Aussie cities score big on major global rankings list
One of the world’s foremost city-ranking projects has given bragging rights to one Australian capital above all others.
Oxford Economics has released its 2026 Global Cities Index report, ranking the world’s 1000 largest metropolises on barometers including their economy, quality of life, environment, and governance.
Sydney scored the highest of all Australian cities in the Oxford Economics Global Cities Index. Photo: zetter
Sadly, none of Australia’s cities squeaked into the top 10, but we weren’t far off.
Sydney scored the highest place out of any Australian city, coming in at 13th, sandwiched between Los Angeles (12) and Washington DC (14).
Melbourne remains hot on her rival’s heels though, landing at 16th.
The report even acknowledged the cities’ perennial one-upmanship.
“Still the foremost city in Australia, Sydney remains to be an attractive place for individuals and companies alike,” the Sydney entry reads.
“Sydney continues to jostle with Melbourne for the highest spots in the index – in the 2026 edition, it comes out ahead.”
The NSW capital ranked highly for its economy and its ability to attract talent through its financial reach and its many universities.
But it was marked down for high house prices and its less clement environment, including proximity to bushfire country.
Melbourne, the report noted, boasted “a milder, more temperate climate”.
The report dubbed the southern city the “cultural and sporting capital of Australia”, noting it remained highly placed even after falling a few spots down the list from last year.
Melbourne came in at 16th. iStock
“Melbourne remains a premier city for economy, liveability, and business,” the report said, noting the city was also in the top 10 per cent of the environment category worldwide.
Three other Australian cities made the Top 50 list: Brisbane (36), Perth (44) and Canberra (45).
Brisbane “has a robust economy with a capable workforce, but it will need to invest more in its housing and other infrastructure to improve affordability for residents and manage the effects of climate change.”
Brisbane also got a nod. AAP
Perth was noted for its reliance on the mining sector, but the report also said that same industry was a draw for overseas investment and talent.
Canberra, maybe to the surprise of some, scored very highly in “governance”, coming 13th in the world.
“Overall, Canberra is a true government city, in which many of its inhabitants are tied to the public sector in some capacity,” the report said.
New York City got the top spot. Getty Images
“This has benefitted the Canberrans, who, thanks to the abundance of government jobs, are among the highest and most equally paid in the Global Cities Index.”
Outside Australia’s shores, the US and Europe unsurprisingly dominated the top 10.
New York City was ranked first, followed by London, Paris, Seattle, San Francisco, Dublin, Boston, San Jose, Tokyo, and Zurich.
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