score of 16.1. In Ghana, research suggests that many people still use water from questionable sources, with water quality affected by industrial discharge, improper waste disposal, poor sanitation, and surface runoff due to the lack of proper drainage systems.4
Lima in Peru had the highest UV index with a score of 3.01, closely followed by Bogota, Colombia, with 2.99. In comparison, Sydney scored 1.62, and Melbourne 1.48, so you can see how powerful the UV exposure is in Lima and Bogota.
Southern and southeast Asia was also highly represented in the strongest UV indexes, with Thailand, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia following Bogota in the rankings.
There are a myriad of factors that can impact your skin’s health and protective barriers – as well as being aware of environmental factors, make sure you’re following these top tips for cared-for skin.
Yes, even when the sun isn’t out! Wearing at least 30 SPF sunscreen every day can protect your skin from sunburn, premature signs of ageing, and even skin cancer. Reapply every few hours to ensure continued protection.
Airborne dust, allergens (like pollen) and particulate matter can all affect your skin, so investing in a good-quality air purifier can help you minimise their presence in your home, especially for those living in large cities or close to busy roads. Air purifiers can reduce signs of ageing, lessen dryness and improve skin health.
The world is full of pollutants, not to mention the sweat, grime and oils that gather on your skin over the course of a day. Cleanse your skin frequently to reduce the risk of skin infections and avoid blocking your pores.
If you live in an area with poor water quality, drinking filtered water can help your skin maintain elasticity and softness. If you want to take it a step further, you can wash your face in filtered water to avoid contaminants or drying agents sometimes found in tap water.
Diet is one of the biggest factors in skin health, so it’s important to keep an eye on what you’re eating to ensure your skin stays supple. Aim for foods with lots of omega-3 fatty acids, like salmon, tuna and mackerel, as well as plenty of antioxidants and zinc-rich foods. Veggies, shellfish, nuts and seeds are great options!
The easiest way to protect your skin from environmental factors is simply to avoid them. We’re not saying you should buy an air purifier and never leave your home – rather, taking sensible precautions can help your skin stay in good shape. Stay in shade during the hottest parts of the day, avoid exercising at rush hour (when airborne pollutants are at their peak) and wash your clothes frequently to protect your skin.
It’s vital to keep your skin in mind, whether you’re travelling far and wide or simply commuting to the office. You can’t avoid all environmental skin damage, but awareness of the factors that might cause problems with your skin means you can mitigate the risks and look after your skin’s health.
Some Extras policies in Australia may include benefits for skin checks, dermatology consultations, and selected pharmacy items. For more serious skin conditions, Hospital cover may support treatment costs.
Whether you’re in a high-risk area or just want peace of mind, it’s worth reviewing your Australian health cover. Compare the Market makes it easy to look for health insurance that supports your skin, and your budget.
Our index ranks 50+ global cities across nine skin-health-affecting metrics. Each data point was collected from government, environmental, or health bodies and normalised to a standardised scale (0–10). The scores were then summed for a final city ranking. Where data was unavailable, cities were excluded from that category. All data was collected in June 2025. Full data sources are listed below:
Additional Sources