Smart cities top 18 digitally dependent pictures 20250225 p5roiw.html – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
Advertisement
Advertisement
This was published 1 year ago

The top 18 'smartest' cities in the world

April Glover
April Glover

Powered by
1 / 16

The world's cities have been ranked by their digital dependency for 2025 – a measure of how "smart" they are.

These locations are scored on their digital infrastructure, including public Wi-Fi speeds, smart parking solutions and CCTV coverage.

Tech platform ZeroBounce ranked the top 18 cities - and only one Australian capital made it into the mix.

Read on to see the full list.

Attribution: iStock
18. Tokyo, Japan
2 / 16

18. Tokyo, Japan

Japan's capital Tokyo is world-renowned for its digital innovations, so it's no surprise this city made it onto the list.

The city's local government is also developing ways to improve resident quality of life through digital technology, greener measures and the promotion of 5G.

Attribution: Getty
17. Hong Kong
3 / 16

17. Hong Kong

Hong Kong, the gateway to mainland China, has unlocked major smart city potential.

Known as a global hub for tech innovation, Hong Kong ranked 17th on the list.

Attribution: Getty
Advertisement
16. Manchester, England
4 / 16

16. Manchester, England

Manchester was one of only two entrants from the UK on the top 18 list.

The British city has fast become one of Europe's fastest-growing technology cities and its councils have developed plans to turn it into a resilient and sustainable smart city.

ZeroBounce said Holt Town in East Manchester's repurposing of undeveloped areas into living laboratories to test futuristic concepts helped bump it up on the list.

Attribution: Getty
15. Berlin, Germany
5 / 16

15. Berlin, Germany

Berlin in Germany bills itself as a "smart, connected, post-fossil and resilient capital".

It ranked 15th on the list for its digital dependency.

Attribution: Getty
14. London, England
6 / 16

14. London, England

London pipped Manchester by two spots, coming in at number 14.

The English capital uses "digital technologies and city-wide data to respond to our citizen's needs".

Attribution: iStock
13. Mumbai, India
7 / 16

13. Mumbai, India

Mumbai in India was ranked number 13.

As one of the most dense populations in the world, Mumbai has needed to harnass technology to help make life easier for locals.

Attribution: Getty
12. Melbourne, Australia
8 / 16

12. Melbourne, Australia

Melbourne is the only Australian city to make the list.

ZeroBounce looked at factors including online healthcare, which Melbourne is a leading innovator in – particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic.

It also scored highly across CCTV coverage, smart parking and public internet speed.

Attribution: Getty
11. San Francisco, US
9 / 16

11. San Francisco, US

San Francisco in the US is home to Silicon Valley, a famous global technology hub, so it's natural the California city would rank highly on the list.

Attribution: Getty
10. Stockholm, Sweden
10 / 16

10. Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm in Sweden embraces both history and innovation, a clever mix which makes the city a digital hub in Europe.

Attribution: Getty Images/iStockphoto
email icon

Contact us

Share a tip-off, video or photo with us

View more galleries

Most viewed in World

More to explore