The southern metropolis was also named one of five "Cities to Watch" in the Asia-Pacific region, alongside Kuala Lumpur, Bengaluru, Shenzhen, and Tashkent.
The index evaluates cities across 27 indicators spanning five core categories, including Economics, Human Capital, Quality of Life, Environment, and Governance. Ho Chi Minh City ranked 142nd in Economics, 71st in Human Capital, 342nd in Quality of Life, 555th in Environment, and 625th in Governance.
Data from the report shows that in 2025, Ho Chi Minh City recorded a GDP of US$128 billion, a per capita GDP of US$9,000, and a population of 14.2 million. Oxford Economics highlighted three key strengths for the city: rapid GDP growth, relatively high income equality, and economic stability. It is projected to rank among the world's 50 fastest-growing cities over the next five years.
Compared to 2025, Ho Chi Minh City improved its position in Governance, Human Capital, and Economics, advancing 194, 106, and 69 spots, respectively. However, its Quality of Life rank dropped 17 places, while Environment fell by 100 spots—two areas municipal authorities have identified as key priorities for 2026–2030.
Having trailed Hanoi in the 2025 rankings, Ho Chi Minh City emerged as Vietnam's top-performing city in 2026, ahead of Hanoi (243rd), Da Nang (375th), and Hai Phong (667th). Within ASEAN, the city lags behind Singapore (29th), Kuala Lumpur (65th), Bangkok (122nd), and Jakarta (140th).
Regionally across Asia, Ho Chi Minh City ranks behind Seoul (38th) and Shenzhen (93rd) but sits ahead of Shanghai (216th), Delhi (268th), and Mumbai (330th).
Oxford Economics projects that by 2050, Ho Chi Minh City’s GDP will approach that of Berlin. Its per capita income—currently outside the top 500 cities—is expected to surpass the European average by 2045.
Published annually, the Global Cities Index ranks 1,000 cities across 163 countries using functional urban area boundaries rather than administrative borders. The Governance category is measured at the national level, resulting in identical scores for cities within the same country.
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