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Turns out, Australia has both beauty and brains. The annual IMD Smart City Index has just named the “smartest” cities in the world for 2026, and four Aussie capitals made the cut – including one in the top ten.
To clear things up: when we talk about a “smart” city, we’re not talking about how many geniuses live there. The Smart City Index evaluates 148 cities based on how effectively they use technology and infrastructure to improve quality of life for their residents while addressing urban challenges like housing, traffic and sustainability. Scores are heavily based on citizen perceptions, with every city receiving an overall rating ranging from AAA right down to D.
Topping the class in Australia was Canberra, which landed eighth on the global list behind Zurich, Oslo, Geneva, London, Copenhagen, Dubai and Lausanne. Our nation’s capital scored well above the global average for overall health and safety, traffic flow, job opportunities and green spaces. However, residents flagged affordable housing (89 per cent) as the city’s key priority to address, followed by health services, public transport, security and fulfilling employment.
The most-improved award goes to Sydney, which leapt to 22nd place globally – up ten spots since 2025. While above the global average, the Harbour City fell behind Canberra when it came to traffic congestion, public safety, air pollution and making minority groups feel welcome. On the flip side, Sydney outshone the capital for tech that boosts personal safety, tools for starting a business and widespread free public Wi-Fi.
Rounding out the local leaderboard, Brisbane was ranked the third-smartest city in Australia, placing 57th globally. Meanwhile, Melbourne was the final Aussie entry in 60th place – a 16-spot drop from 2025. You can explore the full 2026 IMD Smart City Index rankings here.
The 10 smartest cities in the world, according to the 2026 IMD Smart City Index
- Zurich
- Oslo
- Geneva
- London
- Copenhagen
- Dubai
- Lausanne
- Canberra
- Singapore
- Abu Dhabi