A recent study conducted by ZeroBounce has identified the world’s top ten cities most reliant on digital infrastructure. The evaluation was based on nine key categories, including internet speed, public Wi-Fi availability, online maintenance reporting systems, CCTV coverage, and pollution monitoring applications. Additional factors included digital healthcare access, smart parking solutions, and the digitization of transportation infrastructure, with real-time traffic information systems also taken into account. Each category was rated on a scale of 0 to 100, and the final ranking was derived from a weighted average of these scores.

Dubai, UAE, has secured the top position as the most digitally dependent city for 2025, achieving a score of 79. The city boasts the highest number of CCTV cameras, with a score of 88.5. Additionally, Dubai ranks second globally in internet speed and is recognized for its superior online maintenance reporting system.

In second place is Shanghai, China, with a score of 71. The city excelled in several categories, notably pollution monitoring, which scored 89.7, and digitized transport infrastructure with a score of 87.5. Shanghai’s online traffic information system scored 88.1, and its maintenance problem reporting system achieved a score of 84.5, which surpasses Dubai’s by 8%.

Seoul, South Korea, comes in third place with a score of 70. The city ranks 19th globally for internet speed and performs well in public Wi-Fi availability and CCTV coverage, scoring 80.6. Seoul’s digital nomad ranking is 4.47, outperforming both Dubai and Shanghai.

Beijing, China, ranks fourth with a score of 66. The city’s pollution monitoring systems scored 86.5, the second highest after Shanghai, while its digital transport infrastructure received a score of 83.7, showcasing China’s ongoing progress in urban digitization.

Singapore follows in fifth place with a score of 65. The city-state excels in CCTV coverage with a score of 80.8 and pollution monitoring at 62, which surpasses Dubai’s performance. Although its transport infrastructure score is lower at 63.2, Singapore maintains comprehensive public Wi-Fi availability.

Amsterdam, Netherlands, ranks seventh with a score of 55. Notably, it has one of the highest digital nomad rankings at 5.11, significantly exceeding those of the Asian cities in the top six. Amsterdam is also the highest-ranked European city due to its reliable internet infrastructure, holding a Speedtest rank of 22.

Barcelona, Spain, comes in eighth place with a score of 53. It boasts the highest digital nomad ranking at 5.82 among the top ten cities, although its scores for public service digitization are comparatively lower, with CCTV coverage at 41.2 and pollution monitoring at 41.

New York City, USA, ranks ninth with a score of 52, making it the only representative from North America. The city maintains balanced scores across various categories, featuring nearly double the CCTV coverage of Amsterdam. However, it lags behind Barcelona in online transport efficiency by 7%, indicating a lesser degree of digital integration in urban mobility.

Rounding out the top ten is Stockholm, Sweden, with a score of 51. The city is noted for its strong internet connectivity, ranked 15th globally, and boasts the highest digitized transport infrastructure score among European cities at 70, despite its pollution monitoring score of 57.8 falling below the average of the top ten.

Brian Minick, Chief Operating Officer at ZeroBounce, remarked on the findings, stating that the data highlights cities with robust digital infrastructure worldwide. He noted that such infrastructure not only enhances transportation and public safety but also improves access to essential services like healthcare and digital governance. Minick emphasized that cities in the Middle East and Asia are leading in innovative technology, which helps streamline public services, enhance mobility, and create safer, more connected environments.