Top 12 Cities Around the World Where People Work the Least

Frankfurt is one of the cities with the shortest working hours, averaging 1,773 hours per year. With 41.1 hours worked per week in Germany, this is slightly below the European average. Despite the relatively short workweek, Germany maintains high productivity levels. The country strikes a balance between work and life, ensuring that productivity remains high while employees enjoy a well-deserved balance in their personal lives. It's no surprise that Germany has become a popular residence for young expats who want to share their expertise with the market without missing out on life.

As in all cities in Germany, work hours in Frankfurt are protected by law: The Working Hours Act ensures fair working conditions and sets them into law. Specifically, if you work 10 hours a day for a period, the average work time over a six-month (or 24-week) period cannot exceed 8 hours per day. Additionally, according to the Working Hours Act, working on Sundays or national holidays is strictly prohibited. This means that a typical workweek runs from Monday to Saturday (with Friday being the usual office workday instead of Sunday). The likelihood of working on a Sunday in Germany is extremely low.

Barcelona is the Spanish city with the 6th shortest working hours globally, averaging 1,774 hours per year. Spain enjoys 14 public holidays annually, with 2 varying by local municipalities. Workers are typically entitled to 30 days of paid vacation per year unless otherwise specified by a collective agreement or contract. Most holidays occur in July, August, or September, with August being the most common. A typical working day in Spain usually starts around 8:30 or 9 AM, breaks for lunch around 1:30 PM, and resumes between 4:30 or 5 PM, continuing until about 8 PM.

The famous Spanish siesta, particularly in Barcelona, although less common in larger cities, remains an essential part of the daily routine. The siesta is a midday break, typically lasting around three hours, allowing employees to rest during the intense midday heat. Most people tend to go home for lunch, spending time with family or relaxing during this period. The standard workweek in Spain is 40 hours, though this varies by industry. The law ensures at least 12 hours of rest between workdays, and employees are not permitted to work more than 80 overtime hours annually unless a collective agreement is in place.

Oslo is one of the cities with the shortest annual work hours, clocking in at just 1,780 hours per year. Denmark does not have any statutory regulations regarding standard working hours. Generally, work hours are determined through collective agreements (if applicable) or employment contracts. In most sectors, a 37-hour workweek is standard. The typical working hours run from Monday to Friday, starting at 8 or 9 AM and ending at 4 or 5 PM, with lunch breaks typically lasting 30 minutes to 1 hour and not counted as part of the weekly working hours.

During the course of four months, the average workweek for residents of Oslo, Denmark is capped at 48 hours. This maximum can only be exceeded if a collective agreement aligns with the Working Time Directive. Workers who work on public holidays are entitled to a 100% bonus pay. Employees are also guaranteed at least 11 continuous hours of rest within each 24-hour period and a minimum of one full day off every week. No more than six consecutive working days are allowed between two rest days. Night shift workers are not permitted to work more than 8 hours in a 24-hour period, averaged over four months.

Lyon is one of the cities with the shortest work hours in France and globally, with an average of just 1,788 hours per year. Located at the heart of the Rhône-Alpes economic triangle, which includes the cities of St-Etienne and Grenoble, Lyon stands as one of France's most vibrant and dynamic economic hubs. Like Paris, Lyon shares a similar work culture.

In 1936, the standard workweek was set at 40 hours, later reduced to 39 hours in 1982. The official workweek was further cut to 35 hours in 2002. This change was aimed at improving workers' rights while also promoting job creation by spreading work among more people. The legal limit for the workweek is 35 hours, or 1,607 hours annually. However, people in Lyon often work beyond this limit. Overtime is allowed, but the workday cannot exceed 10 hours, and the workweek is capped at 48 hours (or 60 hours in special circumstances).

Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, is ranked among the cities with the shortest work hours globally, with an average of just 1,792 hours per year. The legal maximum workday is 8 hours, with a weekly cap of 48 hours. Typically, the workday is split into two parts with a lunch break between noon and 2 p.m., lasting 1 to 1.5 hours. In Argentina's major cities, a typical day runs from 8:30 a.m. to 12 or 12:30 p.m., and resumes from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. In smaller towns, lunch breaks tend to be longer, with many employees returning home for lunch and rest.

Work on Saturday afternoons or Sundays is generally prohibited, with certain professional exceptions. Overtime is limited to a maximum of 200 hours per year. Workers in Buenos Aires are entitled to an additional month's salary annually, split into two payments: one in June and the other in December. Employees in Argentina also receive between 14 and 35 vacation days each year, depending on their company and seniority. Specifically, workers with less than 5 years of service receive 14 days, those with 5-10 years receive 21 days, those with 10-20 years get 28 days, and workers with over 20 years are entitled to 35 days of vacation.

Berlin is one of the cities with the shortest working hours globally, averaging just 1,794 hours per year. However, compared to Frankfurt, Berlin’s working hours exceed by 21 hours annually. The typical workweek in Berlin runs from Monday to Saturday, unlike the standard German workweek, which is Monday through Friday. According to German labor law, the workday cannot exceed 8 hours, and the workweek is capped at 48 hours.

