k_kiki 
In May 2024, Oxford Economics, a global financial consulting firm, announced the world’s best cities through its Global Cities Index.
The Global Cities Index consisted of five top categories and 27 detailed indicators, including economy, human capital, quality of life, environment, and governance.
Each category was weighted differently to ensure an accurate assessment. According to the report, the world’s best cities account for 60% of global GDP and 30% of the world’s population.
So how do Asian cities stack up, especially those in South Korea? Let’s take a look at the top-ranked Asian cities.
In 20th place is Sapporo, Japan. The largest city in Hokkaido and the fifth-largest city in Japan by population, Sapporo is ranked 251st in the world. It is particularly competitive in the area of governance, ranking 26th in the world.
In 19th place is Kaohsiung, Taiwan. A mega-city and major port city in southern Taiwan, Kaohsiung is ranked 240th in the world. The city scored relatively well in governance, ranking 98th.
In 18th place is Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. Located near the border with Oman, Al Ain is the largest of the United Arab Emirates’ inland cities and the fourth-largest city overall.
It ranked 218th in the world in this assessment and maintained its high ranking in human capital, ranking 63rd.
Al Ain is home to several private universities and international schools, including the United Arab Emirates National University, Al Ain University, and Abu Dhabi University.
In 17th place is Beijing, the capital of China. The most populous capital city in the world, Beijing is ranked 217th in the world in this assessment.
Beijing scored very highly in the area of human capital, ranking 24th among the thousand largest cities. However, it fared poorly in the area of environment, ranking 883rd.
Beijing is home to many higher education institutions, including the world-class Tsinghua University and Peking University. It is also home to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, a major research organization.
In 16th place is Hsinchu, Taiwan. Ranked 214th in the world, Hsinchu is a city in northwestern Taiwan with a population of just 500,000, but it is home to the headquarters of Taiwan’s semiconductor foundries, including TSMC and MediaTek. Hsinchu fares better in other areas, ranking 51st in quality of life.
In 15th place is Shenzhen, China. A city on the Chinese mainland adjacent to Hong Kong and Macau, Shenzhen is ranked 206th in the world. Shenzhen scored highly in economy and human capital, ranking 37th and 49th respectively, and is seen as a key city for international trade and finance. However, it fared poorly in the environment, ranking 553rd and governance, ranking 637th.
In 14th place is Taichung, Taiwan. A key city in central Taiwan, Taichung is ranked 205th in the world. Taichung received high marks for human capital and governance.
It is ranked 205th out of the world’s 1000 largest cities, with a relatively strong 98th place ranking for governance.
Taichung is home to 17 universities, and Taiwan’s first private university is also located in Taichung.
In 13th place is Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. Bangkok is ranked 192nd in the world. Bangkok is ranked 26th in human capital and is home to five of Thailand’s oldest universities, with a total concentration of 1,351 years of education.
In 12th place is Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Dammam is ranked 189th in the world and is a key city in the eastern part of the country for the Saudi oil industry. Dammam is highly rated for its human capital and economy.
In 11th place is Nagoya, Japan. Nagoya is the fourth most populous city in Japan and ranks 157th in the world. Nagoya has a strong automotive and aviation industry and is ranked 26th for governance.
In 10th place is Fukuoka, Japan. Fukuoka is ranked 151st in the world and is the largest city in Kyushu. Fukuoka is ranked 26th in governance.
In 9th place is Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur is ranked 135th in the world. It is highly rated for its economy and human capital, ranked 21st. Kuala Lumpur is the economic center of Malaysia.
It is also home to the University of Malaya, the oldest and most prestigious university in the country, and is home to 14 universities.
In 8th place is Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Riyadh is the 118th best city in the world, ranked 3rd in human capital and 44th in the economy. It’s a very important city as it’s home to all of Saudi Arabia’s political and administrative functions.
In 7th place is Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Dubai is ranked 92nd in the world, is home to the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, and has a global city presence. It’s also an important city in Asia, ranking 12th for human capital.
In 6th place is Osaka, Japan. Ranked 91st in the world, Osaka is the financial center of Japan and home to the headquarters of Japan’s global electronics companies such as Panasonic and Sharp. It ranks 26th in governance and 88th in human capital.
In 5th place is Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China. With a high population density and life expectancy, Hong Kong is the 76th best city in the world for human capital and economy.
Hong Kong is known as one of the world’s financial and trade centers. However, it is also a highly polarized city with significant income inequality.
In 4th place is Taipei, the capital of Taiwan. The 65th largest city in the world, Taipei is home to all of Taiwan’s political, economic, educational, cultural, and transportation functions, and ranks 25th in human capital, and scores well in most of the other categories.
In 3th place is Singapore. Singapore is ranked 42nd in the world. Singapore is ranked 78th for economy, 43rd for human capital, and 40th for quality of life. It has been ranked as the best place to live for expats for two years in a row in the past Expat Sentiment Survey.
In 2nd place is Seoul, the capital of South Korea. Seoul is the 41st best city in the world and ranks 5th in the world for human capital.
Seoul is the political, economic, and cultural center of South Korea, and despite its declining population, the metropolitan area as a whole is a sprawling city that is home to half of the country’s population.
However, it fares poorly in the environmental category, ranking 615th. Seoul is home to 23 universities, of which Seoul National University is ranked 31st in the world.
Seoul is the second-highest-rated city in Asia due to its high quality of education and vibrant economy.
South Korea’s economy has grown around the manufacturing and IT industries, and more recently, the bio and green energy sectors.
Seoul is at the center of this economic growth, home to global companies and a thriving development of innovative technologies.
These strengths keep Seoul highly competitive in Asia.
In 1st place is Tokyo, the capital of Japan. Tokyo is the #1 city in Asia and the 4th largest in the world, accounting for 20.7% of the Japanese economy.
Tokyo is also the educational, academic, and cultural center of Japan, with 143 universities and colleges, and 29 of the Global 500 companies are headquartered in Tokyo.
This is a look at the global competitiveness of major Asian cities. Seoul, South Korea, ranks highly in human capital and economy, and is the second highest in Asia, thanks to its strong educational and economic infrastructure.
