// CITY_ASSESSMENT
How smart is Riyadh?
Riyadh scores 59% against the UN ISO-aligned smart city framework in 2026 — ranked #173 of 388 cities assessed, with every finding traceable to a public source.
Smart score
59%
Rank
#173 / 388
Criteria present
39 / 86
Evidence coverage
74.4%
Riyadh's smart city score by area
7 present · 5 partial · 1 absent · 2 not assessed
4 present · 2 partial · 0 absent · 6 not assessed
6 present · 2 partial · 0 absent · 5 not assessed
1 present · 7 partial · 0 absent · 3 not assessed
6 present · 4 partial · 0 absent · 3 not assessed
5 present · 3 partial · 0 absent
10 present · 2 partial · 0 absent · 2 not assessed
Where Riyadh is strong
- ▸Governance & Smart-City Operating Model
- ▸Innovation & Economic Development
- ▸Green Space & Biodiversity
- ▸Health & Digital Health
- ▸Education & Digital Skills
Where the gaps are
- ▸Energy & Smart Grid
- ▸Public Safety & Emergency
- ▸Public Transport & Real-Time Information
- ▸Solid Waste & Circular Economy
- ▸Water & Sanitation
Evidence highlights
Connectivity & ICT Infrastructure · Fibre / high-speed broadband coverage
STC offers "Fiber for every room" and a "Fiber Optic Delivery Service" for home internet, while Zain also provides "5G+ Home Fiber" plans.
https://www.stc.com.sa/en/Connectivity & ICT Infrastructure · 5G mobile coverage
STC lists 5G routers among its devices, and Zain promotes its "5G+" services and coverage, stating it "enables breathtaking new experiences."
https://www.stc.com.sa/en/Urban Data Platform & Digital Twin · Live city data dashboard
The Riyadh Municipality portal mentions 'realtime_data' and an 'Air Quality Index' as part of its features, indicating the presence of a public dashboard for regularly updated city indicators.
https://www.alriyadh.gov.sa/ar/pages/Government-Open-Data.aspxUrban Data Platform & Digital Twin · Integrated urban data platform
The Riyadh Municipality portal refers to an 'Urban Data Center' and 'Portal statistics' alongside 'realtime_data', suggesting an integrated platform for urban data.
https://www.alriyadh.gov.sa/ar/pages/Government-Open-Data.aspxAbout this assessment
Riyadh was assessed against the 86 criteria of the UN ISO-aligned smart city framework on 2026-09-03 by AI agents gathering evidence from official public sources. Each criterion is marked present, partial or absent, and every finding links to where it was found. Scores refresh continuously as cities publish new evidence.