Ranked: 100 best cities in the world 2024

The 100 best cities in the world have been ranked for 2024 based on livability, lovability and prosperity. We take a look at the results

In 2018, a UN study suggested that 55% (4.2 billion people) of the world’s population lived in urban areas.

This proportion is projected to increase to 68% by 2050. Wherever the world’s expats, digital nomads and remote workers choose to relocate, chances are it will be in a city.

With this in mind, Canadian consultancy film Resonance, which has offices in Vancouver, Montreal, Singapore and New York, has published its annual report ranking 100 cities with populations of over one million.

The firm’s analysis of 270 cities is now in its 15th year and is widely regarded as the most credible source of city performance.

Contrary to similar “best-of” lists, Resonance’s index assesses a city’s culture, diversity, prosperity, infrastructure and employment opportunities. The data comes from a combination of core statistics from 400 global cities as well as user-generated ratings and reviews.

Methodology

This year, Resonance has taken a slightly different approach to its best cities in the world ranking and regrouped its 24 factors into three key categories: livability, lovability and prosperity. They call this the ‘Place Power Score’.

The 24 factors cover a range of criteria including climate, access to outdoor space, education and work prospects, population diversity, leisure options and online popularity.

Livability

• Walk Score: a city’s walkability score on Walk Score
• Biking: a city’s number of mapped bike routes per 1000,000 residents on Bikemap 
• Sights & Landmarks: number of quality points of interest, neighbourhoods and landmarks recommended by locals and visitors according to Tripadvisor
• Parks & Recreation: number of quality parks and outdoor activities recommended by locals and visitors according to Tripadvisor
• Airport Connectivity: number of direct destinations served by the city’s airports on FlightsFrom.com
• Museums: number of quality museums and arts institutions recommended by locals and visitors (Tripadvisor)
• Higher Education: Score of the top local university according to their QS Rankings

Lovability

• Culture: number of quality performing arts and cultural experiences recommended by locals and visitors (Tripadvisor)
• Nightlife: number of quality nightlife experiences recommended by locals and visitors (Tripadvisor)
• Restaurants: number of quality restaurants and culinary experiences recommended by locals and visitors (Tripadvisor)
• Shopping: number of quality shopping experiences recommended by locals and visitors (Tripadvisor)
• Attractions: number of quality family-friendly activities recommended by locals and visitors (Tripadvisor)
• Facebook Check-ins: number of Facebook check-ins (Facebook)
• Google Search: number of Google search results (Google)
• Tripadvisor Reviews: number of Tripadvisor reviews (Tripadvisor)
  • Instagram Hashtags: number of Instagram hashtags (Instagram)
• Google Trends: Popularity on Google Trends in the past 12 months (Google Trends)

Prosperity

• Educational Attainment: percentage of the population with a bachelor’s degree or higher (OECD/UNESCO Institute of Statistics/US Census, American Community Survey 2021)
• Labor Force Participation: percentage of the economy’s active workforce (World Bank/OECD/Statistics Canada/U.S. Census, American Community Survey 2021)
• GDP per Capita: value of goods and services produced per resident in the economy (McKinsey Global Institute)
• Poverty Rate: percentage of the population living below the national poverty line (World Bank/Eurostat/UNICEF/OECD)
• Fortune Global 500 Companies: number of Fortune Global 500 corporate headquarters (Fortune Global500) number of start-ups number of registered start-ups in a city (StartupBlink)
• Convention Center Size: the size of the largest convention centre in a city (10times.com)

What is the world’s best city?

London is the best city in the world for the ninth year in a row. The ‘capital of capitals’ has taken the top spot despite concerns surrounding the city’s post-Brexit future. However, the report’s authors believe the city continues to draw talent and visitors en masse and will eventually weather the storm and even emerge stronger.

The UK capital scored highly in the programming, promotion, product and prosperity categories but was some way behind in the place category. Unemployment and a waning economy have meant the city’s number one position is under serious threat.

“As the “capital of capitals” deftly negotiates the uncharted, perilous terrain of a post-Brexit and pandemic world, it does so atop our ranking for the ninth straight year.”

