Imagine spending more than five full working days each year just sitting still in a vehicle that isn’t moving. Not for long trips or holidays, but simply stuck in traffic during daily routines. That is the reality faced by millions of urban residents in Southeast Asia, according to the latest TomTom Traffic Index report.
The index measures congestion in a straightforward way: by comparing actual travel times with ideal, free-flow conditions. If the result is 60 percent, it means a journey that should take 30 minutes under normal conditions now takes nearly 48 minutes during peak hours. The higher the percentage, the more time is wasted on the road.
The results for Southeast Asia are quite concerning. Of the ten most congested cities in the world, eight are located in this region. More worrying still, most of these cities are not just congested, but are becoming even more congested compared to last year.
Southeast Asia’s Most Congested Cities in 2025
| Rank Globally | City | Average Congestion | Change (vs 2024) | Avg. Speed | Distance in 15 Min | Time Lost / Year | Highway Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Bangkok, TH | 67.9% | ↑ +1.3 pp | 26.1 km/h | 6.5 km | 115 hours | 25.0% |
| 4 | Davao City, PH | 66.2% | ↑ +0.3 pp | 17.5 km/h | 4.4 km | 168 hours | 0.0% |
| 5 | Bandung, ID | 64.1% | ↑ +0.9 pp | 18.5 km/h | 4.6 km | 129 hours | 0.0% |
| 8 | Jakarta, ID | 59.8% | ↑ +1.1 pp | 22.8 km/h | 5.7 km | 125 hours | 20.7% |
| 12 | Manila, PH | 57.0% | ↑ +0.8 pp | 17.2 km/h | 4.7 km | 143 hours | 18.1% |
| 14 | George Town, MY | 56.7% | ↓ -0.5 pp | 22.5 km/h | 5.6 km | 100 hours | 0.0% |
| 16 | Hat Yai, TH | 55.2% | ↓ -0.6 pp | 14.4 km/h | 3.6 km | 118 hours | 0.0% |
| 18 | Medan, ID | 54.2% | ↓ -2.3 pp | 18.8 km/h | 4.7 km | 125 hours | 0.0% |
| 22 | Palembang, ID | 52.7% | ↓ -0.8 pp | 21.2 km/h | 5.3 km | 112 hours | 0.0% |
| 27 | Hanoi, VN | 49.2% | ↑ +2.8 pp | 18.0 km/h | 4.5 km | 148 hours | 0.0% |
So, What Does This Mean For Locals?
Congestion percentages can feel abstract until they are translated into real time. TomTom calculates how many hours are lost each year due to peak-hour traffic—and the results are striking.
Residents of Davao City lose 168 hours per year, the highest on the list. That is equivalent to more than seven full days. Manila is not far behind with 143 hours, followed by Bandung with 129 hours, while Jakarta and Medan each lose 125 hours annually.
Another metric that is easier to visualize is the distance that can be traveled in 15 minutes of driving. In Davao City, the figure is only 4.4 kilometers, roughly the same distance one might cover with a relaxed bike ride. In Hat Yai, it is even lower at just 3.6 kilometers.
Bangkok, despite topping the congestion ranking, records 6.5 kilometers in 15 minutes, thanks to wider roads and the use of toll highways for part of the journey.
Country snapshots
Indonesia emerges as the most affected country in this index, with four cities making the list. Bandung stands out by ranking third globally, surpassing its own capital. The city records an average speed of just 18.5 km/h, while its congestion level has risen by 0.9 percentage points compared to last year.
Jakarta follows closely in fourth place, with congestion increasing even more sharply, by 1.1 percentage points. A rare piece of positive news comes from Medan, which managed to reduce congestion by 2.3 percentage points, marking the largest improvement among all cities in the ranking.
Thailand places two cities on the list with contrasting trends. Bangkok remains firmly at the top and has worsened further, with congestion rising by 1.3 percentage points. Meanwhile, Hat Yai in the south has seen a slight improvement of 0.6 points, although it still ranks seventh globally.
The Philippines is represented by Davao City and Manila, both experiencing rising congestion levels. Davao City records the highest total time lost in traffic across the entire index, while Manila struggles with the second-lowest average speed at just 17.2 km/h.
Malaysia appears on the list through George Town, one of the few cities that has managed to reduce congestion, with a decline of 0.5 percentage points.
Outside the top ten, Hanoi (Vietnam) is the city to watch. It recorded the largest increase in congestion across the index, up 2.8 percentage points to 49.2 percent. If this trend continues, Hanoi could enter the top ten within the next few years.
Regional Trend: An Unresolved Structural Problem
Of the Southeast Asian cities in the global top twenty, five recorded increases in congestion compared to 2024. Only three showed improvement, and even those gains were marginal relative to the increases seen elsewhere. Overall, the regional trend is clearly moving in a negative direction rather than improving.
The root causes are no secret: rapid urbanization, a surge in private vehicle ownership that far exceeds existing road capacity, and public transport investment that has not kept pace with demand.
Unless these three factors are addressed seriously and simultaneously, next year’s index will likely tell the same story—only with higher numbers.
