Almaty and Astana have surpassed Moscow in the 2025 Global Cities Index by Oxford Economics. This ranking evaluates the world’s largest cities based on factors like economy, human capital, environment, governance, and quality of life. New York remains the top-ranked city worldwide.
Almaty leads Central Asia, ranking 258th overall. In the human capital category, which measures education and workforce skills, Almaty holds 64th place. Astana follows at 276th. Moscow ranks 317th, behind both Kazakh cities.
Other Central Asian cities made the list as well. Tashkent, Uzbekistan’s capital, ranks 471st globally, third in the region. Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan’s capital, is fourth in Central Asia at 498th place. Shymkent, another Kazakh city, is fifth regionally and ranks 534th worldwide.
The rankings show progress in Kazakhstan’s urban centers, reflecting improvements in governance, economy, and human capital. The index notes that comparing cities can be difficult due to their different structures.
Globally, New York stays in first place, followed by London, Tokyo, and Paris. Kazakhstan’s strong results could attract more international business and tourism as the country invests in infrastructure and sustainable growth.
