The　urban　scaling　theory　(UST)　strives　for　a　universal　taxonomy　that　depicts　relationships　among　urban　indicators　(e.g.　energy　consumption,　economic　output)　with　city　size.　However,　the　lack　of　international　agreement　on　city　definitions　and　statistics　complicates　cross-country　comparisons　of　urban　scaling　performance.　Remote　sensing　provides　a　uniform　standard　for　measuring　cities　around　the　world.　To　scrutinize　the　consistency　of　UST,　we　quantified　changes　in　remotely　sensed　urban　built-up　areas　(UBA)　and　nighttime　lights　(NTL)　distributions　from　11,581　cities　in　61　countries　spanning　2000–2020,　representing　urban　physical　elements　and　socioeconomic　activities,　respectively.　We　find　that　UBA　is　well　described　by　UST　in　all　analyzed　countries,　while　NTL　aligns　with　98%　of　them.　UST　quantified　by　remote　sensing　shows　greater　robustness　than　country-dependent　aggregate　statistics.　We　also　observed　disparities　of　scaling　exponents　(β)　among　countries,　with　UBA　all　being　sublinear　(β　＜　1),　and　NTL　ranging　from　0.46　to　1.22　with　a　median　of　0.94.　Both　UST　and　rank-size　distributions　of　urban　area　and　population　show　stronger　scaling　relationships　for　countries　with　larger　networks　of　built　environments,　(Brazil,　China,　Germany,　Japan,　Russia,　United　States)　suggesting　that　both　size　and　evolution　of　urban　systems　impact　the　underlying　scaling　processes.　Comparison　of　scaling　properties　of　remotely　sensed　UBA　and　NTL　captures　complementary　physical　characteristics　of　built　environments　while　minimizing　the　Modifiable　Area　Unit　Problem　introduced　using　spatially　aggregated　metrics　within　administrative　units.　Our　findings　highlight　the　consistency　of　urban　growth　patterns　while　confirming　the　systematic　socioeconomic　disparities　among　urban　systems　of　varying　size　and　growth　trajectory.　©　The　Author(s)　2025.　Published　by　Oxford　University　Press　on　behalf　of　National　Academy　of　Sciences.