– World’s Best Cities, Resonance

London is closely followed by the usual suspects of Paris and New York. Paris remains ahead of New York, thanks to its ambitious sustainability policies which have included expanding cycle routes, reducing city speed limits and tree planting as it aims to become Europe’s greenest city by 2030.

New York, America’s greatest city, is in third thanks to the high number of Global 500 companies located in the Big Apple as well as the city’s endless nightlife, shopping and attractions that sustain its ‘enduring allure’.

“The world’s urban centers are the engines of their regional and national economies and, importantly, the global economy. For centuries, they’ve been badges of human ingenuity. Yes, they’ve been hobbled this decade, exposing the long-ignored foundational and institutional problems that manifested on their streets and in their hospitals. But they’re also leading—like they always have—the recovery and future-defining next stages of
innovation, livability and sustainability”

– World’s Best Cities, Resonance

Tokyo in Japan is Asia’s highest-ranked city in fourth place and the safest metropolis on the planet. The city is poised to benefit from the range of new infrastructure constructed for the Olympics which will no doubt come in handy in the future.

“The futuristic metropolis is tapping its ancient feudal roots by investing in street-level livability and resident well-being – in the wake of the Olympics.”

World’s Best Cities, Resonance

The report also highlights Tokyo’s popularity with shoppers as well as the city’s relentlessly expanding foodie scene. The metropolis offers as many restaurants as the top five cities combined – more than 100,000 in total!

This year, the city-state of Singapore has moved into the top five. It has been recognised for its prolific modern shopping malls, frequently touted as some of the world’s best. The city has also won praise for its new cycling routes and green spaces. Traditionally known for its manicured approach to nature, recent efforts have seen the city’s cycling and hiking infrastructure improved. Most notably, the 24km-long Rail Corridor – traversing the city from south to north along the former railway line that linked Singapore to Malaysia – is now among the city’s most popular cycling and hiking trails.

Dubai in the UAE is the sixth best city in the world thanks to its ‘alluring blend of over-the-top experiences, Arab heritage and luxury shopping’. The city is arguably the globe’s most cosmopolitan with almost 83% of its population foreign-born – the highest proportion of any city in the world. Many of its expat community tend to be well-educated – performing consistently well for Educational Attainment globally.

best cities in the world – complete ranking

Below you can view the complete ranking of the best cities in the world by their three key categories: livability, lovability and prosperity – AKA their ‘Place Power Score’.

