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The International Institute for Management Development evaluated eight Saudi cities in its 2026 Smart City Index. Riyadh improved from 27th to 24th globally according to data released by the institute and relayed through the Saudi Press Agency. Makkah placed 50th, Jeddah stood at 55th and Madinah ranked 67th in the assessment that draws on resident perceptions of urban technology applications.
Al-Khobar secured 64th position in the index. AlUla recorded the largest single gain among Saudi participants by advancing 27 places to 85th, a leap the Saudi Press Agency attributed to accelerated tourism and infrastructure projects in the historic area. The index also introduced two first-time Saudi participants with strong debuts.
Hail entered the ranking at 33rd place. Hafar Al-Batin debuted at 100th. These placements illustrate the breadth of smart-city development now reaching beyond the largest metropolitan areas, the Saudi Press Agency stated in its dispatch from Riyadh.
The IMD Smart City Observatory compiles the annual index by surveying local populations on how technologies influence daily life and city governance. Zurich topped the 2026 list followed by Oslo in second and Geneva in third, according to the institute’s published results. Regional peers from the United Arab Emirates also posted robust showings with two cities inside the global top ten.
Saudi Arabia’s collective performance aligns with the objectives of Vision 2030 to raise quality of life through sustainable urban planning, the Saudi Press Agency noted. The Kingdom’s cities have registered steady gains in the index over successive editions. Makkah, for example, had ranked 39th in the 2025 edition according to prior IMD data.
The assessment examines factors including mobility, health services, safety and environmental management through structured resident questionnaires. IMD methodology places particular weight on the practical impact of digital tools rather than infrastructure alone. Saudi authorities have cited such international benchmarks as guides for ongoing investments in connected urban systems.
