Top 10 Arab Cities in the 2026 Global Cities Index
While New York, London, and Paris continue to dominate the global city rankings, the 2026 Global Cities Index by Oxford Economics highlights a different story in the Arab world: cities that are rapidly building economic influence and attracting talent and investment are emerging as major growth hubs for the decades ahead.
The index assessed 1,000 cities worldwide across five key dimensions: economics, human capital, quality of life, environment, and governance. Ten Arab cities stood out at the top of the regional rankings, led by the Gulf trio of Dubai, Riyadh, and Abu Dhabi. Cairo, meanwhile, retained its position as Africa’s largest urban economy.
Dubai ranked first among Arab cities and 42nd globally, driven by its strong performance in human capital, where it ranked second worldwide. The city’s ability to attract international talent is a major factor, with more than 90% of its residents born outside the UAE. Dubai’s economy is estimated at around $209 billion.
Riyadh ranked second in the Arab world and 50th globally, entering the global top 50 for the first time. According to the report, the Saudi capital’s economy has grown by more than 11% annually over the past five years, making it one of the world’s fastest-growing cities, supported by Vision 2030 projects and the attraction of regional headquarters of multinational companies.
Abu Dhabi came third regionally and 84th globally, benefiting from its accelerating shift away from oil toward finance, culture, and advanced industries. The report expects financial services to become the city’s largest economic sector by 2050.
Jeddah ranked fourth in the Arab world and 171st globally, followed by Dammam in fifth place regionally and 194th globally, with both cities benefiting from Saudi Arabia’s economic strength and expanding industrial and logistics investments.
In North Africa, Cairo led Arab cities outside the Gulf, ranking sixth regionally and 255th globally. The report describes Cairo as Africa’s largest urban economy and forecasts annual GDP growth of around 4% between 2026 and 2035, supported by information technology, telecommunications, and major infrastructure projects. Its population is also expected to increase by around 10 million by 2050.
Medina ranked seventh in the Arab world and 325th globally, while Algiers came eighth regionally and 359th globally. Casablanca ranked ninth regionally and 384th globally, followed by Amman, which ranked tenth among Arab cities and 365th globally.
The report emphasizes that the real strength of Arab cities lies not only in the size of their current economies, but also in their ability to attract human capital and long-term investment. Oxford Economics therefore selected only three Arab cities—Dubai, Riyadh, and Abu Dhabi—among its cities to watch, identifying them as urban centers with significant potential to reshape the global economic landscape in the coming decades.
Top 10 Arab Cities in the Index
Dubai — 42nd globally
Riyadh — 50th globally
Abu Dhabi — 84th globally
Jeddah — 171st globally
Dammam — 194th globally
Cairo — 255th globally
Medina — 325th globally
Algiers — 359th globally
Casablanca — 384th globally
Amman — 365th globally
Source: Alarabiya