
This Asian city is the only one among the top 10 best global cities in the world
The Oxford Economics Global Cities Index ranked 1,000 top global cities in 2025 and only one Asian city has made it to top 10—is it your hometown?
The Oxford Economics Global Cities Index recently published its ranking of 1,000 top global cities in 2025 and there's only one Asian city in the top 10: Tokyo at ninth position.
Despite Asia's economic powerhouse status, this comprehensive ranking of 1,000 cities worldwide shows a significant gap between Asia's leading urban centres and their Western counterparts. While New York retains the crown followed by London and Paris, Seoul is at 15th place and Singapore sits at 21st—the only two cities, apart from Tokyo, to be on the top 50 list.
The United States dominates the rankings, claiming seven of the top 10 spots and 16 positions in the top 50. Australia also performs strongly with four cities in the top 50, while European cities are well-represented throughout the upper tiers.
The methodology is based on economic dynamism, environmental sustainability, governance, human capital development and quality of life considerations.
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