Jakarta. Jakarta rose three spots to rank 71st in Kearney’s 2025 Global Cities Index (GCI), reflecting the Indonesian capital’s growing resilience amid global volatility and its steady progress toward becoming one of the world’s top 50 cities by 2030.

The latest findings were published in Kearney’s Global Cities Report 2025: Accelerating Through Volatility, which evaluates how 158 cities worldwide adapt to geopolitical uncertainty, rapid technological change, and shifting economic conditions. Bandung in West Java and Surabaya in East Java slipped slightly in this year’s index, ranking 156th and 154th respectively.

Kearney said Jakarta’s upward movement was driven primarily by gains in Human Capital and Political Engagement, two of the index’s five dimensions alongside business activity, information exchange, and cultural experience.

“Jakarta’s rise in the Global Cities Index is a testament to its resilience and ambition,” said Shirley Santoso, President Director of Kearney Indonesia. “Despite global challenges, the city continues to strengthen competitiveness, connectivity, and inclusivity. With sustained collaboration and innovation, Jakarta is clearly on track to achieve its vision of becoming a top-50 global city by 2030.”

The city’s ambition is anchored in the 2025–2029 Regional Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMD), which outlines strategies to transform Jakarta into a global and culturally vibrant city. Priorities include accelerating digital governance, expanding climate-resilient transit-oriented districts, and enhancing human capital to drive productivity and innovation.

These initiatives align with Kearney’s Global Cities Framework, which emphasizes adaptability, innovation, and inclusive growth as hallmarks of global city leadership. Several developments have directly supported Jakarta’s improved standing in the 2025 index:

Business Activity:
Tanjung Priok Port set a new record in 2024 with 7.6 million TEUs handled, while Soekarno-Hatta International Airport reported sustained cargo growth, strengthening trade efficiency and regional connectivity.

Human Capital:
International education providers are expanding into Jakarta, including Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service (opening 2025) and Wellington College Jakarta (opened 2024), broadening global-standard learning opportunities.

Information Exchange:
Jakarta is emerging as one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing data center markets, backed by major investments from Microsoft, Temasek, and BlackRock. The capital is also shaping a more dynamic press ecosystem and open information platforms to boost transparency and innovation.

Cultural Experience:
The city is hosting more global-scale events, from major concerts and festivals to the Jakarta E-Prix (Formula E) and the World Abilitysport Games 2025, reinforcing its profile as an international cultural hub.

Political Engagement:
Jakarta’s policy ecosystem is becoming more data-driven, with collaborations between the regional planning agency Bappeda and Think Policy, as well as an expanding landscape of local think tanks such as Prasasti and The PRAKARSA.

“What we are seeing in Jakarta today is the momentum of a city open to change and opportunity,” said Rohit Sethi, Senior Principal at Kearney Indonesia. “Its development reflects not only local progress but a growing role in shaping the future of global urbanization.”

Kearney identifies 2025 as a period of heightened volatility, weaker social safety nets, and rising tensions. Still, the world’s leading cities continue to serve as engines of connectivity and innovation. The top five global cities remain unchanged: New York, London, Paris, Tokyo, and Singapore.

Jakarta is also gaining recognition in other global benchmarks. In the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Global Livability Index, the city improved from 142nd in 2024 to 132nd in 2025. Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index shows an even sharper jump, from 284th in 2024 to 159th in 2025.

The GCI's top five of New York, London, Paris, Tokyo, and Singapore retained their positions from the previous year. Here are the top 10 cities in Kearney's Global Cities Index 2025: