According to Kearney's 2025 Global Cities Report, Gulf cities are rising in the world rankings for livability, innovation, and infrastructure investment. Dubai topped the region, ranking 23rd globally and continuing to lead MENA, while Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, and Manama saw some of the biggest year-over-year increases globally.
158 cities are evaluated by the Global Cities Index (GCI) based on factors such political participation, business activity, information sharing, human capital, and cultural experiences. As transformation plans increased investment in digital infrastructure and quality of life, Gulf cities saw a strong rise in rankings, although New York, London, Paris, Tokyo, and Singapore continued to hold the top five spots.
