Jeddah, the Kingdom's coastal hub, was officially named the top-ranked city in Saudi Arabia for quality of life.
The Red Sea coastal city placed in 74th position on the global Quality of Life Index for 2025, conducted by Numbeo. This ranking means that Jeddah comes top of the list for Saudi Arabia's listed cities, and also is well positioned within the GCC cities that are ranked for this mid-year check in.
Saudi Arabia's city of Dammam closely follows Jeddah in the rankings for best Quality of Life, and has been placed on the list in 79th position. Whilst the Kingdom's capital city of Riyadh comes in 137th position. Other GCC cities are also listed, such as Abu Dhabi (99), Dubai (94), Sharjah (170), Muscat (33), Manama (118) and Doha (109).
Currently undergoing major urban revitalisation, this ranking marks Jeddah's significant ascent in the international rankings is a direct reflection of the city’s extensive improvement initiatives, which align with the ambitious Quality of Life Program and also support the main pillars of Saudi's Vision 2030 plans. These projects, overseen by the Jeddah Municipality, have focused on elevating public safety, bolstering healthcare facilities, and modernising essential infrastructure to directly benefit both its inhabitants and visitors.
A key element of this city-wide transformation is the rejuvenation of Jeddah's relationship with the sea.
The development of five comprehensive coastal waterfronts has introduced vast public spaces complete with cafes and eateries, dedicated lanes for walking and cycling, playgrounds for children, and aesthetically pleasing and locally curated art sculptures. This is also coupled with Jeddah's 'Water Taxi', which launched earlier this year. Only in its initial phase of operation, the water taxi project currently connects three key areas in the city: the Jeddah Yacht Club, the city's historic Al-Balad district, and the newly renovated Obhur and South Obhur area, which is now home to Saudi Arabia's first all-inclusive luxury hotel, Rixos Obhur.
Beyond the coast, the municipality has increased the city’s green spaces, inaugurating more than 445 parks and gardens in various neighbourhoods, including the expansive Prince Majid Park. Simultaneously, efforts have enhanced pedestrian mobility through wider sidewalks and modern lighting, fostering a safer and more active lifestyle.
Finally, the Red Sea city has also adopted a set of advanced waste management strategies, including resource recovery and pollution monitoring, contributing to better environmental comfort and air quality. By successfully balancing its economic growth with environmental and social well-being, Jeddah has set a new national standard for a modern, liveable urban centre.
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Top 10 Cities on Quality of Life Index 2025 (Mid Year)
Numbeo is a crowd-sourced online database that collects and analyses information on the cost of living, property prices, quality of life, and various socioeconomic indicators for cities and countries worldwide. The data published by the global data platform, Numbeo, lists 279 cities around the world ranking 'Quality of Life' based on several reasonings including purchasing power, levels of crime, time spent in traffic and even pollution measurements.
It is important to note that this data is based off mid-year conclusions, and the rankings could change upon final year review.
The top ten cities for best Quality of Life, according to the data collated by Numbeo, are:
