Dubai, Shanghai, Seoul Leading Digital Innovation Based on Study
March 5, 2025A recent study by ZeroBounce revealed the top ten most digitally dependent cities in the world based on nine crucial digital infrastructure categories. The analysis evaluated cities on internet speed (Speedtest Global Rank) and public Wi-Fi availability. It also considered online maintenance reporting systems, CCTV coverage, and pollution monitoring applications. Additionally, the study examined digital healthcare access, smart parking solutions, and transportation infrastructure digitization. Real-time traffic information systems were also included. Each category was scored on a scale of 0-100. The final ranking was determined by a weighted average of these scores.
| Rank | City Name | Continent | Digital Nomad Ranking | Score |
| 1 | Dubai | Middle East | 4.0 | 79.1 |
| 2 | Shanghai | Asia | 3.9 | 71.4 |
| 3 | Seoul | Asia | 4.5 | 70.0 |
| 4 | Beijing | Asia | 3.9 | 66.3 |
| 5 | Singapore | Asia | 3.6 | 64.6 |
| 6 | Taiwan | Asia | 3.8 | 60.9 |
| 7 | Amsterdam | Europe | 5.1 | 55.3 |
| 8 | Barcelona | Europe | 5.8 | 53.3 |
| 9 | New York City | North America | 3.9 | 51.9 |
| 10 | Stockholm | Europe | 4.7 | 51.8 |
*To access the full research, please follow the link.
Dubai, UAE, ranks 1st with a score of 79 as the most digitally dependent city in 2025. The city has the highest CCTV camera presence at 88.5. Dubai ranks second globally in internet speed performance and ranks one of the highest in online reporting of maintenance problems.
Shanghai, China ranks 2nd with a score of 71. The city achieves the highest scores in several categories: pollution monitoring (89.7), digitized transport infrastructure (87.5), and online traffic information (88.1). Shanghai’s maintenance problem reporting system scores 84.5, exceeding Dubai’s by 8%.
Seoul, South Korea, ranks 3rd, scoring 70. With the 19th global internet speed rank, the city shows strong performance in public Wi-Fi availability and CCTV coverage (80.6). Seoul’s digital nomad ranking of 4.47 surpasses both Dubai’s 4.01 and Shanghai’s 3.92.
With a score of 66, Beijing, China, is the 4th digitally dependent city in 2025. The city’s pollution monitoring systems score 86.5, second only to Shanghai’s, while its digital transport infrastructure score of 83.7 shows China’s continued dominance in urban digitization.
Scoring 65, Singapore takes the 5th spot. The city-state excels in CCTV coverage (80.8) and pollution monitoring at 62, outperforming the top-ranking Dubai. While its transport infrastructure score of 63.2 trails the top four cities, Singapore maintains strong public Wi-Fi availability with complete coverage.
Amsterdam, Netherlands, is 7th with a score of 55. The city has one of the highest digital nomad rankings at 5.11, significantly higher than all Asian cities in the top 6. Amsterdam also ranks as the highest European city due to reliable internet infrastructure (Speedtest rank 22).
Barcelona, Spain, ranks 8th, scoring 53. The city achieves the highest digital nomad ranking (5.82) among all the top 10 cities, though its public service digitization scores are lower, with CCTV coverage at 41.2 and pollution monitoring at 41.
With a score of 52, NYC, USA, ranks 9th in 2025. As North America’s sole representative, it maintains balanced scores across categories. It has nearly double the CCTV coverage of Amsterdam (57.2 vs. 35.4), reinforcing urban security. However, it lags behind Barcelona in online transport efficiency by 7%, making it less digitally integrated in urban mobility.
Rounding out the top ten, Stockholm, Sweden, achieves a score of 51 for being one of the most digital cities. The city stands out with strong internet connectivity (15th globally) and the highest digitized transport Infrastructure score among European cities at 70, though its pollution monitoring score of 57.8 falls below the top 10 average.
Brian Minick, Chief Operating Officer at ZeroBounce, commented on the study: “It’s fascinating to see the data ranking the cities with the strongest digital infrastructure around the world. This infrastructure not only improves transportation and public safety but also enhances access to essential services like healthcare and digital governance. Our study shows that cities in the Middle East and Asia lead in forward-thinking technology and thus streamline public services, improve mobility, and create safer, more connected environments.”
Story Credit: https://www.zerobounce.net/
