At , we spend all our time exploring the world’s very best cities. Every year, we survey thousands of locals and grill editors to help us figure out the best spots to eat, drink, party and soak up culture – because to us, that’s what makes a city great.
But what about the economy, quality of governance and rental prices? That stuff’s pretty important too – and that’s where Oxford Economics comes in.
Every year, the advisory publishes a Global Cities Index, which includes a comprehensive ranking of the top 50 cities on the planet. The 1,000 most populous cities are assessed based on 27 indicators across five different categories (economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance), and each one is given a score.
So, which one came out on top for 2025? For the second year in a row, New York topped the list. The Big Apple scored 100 overall and triumphed in the economics category thanks to its large GDP, high per-person income and the fact that it’s home to lots of corporate HQs.
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It didn’t do quite so well in the environment and governance categories, ranking 168th and 161st respectively, and some of the weaknesses identified include lower equality, high housing expenditure and little economic diversity.
In second place is London, which has also retained its 2024 position, and it scored 98.5. The UK capital fell short with similar weaknesses to NYC, but excelled thanks to the number of universities on offer and its lower emissions intensity, as well as the size of its GDP.
Third? That went to Paris, with a score of 94.4. Human capital and quality of life were the city’s top categories, and its ‘many recreation and cultural sites’ helped its case.
The top five are rounded out by two more American cities – San Jose and Seattle – but eight US hubs made it into the top 20. Scroll down to see more of the ranking, or head directly to the Global Cities Index to read about its methods and outcomes in more detail.
These are the world’s top cities, according to the Global Cities Index
- New York, USA
- London, UK
- Paris, France
- San Jose, USA
- Seattle, USA
- Melbourne, Australia
- Sydney, Australia
- Boston, USA
- Tokyo, Japan
- San Francisco, USA
- Los Angeles, USA
- Washington DC, USA
- Dublin, Ireland
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Seoul, South Korea
- Zurich, Switzerland
- Oslo, Norway
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Dallas, USA
- Toronto, Canada
While you’re here, have a look at ’s ranking of the 50 best cities in the world right now.
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