Current Status

At Risk — Saudi Arabia aims to have three cities ranked among the world’s top 100 most liveable cities by 2030. Riyadh has made significant progress and is approaching the threshold, but achieving the target across three cities remains challenging given the starting position and the competitive nature of global city rankings.

Key Metrics

Trend Analysis

The ambition to place three Saudi cities in the global top 100 is among the most transformative targets in the Vision 2030 framework. In 2016, no Saudi city appeared in the top 100 of major global liveability indices — the EIU Liveability Index, Mercer Quality of Living, or Monocle Quality of Life Survey. Saudi cities were penalised by limited entertainment and cultural offerings, restricted social freedoms, extreme climate conditions, car-dependent urban design, and limited public transport, as assessed in the cities and environment priority.

The transformation since then has been substantial but the gap remains significant. Riyadh has been the primary focus, with the Royal Commission for Riyadh City overseeing investments exceeding SAR 100 billion in urban upgrades including the Riyadh Metro (the world’s largest urban transit project under construction), the Diriyah Gate development, the King Salman Park (the largest urban park in the Middle East), and the Sports Boulevard. The city’s entertainment and cultural offerings have expanded dramatically, with Riyadh Season becoming one of the world’s largest entertainment festivals. Air quality improvements, green space expansion, and pedestrianisation initiatives are addressing environmental liveability factors.

Jeddah has similarly invested in waterfront development, historic district preservation (the Al-Balad UNESCO site), and transport infrastructure. The Eastern Province’s Dammam-Dhahran-Khobar metropolitan area benefits from Aramco-related economic vitality and is pursuing its own urban improvement programme. However, the challenge with global liveability rankings is that they are relative: as Saudi cities improve, so do competitors. The top 100 is dominated by cities in Western Europe, Australasia, Japan, and Canada that have decades of investment in the factors these indices measure. The EIU index weights stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure — domains where Saudi Arabia has improved but still trails established leaders.

Methodology

Global city liveability rankings are published by several organisations, with the most widely referenced being the EIU (Economist Intelligence Unit) Global Liveability Index, Mercer Quality of Living Survey, and Monocle Quality of Life Survey. Each uses different methodologies and weightings. The EIU index rates cities on a 100-point scale across five categories: stability (25%), healthcare (20%), culture and environment (25%), education (10%), and infrastructure (20%). Mercer assesses 39 factors across 10 categories. Saudi Arabia’s KPI does not specify which ranking system defines “top 100,” providing flexibility but also ambiguity. Progress is tracked against multiple indices to provide a comprehensive view.

Related Priorities

Urban liveability connects to virtually every dimension of Vision 2030. It reflects healthcare quality (Healthcare Quality Index), cultural vibrancy (Household Cultural Spending), social satisfaction (World Happiness Index), and physical activity infrastructure (Youth Physical Activity). The Riyadh Strategy, which aims to grow the capital’s population to 15 million by 2030, depends on improving liveability to attract domestic migrants and international talent. The giga-projects — NEOM, The Red Sea, and Qiddiya — represent alternative approaches to creating globally competitive urban environments from scratch.

Outlook

Achieving three cities in the top 100 by 2030 is the most challenging qualitative target in the Vision 2030 framework. Riyadh’s trajectory is the most advanced, and with the Metro opening, Diriyah Gate completion, and continued cultural expansion, a top-100 placement is plausible by 2028-2030. Jeddah’s path is longer but possible with sustained investment. The third city is the greatest challenge — whether Dammam, a maturing NEOM, or another candidate can reach top-100 status within the timeframe is uncertain.

The Vanderbilt Portfolio’s assessment is that one city (Riyadh) is likely to achieve or approach top-100 status by 2030, with a second city (Jeddah) possible but not certain. Three cities in the top 100 by 2030 would require acceleration beyond current trajectories. This KPI may be achieved on a slightly extended timeline, with 2032-2035 being a more realistic horizon for three cities. The investments being made, however, are unambiguously moving in the right direction.