Flexible working hours and remote work are increasingly popular, especially for those with young children. While employers are not legally required to offer this, many are willing to reach an agreement. Moreover, the concept of dependable working hours is growing in Berlin, Germany, which is a flexible employment model where managers do not track working hours. Instead, employees are trusted to work according to their own schedule. A lunch break of at least 30 minutes is mandatory and is unpaid. On average, workers are granted 30 days of annual leave, with the legal minimum set at 24 days.

Amsterdam is ranked as the 11th city with the shortest working hours globally, averaging 1,794 hours per year. The standard workweek in the Netherlands is 38 hours, with most full-time jobs (voltijd) requiring between 36 to 40 hours a week, typically 7 to 8 hours per day for 5 days a week. Some companies opt for a 40-hour workweek, offering higher pay for additional hours. Another way employers compensate for extra working hours is by increasing the annual vacation time, sometimes by as much as 12 additional days. Lunch breaks in the Netherlands typically last 30 minutes and are unpaid.

In Amsterdam, Netherlands, an employee can legally work up to 12 hours per shift and a maximum of 60 hours per week. Over a 4-week period, employees are not allowed to exceed 55 hours per week, and over 16 weeks, the limit is 48 hours per week. For shifts longer than 5.5 hours, workers are entitled to a 30-minute unpaid break, which can be split into two 15-minute breaks. Some companies specify in contracts that a certain amount of overtime is included in the job, paid at the regular hourly rate, while others may offer financial compensation or time off in lieu for overtime hours worked.

St Petersburg is the second city in Russia to make the list of places with the shortest working hours, averaging 1,798 hours per year. A standard workweek in St Petersburg lasts 40 hours, and strict overtime laws mean that few workers exceed 50 hours. Russian labor laws grant all employees 28 days of paid vacation, in addition to public holidays. Despite this, workers in St Petersburg typically work over 200 hours more per year than their American counterparts, largely due to the rarity of part-time jobs, with only about 5% of workers employed part-time.

Under Russian law, every worker is entitled to breaks during their workday, and people in St Petersburg are no exception. The break time during an 8-hour shift should not exceed two hours, and break and meal times are not considered part of working hours. Consequently, these breaks are unpaid. However, lunch breaks must be at least 30 minutes long. Employees in government organizations often have even shorter workweeks. For example, some doctors work from 8 AM to 3 PM, including their lunch break, and this schedule is similar for some employees in educational institutions, ministries, and other government entities.

People living in Paris work only 1,663 hours per year. A significant issue for many workers in France is flexible working hours, aimed at achieving a work-life balance. Negotiating work-life balance can help parents reconcile their jobs with family life and, especially for women, increase participation in the workforce. France observes 11 (or 13 in some regions) national holidays, with most offices, businesses, and shops closed for the holidays, although smaller supermarkets in many towns open for a few hours in the morning.

Typical working hours run from Monday to Friday, from 8 AM or 9 AM to 12:00/12:30 PM, followed by a break and resumption from 2:00/2:30 PM to 6:00 PM. However, this can vary by location, with longer lunch breaks in Paris and other major cities. Retail stores generally open Monday to Saturday, from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Despite having shorter weekly work hours, the amount of time people spend working often exceeds that in other European countries.

The work structure in Paris, France also allows employees to take time off for education, training, or personal interests and hobbies. This enables workers to adjust their lives and work schedules, shortening their workdays, weeks, months, or even years. In 2000, the French government implemented a law reducing the statutory workweek from 39 to 35 hours for companies with more than 20 employees and extended it to companies with fewer than 20 employees in 2002.

The residents of Copenhagen, Denmark work only 1,712 hours per year. There is no statutory regulation for standard working hours in Denmark. In general, working hours are defined by collective agreements (if any) or employment contracts. Most sectors have a 37-hour workweek. Typical working hours run Monday to Friday, from 8 or 9 AM to 4 or 5 PM, with a lunch break of 30 minutes to one hour each day, usually not counted toward weekly working hours.

For a four-month period, the average workweek in Copenhagen cannot exceed 48 hours. Any excess hours can only be refused if the collective agreement complies with the Working Time Directive. Workers who work on holidays are entitled to a 100% premium on their regular wages. Employees are entitled to a continuous rest period of at least 11 hours every 24 hours and at least one day off each week. No more than six working days are allowed between two rest days. Monitoring work hours can lead to heavy fines and even imprisonment for employers who fail to comply with the Danish Working Environment Act's requirements, particularly in cases of worker abuse.

Moscow is the third city in the world with the shortest working hours, with only 1,720 hours of work per year and 31 paid holidays. Russians typically work an average of 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. By law, workers are also required to take at least a 30-minute break each day, often extended to an hour by most companies. If an employer requires overtime, they must pay extra. Russian law states that overtime cannot exceed 4 hours over two consecutive days and is capped at 120 hours per year.

After six months of employment, workers in Moscow are entitled to 28 days of paid vacation annually. Employees can also receive additional paid leave for working in hazardous conditions, irregular hours, in remote northern areas, or for other reasons stipulated by law. Sick leave is granted for illness or injury, and employees may also take leave to care for a sick child or relative. Parental leave allows mothers or fathers, grandparents, or other guardians to care for a child. Russian women are entitled to 140 days of paid maternity leave – 70 days before birth and 70 days after birth.