INRIX Global Traffic Rankings
Our Global Traffic Scorecard provides detailed of transportation insights and ranks the world’s most congested cities. View our global traffic scorecard here.
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The Economic Cost of Congestion

Traffic congestion occurs when demand for roadway travel exceeds the supply of roadways. As vehicular traffic builds, drivers, freight movers and bus riders lose time and spend fuel unproductively. That “lost time” has a value that we analyze in the 2023 Global Traffic Scorecard.

In addition to lost time, negative externalities like freight delay, inflationary pressure and environmental impact are generally exacerbated due to traffic congestion. While not measured in this report, these externalities decrease the quality of life across globe.

Another large cost of travel is fuel. Throughout 2023, global oil prices resulted in increased fuel costs to travelers. INRIX quantified how much a typical commute costs in each country as well as in key cities based on commute-specific travel data.

Downtown Trips

Throughout the pandemic, metro areas around the world experienced significant drops in trips to and from city centers as workers shifted to telecommuting and hybrid schedules. In addition, other businesses, dependent on office workers heading into downtown, often adjusted schedules or reduced their goods or services due to fewer customers. Between 2021 and 2023, however, most downtowns saw increases in both vehicle volumes and travel times, though most downtowns still sit below pre-COVID norms.