This paper discusses the measurement of smart cities using efficiency indices and proposes a comprehensive tool based on the triple-helix model to assess the learning, research, and development capabilities of smart cities. Existing smart city models are divergent and lack alignment, making it difficult to compare and evaluate cities. The proposed tool aims to contribute to science, technology, and innovation policies by assessing the capabilities of participants in the regional innovation system of smart cities. The study follows a non-experimental, cross-sectional, and descriptive methodology consisting of three stages: identification of variables, definition of variables, and construction of the tool. It finds that current smart city indicators focus primarily on technological aspects, efficiency, and management processes, overlooking important factors such as citizen engagement, their capacity to adopt technologies, and their research and knowledge-generation capabilities. This study makes a significant contribution to the field of smart city measurement and evaluation by using the triple-helix model as a conceptual framework. This approach strengthens the existing knowledge about this phenomenon and lays the foundation for future research in this area.