Cities With the Worst Air Quality Right Now
Ürümqi has the most polluted air of any major city we track right now, with PM2.5 around 205.8 µg/m³.
| # | City | Country | PM2.5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 | Ürümqi | China | 205.8 µg/m³ |
| 🥈 | Ürümqi | China | 205.8 µg/m³ |
| 🥉 | Kuwait City | Kuwait | 188.1 µg/m³ |
| 4 | Riyadh | Saudi Arabia | 130.4 µg/m³ |
| 5 | Jakarta | Indonesia | 109.4 µg/m³ |
| 6 | Al Başrah al Qadīmah | Iraq | 108.5 µg/m³ |
| 7 | Basrah | Iraq | 108.5 µg/m³ |
| 8 | Kano | Nigeria | 94.3 µg/m³ |
| 9 | Bekasi | Indonesia | 92.9 µg/m³ |
| 10 | South Tangerang | Indonesia | 92.9 µg/m³ |
| 11 | Lahore | Pakistan | 92.4 µg/m³ |
| 12 | Faisalabad | Pakistan | 92.2 µg/m³ |
| 13 | Depok | Indonesia | 84.5 µg/m³ |
| 14 | Mbuji-Mayi | Democratic Republic of Congo | 75.7 µg/m³ |
| 15 | Kananga | Democratic Republic of Congo | 75.7 µg/m³ |
| 16 | Dubai | United Arab Emirates | 73.6 µg/m³ |
| 17 | Yinchuan | China | 73.3 µg/m³ |
| 18 | Tangerang | Indonesia | 70.3 µg/m³ |
| 19 | Delhi | India | 69.4 µg/m³ |
| 20 | Gujranwala | Pakistan | 68.5 µg/m³ |
| 21 | Santiago | Chile | 65.9 µg/m³ |
| 22 | Johannesburg | South Africa | 65.2 µg/m³ |
| 23 | Luoyang | China | 64.3 µg/m³ |
| 24 | Kinshasa | Democratic Republic of Congo | 63.1 µg/m³ |
| 25 | Brazzaville | Congo | 63.1 µg/m³ |
| 26 | Meerut | India | 60.1 µg/m³ |
| 27 | Ludhiāna | India | 59.8 µg/m³ |
| 28 | Chongqing | China | 58.8 µg/m³ |
| 29 | Dammam | Saudi Arabia | 56.5 µg/m³ |
| 30 | Muscat | Oman | 55.9 µg/m³ |
| 31 | Faridabad | India | 54.7 µg/m³ |
| 32 | Lubumbashi | Democratic Republic of Congo | 54.0 µg/m³ |
| 33 | Chengdu | China | 53.9 µg/m³ |
| 34 | Beijing | China | 51.1 µg/m³ |
| 35 | Bandung | Indonesia | 50.2 µg/m³ |
| 36 | Shijiazhuang | China | 49.4 µg/m³ |
| 37 | Heze | China | 48.8 µg/m³ |
| 38 | Doha | Qatar | 46.8 µg/m³ |
| 39 | Zhengzhou | China | 46.4 µg/m³ |
| 40 | Najafgarh | India | 45.1 µg/m³ |
| 41 | Nanchong | China | 44.1 µg/m³ |
| 42 | Hanoi | Vietnam | 43.0 µg/m³ |
| 43 | Moscow | Russia | 42.4 µg/m³ |
| 44 | Kaifeng | China | 42.0 µg/m³ |
| 45 | Tehran | Iran | 41.4 µg/m³ |
| 46 | Tangshan | China | 40.9 µg/m³ |
| 47 | Sharjah | United Arab Emirates | 40.9 µg/m³ |
| 48 | Soweto | South Africa | 40.7 µg/m³ |
| 49 | Changshu | China | 40.7 µg/m³ |
| 50 | Kakamega | Kenya | 40.6 µg/m³ |
| 51 | Jining | China | 40.5 µg/m³ |
| 52 | Ecatepec de Morelos | Mexico | 40.0 µg/m³ |
| 53 | Tianjin | China | 39.6 µg/m³ |
| 54 | Jinan | China | 39.6 µg/m³ |
| 55 | Saitama | Japan | 39.1 µg/m³ |
| 56 | Harare | Zimbabwe | 39.0 µg/m³ |
| 57 | Shanghai | China | 38.9 µg/m³ |
| 58 | Peshawar | Pakistan | 38.8 µg/m³ |
| 59 | Mexico City | Mexico | 37.1 µg/m³ |
| 60 | Handan | China | 37.1 µg/m³ |
| 61 | Guatemala City | Guatemala | 36.9 µg/m³ |
