Cities: Skylines is Colossal Order's city-building simulation that became the definitive modern city builder after SimCity 2013's failure. You build and manage a city from a small town to a metropolis of hundreds of thousands, handling traffic, zoning, utilities, public transport, and citizen happiness. The game's deep traffic simulation is both its greatest strength and biggest challenge — everything flows through your road network. With extensive mod support through the Steam Workshop, the game's potential is nearly limitless.
Resource management and crafting determine how quickly your power scales. This guide covers what to prioritize, where to farm, and how to avoid wasting resources on the wrong upgrades.
Crafting Priority List
The order you should invest resources:
| Priority | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Primary equipment | Biggest damage increase per resource spent |
| 2 | Core build gear | Enables your build's key synergies |
| 3 | Defensive upgrades | Survivability for boss fights |
| 4 | Secondary equipment | Situational options for specific content |
| 5 | Consumables | Temporary boosts for hard content |
Resource Farming by Area
Starter Tile
Key resources: Basic unlock milestones, first income stream Farming efficiency: Low value per run, but safe and consistent
Focus on gathering materials for Highway Interchanges upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Industrial District
Key resources: Jobs, tax revenue, goods supply for commercial Farming efficiency: Good early-game farming spot
Focus on gathering materials for Highway Interchanges upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Downtown
Key resources: High tax revenue, tourism income, unique building unlocks Farming efficiency: Best mid-game farming, worth revisiting
Focus on gathering materials for Highway Interchanges upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Harbor Area
Key resources: Cargo traffic reduction, tourism, maritime industry Farming efficiency: High-value materials for late-game upgrades
This is where you farm materials for Roundabouts max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Airport Zone
Key resources: Tourism income, unique commercial demand, prestige Farming efficiency: Best resources in the game, requires strong build
This is where you farm materials for Roundabouts max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Upgrade Path
Early Game (Starter Tile — Industrial District)
- Upgrade your starting equipment to functional level
- Craft basic defensive gear
- Save specialty materials — you'll need them later
- Focus on Highway Interchanges once accessible
Mid Game (Downtown)
- Push Highway Interchanges to mid-level upgrades
- Start collecting materials for Roundabouts
- Craft situational consumables for boss fights
- Upgrade build-specific gear pieces
Late Game (Harbor Area — Airport Zone)
- Max out Roundabouts — this is your top priority
- Complete your build's core gear set
- Craft endgame consumables
- Optional: upgrade secondary equipment for variety
Crafting Mistakes to Avoid
- Spreading upgrades across multiple equipment — Focus one weapon to max before diversifying.
- Hoarding materials — Use them. The game provides enough if you farm efficiently.
- Upgrading the wrong gear — Check our builds guide before investing.
- Ignoring Downtown farming — This area has the best resource-to-time ratio in mid-game.
- Crafting consumables too early — Save specialty materials for late-game recipes.
Resource Efficiency Tips
- Roundabouts fix 90% of traffic problems. Any intersection below 80% traffic flow should be converted to a roundabout.
- Farm Downtown during mid-game for the best return on time
- Check the walkthrough to know when each resource becomes available
- Match your farming route to your build — some classes farm faster in certain areas
More Cities: Skylines Guides
- Cities: Skylines Cities: Skylines Overview
- Cities: Skylines Best Builds
- Cities: Skylines Tier List
- Cities: Skylines Walkthrough
- Cities: Skylines Beginner's Guide
- Cities: Skylines Tips & Tricks
- Cities: Skylines Weapons Guide
- Cities: Skylines Combat Guide
- Cities: Skylines Boss Guide
- Cities: Skylines Maps & Locations
- Cities: Skylines Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Cities: Skylines, check out these related guides:
- Manor Lords Crafting Guide — city-builder game with similar mechanics
- Timberborn Crafting Guide — city-builder game with similar mechanics
- Frostpunk Crafting Guide — city-builder game with similar mechanics
