Global Cities Index 2026: Istanbul climbs 42 spots
According to the Global Cities Index 2026 report prepared by Oxford Economics, New York, London, and Paris have maintained their top positions. Istanbul recorded a remarkable rise, moving from 106th to 64th place in the overall rankings.
The Global Cities Index 2026, prepared by Oxford Economics based on criteria including economy, human capital, quality of life, environment, and governance, has been published. In the list where New York ranks first, London second, and Paris third, Istanbul climbed 42 spots to reach 64th place.
Istanbul's most significant progress in the index occurred in the economy category, where the city rose from 121st to 69th place. Moving from 15th to 11th place in the human capital category, Istanbul climbed to 480th in the environment category, while it fell to 180th in the quality of life category. The index classified Istanbul among 72 'Regional Leaders' alongside cities such as Dubai, Lisbon, Stockholm, and Zurich.
In the list, which includes 19 cities from Turkey, Ankara rose to 201st, Izmir to 333rd, Antalya to 342nd, and Bursa to 362nd place, showing a general upward trend. Although London maintained its leadership in human capital, it fell to 140th place in the governance category. It was noted that governance scores were calculated at the country level rather than the city level.
Sources
- ekonomigazetesi.com · Link