Bengaluru: Mangaluru has secured the 665th position globally in the 2026 Oxford Economics Global Cities Index, featuring among six Karnataka cities in the ranking of the world’s 1,000 major cities.
Mangaluru has been categorised as a ‘Coastal Hub Driving Growth’ in the index. The other Karnataka cities featured in the global ranking are Bengaluru, Mysuru, Belagavi, Hubballi-Dharwad and Kalaburagi.
The cities have been assessed across five key parameters — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance.
Six Karnataka cities feature in global ranking
The inclusion of six cities from Karnataka highlights the varied urban strengths of the state, ranging from technology and innovation to heritage, coastal development, industry and education.
Bengaluru, described in the index as ‘India’s Innovation Capital’, ranks 311th globally. Mysuru, categorised as a ‘Heritage City with Global Appeal’, occupies the 628th position.
Mangaluru follows at 665th globally under the ‘Coastal Hub Driving Growth’ category.
Belagavi ranks 683rd and has been placed in the ‘City of Opportunities’ category. Hubballi-Dharwad is ranked 707th globally and described as an ‘Engineering, Industrial and Education Hub’.
Kalaburagi occupies the 781st position under the ‘Rich Heritage, Growing Future’ category.
The rankings place the six Karnataka cities at different positions based on the index’s assessment of their economic and social characteristics, quality of life, environmental conditions and governance.
Mangaluru placed in coastal growth category
Mangaluru’s classification as a ‘Coastal Hub Driving Growth’ reflects its position as a major coastal urban centre in Karnataka.
The city combines its location on the Arabian Sea with economic activity, education, healthcare, tourism, logistics and emerging technology sectors.
Its inclusion in the global list of 1,000 cities provides an international benchmark for assessing Mangaluru alongside other major urban centres.
The 665th position places Mangaluru between Mysuru and Belagavi among the six Karnataka cities included in the 2026 index.
Bengaluru leads Karnataka cities
Bengaluru is the highest-ranked Karnataka city in the 2026 Oxford Global Cities Index, occupying the 311th position globally.
The city has been identified as ‘India’s Innovation Capital’, reflecting its established position as a major centre for technology, innovation and economic activity.
Among Indian cities, Bengaluru ranks ahead of Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad in the global list.
Mumbai is ranked 330th globally, while Chennai occupies the 381st position and Hyderabad ranks 421st.
The rankings show the presence of several Indian metropolitan and regional centres among the world’s leading cities.
100 Indian cities included
The 2026 Oxford Global Cities Index includes 100 Indian cities among the 1,000 cities ranked globally.
The presence of 100 Indian cities in the ranking reflects the increasing significance of the country’s urban centres in the global urban system.
Indian cities included in the index represent a wide range of economic and urban profiles, from technology-driven metropolitan centres to heritage cities, industrial hubs and coastal urban centres.
The Karnataka entries similarly cover different urban characteristics.
Bengaluru represents innovation and technology, Mysuru has been recognised for its heritage and global appeal, Mangaluru for coastal growth, Belagavi for opportunities, Hubballi-Dharwad for engineering, industry and education, and Kalaburagi for its heritage and future growth potential.
Five parameters used for assessment
The Oxford Economics Global Cities Index assesses cities using five broad dimensions: economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance.
These parameters are used to examine different aspects of urban performance rather than relying on a single measure of economic output.
The economics component considers the strength and performance of a city’s economy, while human capital reflects factors associated with the population and workforce.
Quality of life, environment and governance provide additional dimensions for evaluating the broader conditions in which cities operate.
The resulting index brings these different aspects together to rank major cities globally.
Oxford Economics conducts global urban research
Oxford Economics is an independent economic advisory organisation that conducts research covering more than 200 countries, 100 industry sectors and 8,000 cities and regions.
The organisation provides economic data, analysis and solutions intended to assist decision-makers in responding to changing global economic conditions.
The Oxford Global Cities Index is prepared by Oxford Economics’ Cities and Regions team, which comprises more than 40 economists specialising in urban data, city growth and future economic forecasts.
The 2026 index ranks 1,000 leading cities worldwide and provides a comparative assessment of their economic, human, environmental and governance characteristics.
For Karnataka, the inclusion of six cities in the index demonstrates the diversity of its urban centres. The rankings encompass Bengaluru’s technology-driven economy, Mysuru’s heritage appeal, Mangaluru’s coastal role, Belagavi’s opportunities, Hubballi-Dharwad’s industrial and educational base and Kalaburagi’s heritage and emerging growth profile.
Mangaluru’s 665th global position and its classification as a ‘Coastal Hub Driving Growth’ place the coastal city among the 1,000 cities assessed in the 2026 global index.