Nine South African cities feature on global 1,000 list

Oxford Economics published its inaugural Global Cities Index - a comprehensive evaluation of the world's 1,000 largest urban economies.

The think tank analysed 27 indicators to determine the top cities globally. New York, London, and San Jose, California, emerged as the leaders in a list where the top 50 positions were predominantly occupied by cities from the US and Europe.

To address this challenge, Oxford Economics has developed the new Global Cities Index.

This index evaluates the 1,000 largest cities in the world across five broad categories: Economics, Human Capital, Quality of Life, Environment, and Governance.

By doing so, it provides a nuanced understanding of each city’s strengths and weaknesses.

The Top 10 Cities of 2024

The top cities in the Global Cities Index score highly across all five categories. They not only make significant economic contributions to the global economy but also serve as hubs for education and business innovation, investing in infrastructure to maintain a high quality of life.

They prioritise environmental policies and good governance.

Leading the 2024 rankings is New York, followed by London. Both cities excel in the Economics and Human Capital categories, reflecting their roles as global centres for finance, business, and education.

New York boasts the largest metro economy in the world, while London ranks fourth. Both cities have numerous universities and corporate headquarters, underscoring their global influence in business and education.

Top Five

The rest of the top five—San Jose, Tokyo, and Paris—may seem disparate, but they share key characteristics driving their success. Each has strong Economics scores for different reasons.

San Jose leads with the highest GDP per capita globally, while Tokyo, though lower in GDP per capita, has the second-largest economy in absolute terms.

Paris strikes a balance with higher total GDP than San Jose and higher GDP per capita than Tokyo.

These cities also excel in Human Capital. Tokyo and Paris host numerous universities and corporate headquarters.

San Jose, as the heart of Silicon Valley, has many headquarters and a significant share of foreign-born residents, enhancing its Human Capital score.

High Quality of Life scores also boost San Jose and Paris, with Paris benefiting from its world-renowned cultural sites.

Diverse Paths to the Top 10

The diversity among the top cities in the 2024 Global Cities Index highlights that there is no single path to global leadership. New York, the largest city, has a population of over 20 million, while Zurich, the smallest, has only 1.6 million residents.

The top 10 cities span four continents and include finance and tech hubs, as well as leaders in education. This variety underscores the importance of comparing urban areas on multiple dimensions.

In 2023, the 1,000 largest cities accounted for 60% of global GDP and over 30% of the world’s population. As cities' importance continues to grow, tools like the Global Cities Index will be essential for making strategic decisions.

South Africa is represented by as many as nine cities in the index, led by Johannesburg, ranked 380th, and ahead of Cape Town at 445th.

Rank	City	Economics	Human Capital	Life Quality	Environment	Governance
380	Johannesburg	312	39	923	365	371
445	Cape Town	574	79	881	83	371
533	Pretoria	588	162	875	426	371
661	Durban	719	257	961	161	371
699	Polokwane	613	450	965	134	371
708	Bloemfontein	737	292	973	263	371
810	Kimberley	726	582	968	439	371
899	Buffalo City	924	969	979	66	371
938	Port Elizabeth	984	613	980	125	371