Rather than settling for already existing cities in the real world, DC uses the gimmick of fictional cities; with some that are analog to real locations. This is similar to what Marvel comics do with fictional countries, such as Wakanda and Latveria.
From Metropolis to the lost city of Atlantis, there are a lot of cities in the DC universe that have risen in popularity over the years; these tend to be the homes of various superheroes of the DC world. After decades of history in the comics, movies, and other forms of media, some of them have become as fleshed out as the characters themselves.
Coast City
Where most DC cities are on the East Coast, Coast City is on the West and is meant to be the DC equivalent to Los Angeles or San Francisco. It is most famous for being the home of the Ferris Aircraft firm, which led to Hal Jordan becoming a member of the Green Lantern Corps. Whenever Hal is not on some interstellar mission and saving the universe, he returns home to Coast City.
He's even made a name for himself as a local hero with citizens lighting up the city with green lights during the Sinistro Corps War. Unlike Metropolis, Coast City is never really a target by villains (except for the rare occasions during the Blackest Night event and when it temporarily became the new Warworld).
Keystone City
Being in the middle of Kansas, Keystone City never became the battleground that other cities ended up becoming. It is often described as an old but beautiful city that remains peaceful, especially thanks to protection from Jay Garrick, the original Flash of the Golden Age of comics.
Jay would not be the only Flash to live in Keystone. Barry Allen's nephew, Wally, ended up living in Keystone where he operated as the third Flash. According to the comics, Keystone City sits just across the bay from Central City, which is home to Barry Allen.
Star City
Another West Coast city, Star City is sometimes depicted as a city of prosperity and luxury while other times, it is depicted as a city of criminals not that far off from Gotham City. Both are meant to show the drastic similarities and differences between Green Arrow AKA Oliver Queen and Batman.
In the Rebirth era, Star City is intended to be the DC equivalent to Seattle, Washington. Sadly, much like the real Seattle, Star City has seen its fair share of damage, even becoming a demilitarized zone. But, Oliver Queen does his best as both an elected official and a vigilante to keep Star City from falling apart.
Blüdhaven
Often known as the sister city of Gotham, Blüdhaven is a city that is often considered to be a terrible place to live. Where Gotham became a better place thanks to the likes of Jim Gordon as the new head of police and Batman defending the city with his family, Blüdhaven continued to rot.
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So when Dick Grayson (AKA the first Robin) left Gotham to try and stand on his own, he settled with Blüdhaven. He wanted to give Blüdhaven that same chance to turn around that Gotham got. Sadly, over the years, Blüdhaven continued to suffer from disasters such as nuclear explosions and became the sanctum for multiple villains.
Smallville
Superman turned out to be such a wholesome-hearted hero because of his hometown of Smallville, Kansas where he was raised by Martha and Jonathan Kent. This small farm town has its own legacy with its own set of characters that fans enjoy, including Lana Lang.
Smallville is just a big part of Superman's life that he moved back there to raise his son Jon Kent and came to view it as his true home. DC has taken advantage of Smallville by having two different hit television shows that take place in the town.
Central City
As its name might suggest, Central City is essentially DC's version of Chicago. It is a massive city that grew into a shining example of modern civilization and a home for science corporations. In certain versions, Central City is where S.T.A.R. Labs stems from and it gives the idea that Central City is meant to be a city of tomorrow.
Most famously though, it is the home of Barry Allen (AKA The Flash) as well as a plethora of powerful foes that plague it. Where Batman mostly deals with men and women in masks, The Flash always has his hands full with metahumans; combined with his Justice League efforts earned him his own Flash museum in Central City.
Themyscira
The hidden city of Themyscira is an integral part of the DC universe since it is the home of Wonder Woman and the Amazons. This culture of women has played a vital role in Princess Diana's upbringing and her warrior-like training that turned her into a leader of the Justice League. Thanks to its representation in media such as the Gal Gadot films, more have experienced its splendor.
The city itself is built with ancient Greek architecture, which makes sense considering the Amazons' faith in gods (such as Hera and Athena). Themyscira is often nicknamed Paradise Island and that is the best way to describe the city. It is elegant, beautiful, and utopian in many ways due to its lack of contact with the outside world.
Atlantis
Mixing fantasy and sci-fi into one, DC's version of Atlantis is an advanced civilization that continued to thrive under the ocean. Now the futuristic city resides in secret with high-tech vehicles, weaponry, and defenses that make it the most powerful city on planet Earth.
The ruler of this kingdom is none other than Arthur Curry (AKA Aquaman). He and his royal blood add mystical elements to Atlantis. Atlantis recently shined in James Wan's Aquaman, giving audiences a living world that felt out of this world but also real at the same time.
Metropolis
This city has become the main venue for alien invasions, metahuman threats, and even evil philanthropists trying to take over the world. That somehow doesn't stop Metropolis from being a beautiful city that shines as the real City Of Tomorrow. Metropolis is a newer city that was created to be the most advanced city in the world and it is at least for surface dwellers.
However, it wasn't always such a great city but that changed when Superman emerged and filled the city with hope. His presence pushed Metropolis into a new age of prosperity, much to the chagrin of Superman's rival Lex Luthor. Though Clark Kent has since moved back to Smallville, he still views Metropolis as a home away from home.
Gotham City
Of all of DC cities, none are as fully realized as Gotham City. Thanks to decades worth of content that take place on the streets, back alleys, and various iconic locations of Gotham, the city has become a character itself alongside its resident vigilante: Batman. There are even famous districts that have become famous enough to get adapted into movies, games, and shows.
One of the key elements that make Gotham so famous is its displacement in time. Gotham City is known for having modern elements mixed with eras of the past. Neon lights mixed with gothic architecture, and modern smartphones but people often dress like it's the 1940s, etc. It gives Gotham City an iconic look that is hard to top.