diff --git a/src/components/map/city-filter.test.tsx b/src/components/map/city-filter.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..490a64b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/map/city-filter.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,132 @@
+import { cleanup, fireEvent, render, screen } from "@testing-library/react";
+import * as React from "react";
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+import { CityFilter } from "@/components/map/city-filter";
+import type { City } from "@/lib/types";
+
+afterEach(cleanup);
+
+const CITIES: City[] = ["mumbai", "navi_mumbai", "istanbul", "nairobi"];
+
+function field() {
+  return screen.getByLabelText("Filter by city") as HTMLInputElement;
+}
+
+function optionValues() {
+  return Array.from(document.querySelectorAll("datalist option")).map((o) =>
+    o.getAttribute("value"),
+  );
+}
+
+// A parent that owns the value, like MapPanel does through the filters object.
+function Harness({
+  initial = null,
+  onChange = () => {},
+}: {
+  initial?: City | null;
+  onChange?: (city: City | null) => void;
+}) {
+  const [city, setCity] = React.useState<City | null>(initial);
+  return (
+    <>
+      <CityFilter
+        cities={CITIES}
+        value={city}
+        onChange={(next) => {
+          setCity(next);
+          onChange(next);
+        }}
+      />
+      <button onClick={() => setCity(null)}>external reset</button>
+    </>
+  );
+}
+
+describe("CityFilter", () => {
+  it("offers every city as a suggestion, labelled like the old dropdown", () => {
+    render(<Harness />);
+    expect(optionValues()).toEqual(["Mumbai", "Navi Mumbai", "Istanbul", "Nairobi"]);
+    expect(field().getAttribute("list")).toBeTruthy();
+    expect(field().placeholder).toBe("All cities");
+  });
+
+  it("selects the city when the typed or picked text matches a suggestion", () => {
+    const onChange = vi.fn();
+    render(<Harness onChange={onChange} />);
+
+    fireEvent.change(field(), { target: { value: "Istanbul" } });
+
+    expect(onChange).toHaveBeenCalledWith("istanbul");
+  });
+
+  it("matches regardless of case and surrounding spaces", () => {
+    const onChange = vi.fn();
+    render(<Harness onChange={onChange} />);
+
+    fireEvent.change(field(), { target: { value: " navi mumbai " } });
+
+    expect(onChange).toHaveBeenCalledWith("navi_mumbai");
+  });
+
+  it("does not change the filter while the text is only a partial match", () => {
+    const onChange = vi.fn();
+    render(<Harness onChange={onChange} />);
+
+    fireEvent.change(field(), { target: { value: "ist" } });
+
+    expect(onChange).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(field().value).toBe("ist");
+  });
+
+  it("returns to all cities when the field is cleared", () => {
+    const onChange = vi.fn();
+    render(<Harness initial="mumbai" onChange={onChange} />);
+    expect(field().value).toBe("Mumbai");
+
+    fireEvent.change(field(), { target: { value: "" } });
+
+    expect(onChange).toHaveBeenCalledWith(null);
+  });
+
+  it("clears with the clear button", () => {
+    const onChange = vi.fn();
+    render(<Harness initial="nairobi" onChange={onChange} />);
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Clear city filter" }));
+
+    expect(onChange).toHaveBeenCalledWith(null);
+    expect(field().value).toBe("");
+    expect(screen.queryByRole("button", { name: "Clear city filter" })).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("restores the selected city's name when leaving a half-typed field", () => {
+    render(<Harness initial="mumbai" />);
+
+    fireEvent.change(field(), { target: { value: "xyz" } });
+    expect(field().value).toBe("xyz");
+    fireEvent.blur(field());
+
+    expect(field().value).toBe("Mumbai");
+  });
+
+  it("follows the filter when it is reset from outside", () => {
+    render(<Harness initial="istanbul" />);
+    expect(field().value).toBe("Istanbul");
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText("external reset"));
+
+    expect(field().value).toBe("");
+  });
+
+  it("gives each instance its own suggestion list", () => {
+    render(
+      <>
+        <CityFilter cities={CITIES} value={null} onChange={() => {}} />
+        <CityFilter cities={CITIES} value={null} onChange={() => {}} />
+      </>,
+    );
+    const lists = Array.from(document.querySelectorAll("datalist")).map((d) => d.id);
+    expect(new Set(lists).size).toBe(2);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/components/map/city-filter.tsx b/src/components/map/city-filter.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..adeddd3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/map/city-filter.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+"use client";
+
+import * as React from "react";
+import { X } from "lucide-react";
+
+import type { City } from "@/lib/types";
+import { humanizeCity } from "@/lib/types";
+import { Input } from "@/components/ui/input";
+
+interface CityFilterProps {
+  cities: City[];
+  /** The selected city slug, or null for "All cities". */
+  value: City | null;
+  onChange: (city: City | null) => void;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Type-to-search city filter. With 500+ cities a plain dropdown is a long scroll, so this is a
+ * text input backed by a native `<datalist>` (the same pattern as the suggest-place dialog):
+ * typing narrows the suggestions, picking one selects that city, and clearing the field
+ * returns to "All cities". Typing something that is not a city leaves the current filter alone
+ * and the field snaps back to the selected city when it loses focus.
+ */
+export function CityFilter({ cities, value, onChange }: CityFilterProps) {
+  const listId = React.useId();
+  const [text, setText] = React.useState(value ? humanizeCity(value) : "");
+
+  // Keep the field in step when the filter changes from outside (Reset, a shared link).
+  const [seenValue, setSeenValue] = React.useState(value);
+  if (value !== seenValue) {
+    setSeenValue(value);
+    setText(value ? humanizeCity(value) : "");
+  }
+
+  const bySlugLabel = React.useMemo(() => {
+    const map = new Map<string, City>();
+    for (const city of cities) {
+      const key = humanizeCity(city).toLowerCase();
+      if (!map.has(key)) map.set(key, city);
+    }
+    return map;
+  }, [cities]);
+
+  function handleChange(next: string) {
+    setText(next);
+    if (next.trim() === "") {
+      if (value !== null) onChange(null);
+      return;
+    }
+    const match = bySlugLabel.get(next.trim().toLowerCase());
+    if (match && match !== value) onChange(match);
+  }
+
+  function handleBlur() {
+    setText(value ? humanizeCity(value) : "");
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <div className="relative min-w-0 flex-1">
+      <Input
+        type="text"
+        aria-label="Filter by city"
+        placeholder="All cities"
+        autoComplete="off"
+        list={listId}
+        value={text}
+        onChange={(e) => handleChange(e.target.value)}
+        onBlur={handleBlur}
+        className="h-8 pr-7 text-sm"
+      />
+      {text !== "" && (
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          aria-label="Clear city filter"
+          className="absolute right-1.5 top-1/2 -translate-y-1/2 rounded p-0.5 text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground"
+          // Keep focus in the field so the blur handler does not undo the clear.
+          onMouseDown={(e) => e.preventDefault()}
+          onClick={() => handleChange("")}
+        >
+          <X className="size-3.5" />
+        </button>
+      )}
+      <datalist id={listId}>
+        {cities.map((city) => (
+          <option key={city} value={humanizeCity(city)} />
+        ))}
+      </datalist>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/components/map/map-panel.tsx b/src/components/map/map-panel.tsx
index c6b98fb..1ca91e2 100644
--- a/src/components/map/map-panel.tsx
+++ b/src/components/map/map-panel.tsx
@@ -4,18 +4,11 @@ import * as React from "react";
 import { Code2, MapPinPlus, Search, Share2, X } from "lucide-react";
 
