Emerging Standout

Metros in emerging economies that significantly outperform their respective national averages on income per person, productivity, and the capital they attract. Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Cebu City, Davao City, Medellín, Tashkent, Almaty, Tbilisi. Distinct from megacity status: emerging standouts can be relatively small but are rising fast, and the badge highlights metros where the gap between the city and the country has widened over the past decade. Inspired by the Oxford Economics Global Cities Index 2025 'Emerging Standouts' archetype.

18 qualifying metrosMethodology →
RankMetroComposite scoreTier
#49JohannesburgSouth Africa46.2Major Metro
#108Cape TownSouth Africa26.4Major Metro
#116BogotaColombia24.2Major Metro
#124Ho Chi Minh CityVietnam23.3Major Metro
#133NairobiKenya21.8Major Metro
#139LimaPeru20.8Major Metro
#140HanoiVietnam20.3Major Metro
#168BangaloreIndia16.3Regional Hub
#176HyderabadIndia15.4Regional Hub
#181ChennaiIndia15.0Regional Hub
#198MedellinColombia13.7Regional Hub
#237PuneIndia11.5Regional Hub
#238AlmatyKazakhstan11.3Regional Hub
#312CasablancaMorocco8.1Established City
#338TashkentUzbekistan7.3Established City
#378CebuPhilippines6.4Established City
#381TbilisiGeorgia6.3Established City
#1239DavaoPhilippines1.1Emerging City