Tashkent climbs 128 spots in Oxford Economics' Global Cities Index 2026

**Tashkent rises 128 places in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2026**

Tashkent was ranked 343rd among 1,000 major cities worldwide in the Global Cities Index 2026, published by the research firm Oxford Economics. Over the past year, Uzbekistan’s capital moved up 128 positions.

Oxford Economics also included Tashkent in its **“28 Cities to Watch”** list — a group of cities seen as having strong momentum and the potential for substantial gains in the coming years.

“**Tashkent is emerging as one of Central Asia’s most promising urban economic hubs,**” the report says. Before the Soviet Union collapsed, Tashkent was a major industrial center; after independence and the opening to international markets, the city’s economy became much more diversified. Today, the report says, the Uzbek capital is showing steady growth alongside a construction boom and increasing investment across several sectors of the economy. Unlike many cities in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, it is also still experiencing sustained population growth.

The index highlights Tashkent’s geographic location and skilled workforce as key strengths. At the same time, Oxford Economics cautions that the city’s low per capita GDP increases the risk of a “brain drain” to richer countries. The report also points to environmental pressure — especially water scarcity — as an urgent issue that needs attention.

## Tashkent’s scores

The index is built from five categories — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment, and governance — each rated on a 0-100 scale before being combined into an overall ranking.

In **Economics**, Tashkent received 54.7 points, placing 188th globally and within the top 20%. This category measures the size, structure, and growth path of a city’s economy, based on both past performance and future prospects.

In **Human Capital**, Tashkent scored 61.5 points, ranking 108th worldwide, also within the top 20%. This indicator evaluates the size and quality of a city’s talent pool, as well as its ability to attract, develop, and keep skilled professionals.

In **Quality of Life**, Tashkent earned 47.5 points, ranking 644th globally — in the bottom 40% of the list. This category looks at residents’ wellbeing and satisfaction, along with living conditions such as household finances, health outcomes, and access to urban infrastructure.

In **Environment**, Tashkent scored 45.1 points, placing 806th worldwide, in the bottom 15%. This measure reflects how well a city balances development with environmental stewardship, as well as its exposure to environmental risks.

Tashkent recorded its weakest result in **Governance** — 40.2 points, ranking 825th globally, also in the bottom 15%. This category assesses the strength of a city’s institutions, the quality of its regulatory environment, and the stability of conditions for residents and businesses. “**Effective governance underpins a city’s ability to plan, invest, and meet the needs of residents and businesses,**” the report’s authors note.

## Top 10 cities

The top positions in the ranking are dominated by cities in the United States, Europe, and Asia. New York took first place with a perfect 100 points, followed by London with 98.8; both cities scored especially well for the scale of their economies and human capital. Paris came third with 93.4 points.

The rest of the top 10 consisted of Seattle, San Francisco, Dublin, Boston, San Jose, Tokyo, and Zurich.

Among Central Asian cities, Almaty ranked 265th and Astana 281st, while Bishkek placed 461st, Ashgabat 668th, and Dushanbe 672nd.