| 62 | Tokyo | Japan | 36.6 µg/m³ |
| 63 | Yokohama | Japan | 36.6 µg/m³ |
| 64 | Semarang | Indonesia | 36.6 µg/m³ |
| 65 | Abu Dhabi | United Arab Emirates | 36.6 µg/m³ |
| 66 | Jepara | Indonesia | 36.2 µg/m³ |
| 67 | Kampala | Uganda | 36.1 µg/m³ |
| 68 | Liaocheng | China | 36.0 µg/m³ |
| 69 | Shiraz | Iran | 35.5 µg/m³ |
| 70 | Neijiang | China | 34.7 µg/m³ |
| 71 | Kawasaki | Japan | 34.3 µg/m³ |
| 72 | Dalian | China | 34.2 µg/m³ |
| 73 | Nantong | China | 34.1 µg/m³ |
| 74 | Dazhou | China | 33.9 µg/m³ |
| 75 | Multan | Pakistan | 33.8 µg/m³ |
| 76 | Guangzhou | China | 33.4 µg/m³ |
| 77 | Foshan | China | 33.4 µg/m³ |
| 78 | Zhangjiagang | China | 32.7 µg/m³ |
| 79 | Kabul | Afghanistan | 32.1 µg/m³ |
| 80 | Zigong | China | 31.3 µg/m³ |
| 81 | Yichang | China | 30.9 µg/m³ |
| 82 | Isfahan | Iran | 30.6 µg/m³ |
| 83 | Luanda | Angola | 30.3 µg/m³ |
| 84 | Hong Kong | Hong Kong | 29.8 µg/m³ |
| 85 | Kowloon | Hong Kong | 29.8 µg/m³ |
| 86 | Yantai | China | 29.6 µg/m³ |
| 87 | Xi’an | China | 29.3 µg/m³ |
| 88 | Nanyang | China | 28.8 µg/m³ |
| 89 | Taiyuan | China | 28.4 µg/m³ |
| 90 | Baoding | China | 28.1 µg/m³ |
| 91 | Suzhou | China | 28.0 µg/m³ |
| 92 | Kunshan | China | 28.0 µg/m³ |
| 93 | Shangqiu | China | 27.8 µg/m³ |
| 94 | Shiyan | China | 27.6 µg/m³ |
| 95 | Weifang | China | 27.6 µg/m³ |
| 96 | Shenzhen | China | 27.4 µg/m³ |
| 97 | Hong Kong | Hong Kong | 27.4 µg/m³ |
| 98 | Surabaya | Indonesia | 27.1 µg/m³ |
| 99 | Onitsha | Nigeria | 26.8 µg/m³ |
| 100 | Ordos | China | 26.7 µg/m³ |
Why Is the Air So Polluted in These Cities Right Now?
Air quality changes by the hour with traffic, industry, weather and the seasons. The most polluted cities at any moment are often those with heavy emissions trapped by still air or temperature inversions, or affected by dust storms and wildfire smoke. This list samples live PM2.5 readings across hundreds of large cities and updates through the day.
PM2.5, fine particles small enough to reach deep into the lungs, is the pollutant most closely tied to health, which is why we rank by it. Right now the worst air among the cities we track is in Ürümqi, with PM2.5 around 205.8 µg/m³.
Frequently Asked Questions: Cities With the Worst Air Quality Right Now
Which city has the worst air quality right now?
Among the cities we track, Ürümqi has the highest PM2.5 right now, around 205.8 µg/m³ (as of July 20, 2026).
What is PM2.5?
PM2.5 is fine particulate matter under 2.5 microns across, small enough to enter the bloodstream through the lungs. It is the air pollutant most strongly linked to health effects.
Why does air quality change so quickly?
Pollution builds up and clears with traffic, industry and especially the weather. Still air and temperature inversions trap pollutants, while wind and rain wash them away.