Dubai tops global list as most digitally dependent city in 2025
Followed by Shanghai and Seoul
A new study by ZeroBounce has revealed that Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the most digitally dependent city in the world, according to an analysis of nine key categories of digital infrastructure.
The study, which evaluated cities on factors such as internet speed, public Wi-Fi availability, CCTV coverage, and innovative parking solutions, placed Dubai at the top with a score of 79.1. The UAE city also excelled in areas such as online maintenance reporting systems, real-time traffic information, and digital healthcare access, highlighting the increasing role of technology in urban life.
The research examined cities worldwide, scoring them from 0 to 100 based on their digital infrastructure. The final rankings were determined by a weighted average of these scores, covering categories such as pollution monitoring, smart transport systems, and public Wi-Fi availability.
The result reflects how cities worldwide embrace digital technology to improve public services, enhance mobility, and ensure better quality of life for residents.
Dubai
Dubai’s ranking is largely driven by its high levels of CCTV coverage, which topped the list at 88.5. The city also ranked second globally for internet speed performance and scored highly for its online maintenance reporting systems. These advancements have allowed Dubai to remain a digital leader in the region.
Shanghai
Shanghai, China, secured second place in the rankings with a score of 71.4. The city excelled in several categories, including pollution monitoring, where it scored an impressive 89.7, and in digitised transport infrastructure, which earned it a score of 87.5. Shanghai also outperformed Dubai in its online reporting system for maintenance issues, with a score of 84.5, 8% higher than Dubai’s.
Seoul
Seoul, South Korea, came in third with a score of 70. The city demonstrated impressive public Wi-Fi availability and CCTV coverage, which ranked at 80.6. Additionally, Seoul earned one of the highest digital nomad rankings at 4.47, surpassing Dubai and Shanghai in that category. Although Seoul’s internet speed ranked 19th globally, its strong performance in other areas helped secure its spot in the top three.
Beijing
In fourth place, Beijing, China, with a score of 66, showed its continued commitment to urban digitisation. The city performed well in pollution monitoring and digital transport infrastructure, with scores of 86.5 and 83.7, respectively. These results reflect China’s broader focus on smart city initiatives, positioning Beijing as a key player in the global digital landscape.
Singapore
Singapore, with a score of 64.6, rounded out the top five. The city-state’s strength lies in its impressive CCTV coverage, 80.8, higher than Dubai’s, and robust public Wi-Fi system. While its transport infrastructure score 63.2 lagged behind the top four cities, Singapore maintained its position in the top five with solid digital healthcare access and pollution monitoring.
Taipei
The Taiwanese capital was rated in sixth position, with a score of 60.9.
Amsterdam
Amsterdam, Netherlands, was ranked seventh with a score of 55.3. Amsterdam stands out for its high digital nomad ranking of 5.1, the highest among all the cities in the top 10. It also performed well in internet speed, securing 22nd place globally, making it the highest-ranked European town in the study.
Barcelona
Barcelona, Spain, ranked eighth with a score of 53.3. The city led the top 10 in digital nomad rankings with a score of 5.82. Still, its public service digitisation scores were relatively low, particularly in CCTV coverage and pollution monitoring, with scores of 41.2 and 41, respectively.
New York City
New York City, USA, came in ninth with a score of 51.9. As the only North American city in the top 10, New York showcased strong CCTV coverage, with a score of 57.2, almost double that of Amsterdam’s. However, the city lagged in terms of transport infrastructure, scoring lower than other cities like Barcelona.
Stockholm
Finally, Stockholm, Sweden, ranked 10th with a score of 51.8. The Swedish capital stood out for its strong internet connectivity, ranking 15th globally, and high digital transport infrastructure score of 70, which was the best among European cities in the study. However, its pollution monitoring score of 57.8 was lower than the average of the top 10 cities.
Brian Minick, ZeroBounce’s Chief Operating Officer, commented on the findings: “It is fascinating to see how cities worldwide are embracing technology to enhance public services and quality of life.
“Our study highlights that cities in the Middle East and Asia are leading the way with forward-thinking infrastructure that improves mobility, public safety, and access to essential services like healthcare and governance.”
Image: Central Business District skyline in Dubai City. Credit: Arnold Pinto