 import type { City, PlaceType, Place } from "@/lib/types";
-import { humanizeCity } from "@/lib/types";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
 import { Input } from "@/components/ui/input";
 import { Separator } from "@/components/ui/separator";
-import {
-  Select,
-  SelectContent,
-  SelectItem,
-  SelectTrigger,
-  SelectValue,
-} from "@/components/ui/select";
 import { CategoryChips } from "@/components/map/category-chips";
+import { CityFilter } from "@/components/map/city-filter";
 import { NearMeButton } from "@/components/map/near-me-button";
 import { MyPlacesPanel } from "@/components/map/my-places-panel";
 import { SuggestPlaceDialog } from "@/components/map/suggest-place-dialog";
@@ -69,7 +62,7 @@ interface MapPanelProps {
 }
 
 /**
- * The full map control stack: search, category chips, city select, actions,
+ * The full map control stack: search, category chips, city filter, actions,
  * and the results list. Shared by the desktop sidebar and the mobile sheet;
  * `showSearch` / `showNearMe` let the mobile layout hoist those into the
  * always-visible top bar and FAB instead.
@@ -132,24 +125,11 @@ export function MapPanel({
       />
 
       <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
-        <Select
-          value={filters.city ?? undefined}
-          onValueChange={(value) =>
-            onFiltersChange({ ...filters, city: value === "all" ? null : value })
-          }
-        >
-          <SelectTrigger className="h-8 flex-1 text-sm">
-            <SelectValue placeholder="All cities" />
-          </SelectTrigger>
-          <SelectContent>
-            <SelectItem value="all">All cities</SelectItem>
-            {cities.map((city) => (
-              <SelectItem key={city} value={city}>
-                {humanizeCity(city)}
-              </SelectItem>
-            ))}
-          </SelectContent>
-        </Select>
+        <CityFilter
+          cities={cities}
+          value={filters.city}
+          onChange={(city) => onFiltersChange({ ...filters, city })}
+        />
         {dirty && (
           <Button
             variant="ghost"
diff --git a/src/components/map/places-map.test.tsx b/src/components/map/places-map.test.tsx
index 5ef7575..f8562c2 100644
--- a/src/components/map/places-map.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/map/places-map.test.tsx
@@ -107,7 +107,9 @@ describe("PlacesMap search URLs", () => {
     expect(
       screen.getByRole("button", { name: /^Library\s*1$/ }).getAttribute("aria-pressed"),
     ).toBe("true");
-    expect(screen.getByRole("combobox").textContent).toContain("Mumbai");
+    expect((screen.getByLabelText("Filter by city") as HTMLInputElement).value).toBe(
+      "Mumbai",
+    );
     expect(renderMap.mock.lastCall?.[0]).toMatchObject({
       places: [PLACES[0]],
       focusId: "city-library",