Rank	City	Live	Love	Pros	Population
1	London, UK	1	1	3	12,434,823
2	Paris, France	2	3	14	13,114,718
3	New York, USA	6	2	12	19,768,458
4	Tokyo, Japan	3	4	11	37,732,000
5	Singapore, Singapore	17	14	2	5,983,000
6	Dubai, UAE	35	5	4	6,404,000
7	San Francisco, USA	20	28	5	4,623,264
8	Barcelona, Spain	10	7	48	5,111,749
9	Amsterdam, Netherlands	5	22	24	2,891,907
10	Seoul, South Korea	26	31	8	23,016,000
11	Rome, Italy	4	6	150	4,303,821
12	Prague, Czechia	12	17	39	2,259,981
13	Madrid, Spain	18	10	43	7,005,286
14	Berlin, Germany	14	15	38	4,979,867
15	Los Angeles, USA	19	13	30	12,997,353
16	Chicago, USA	15	16	44	9,510,390
17	Washington DC, USA	30	23	15	6,358,652
18	Beijing, China	11	78	16	18,522,000
19	Istanbul, Türkiye	8	8	181	15,636,000
20	Dublin, Ireland	28	46	22	544,107
21	Vienna, Austria	13	32	72	1,890,000
22	Milan, Italy	9	24	141	4,961,743
23	Toronto, Canada	47	25	25	6,771,000
24	Boston, USA	40	58	18	4,899,932
25	Abu Dhabi, UAE	236	84	1	1,374,000
26	Budapest, Hungary	41	30	31	3,002,758
27	São Paulo, Brazil	27	9	161	23,086,000
28	Riyadh, Saudi Arabia	140	105	7	7,237,000
29	Stockholm, Sweden	39	100	20	2,308,143
30	Munich, Germany	22	61	40	3,016,834
31	Melbourne, Australia	34	37	53	4,721,000
32	Lisbon, Portugal	16	39	112	3,013,027
33	Zürich, Switzerland	42	112	21	1,936,563
34	Seattle, USA	53	53	26	4,011,553
35	Sydney, Australia	55	29	51	4,712,000
36	Doha, Qatar	146	149	9	1,886,000
37	Brussels, Belgium	23	43	81	3,331,496
38	San Jose, USA	163	214	6	2,025,000
39	Bangkok, Thailand	46	12	155	18,007,000
40	Warsaw, Poland	54	60	27	3,189,533
41	Copenhagen, Denmark	32	80	37	1,928,612
42	Taipei, Taiwan	52	52	42	9,079,000
43	Austin, USA	60	56	29	2,352,426
44	Oslo, Norway	33	134	28	1,278,827
45	Osaka, Japan	73	40	45	15,126,000
46	Hong Kong SAR, China	49	19	138	7,450,000
47	Tel Aviv, Israel	86	95	23	2,799,000
48	Athens, Greece	29	47	107	3,154,000
49	Frankfurt, Germany	25	97	65	2,678,557
50	Vancouver, Canada	43	68	62	2,460,000
51	San Diego, USA	81	44	54	3,286,069
52	Orlando, USA	68	26	101	2,691,925
53	Helsinki, Finland	44	126	36	1,551,959
54	Miami, USA	51	33	113	6,091,747
55	Buenos Aires, Argentina	38	27	149	16,710,000
56	Hamburg, Germany	59	57	66	3,421,692
57	Brisbane, Australia	24	85	109	2,628,083
58	Kuwait, Kuwait	253	67	10	4,289,000
59	Las Vegas, USA	154	11	142	2,292,476
60	Montreal, Canada	70	50	75	3,707,000
61	Glasgow, UK	64	89	47	1,830,710
62	Shanghai, China	21	63	139	24,073,000
63	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	31	21	207	12,592,000
64	Auckland, New Zealand	45	86	80	1,446,000
65	Atlanta, USA	91	51	61	6,144,970
66	Houston, USA	122	38	63	7,206,841
67	Busan, South Korea	149	140	17	3,814,000
68	Philadelphia, USA	63	73	74	6,228,601
69	Naples, Italy	7	34	244	3,298,730
70	Denver, USA	110	83	35	2,972,567
71	Nashville, USA	79	65	69	2,013,506
72	Manchester, UK	56	76	88	3,348,274
73	Dallas, USA	105	64	52	7,759,615
74	Liverpool, UK	50	88	97	1,533,860
75	Minneapolis, USA	95	147	32	3,690,512
76	Mexico City, Mexico	57	45	137	21,804,000
77	Minsk, Belarus	184	133	19	2,147,000
78	Lyon, France	84	94	70	2,280,845
79	Portland, USA	128	79	49	2,510,696
80	Rotterdam, Netherlands	89	178	41	1,890,814
81	Bogotá, Colombia	88	48	118	10,085,000
82	Kraków, Poland	36	66	152	1,423,451
83	Valencia, Spain	48	74	134	1,768,205
84	Santiago, Chile	71	55	127	7,171,000
85	Birmingham, UK	69	87	100	2,643,000
86	New Orleans, USA	83	49	128	1,261,726
87	Bucharest, Romania	97	93	67	2,478,618
88	Leeds, UK	87	111	71	2,619,128
89	Muscat, Oman	220	242	13	1,332,000
90	Ottawa, Canada	116	119	58	1,085,000
91	Cologne, Germany	76	108	108	2,215,509
92	Charlotte, USA	98	120	73	2,701,046
93	Calgary, Canada	182	101	33	1,319,000
94	Nagoya, Japan	144	116	46	9,197,000
95	Düsseldorf, Germany	62	166	106	6,237,000
96	Hanoi, Vietnam	61	41	184	7,547,000
97	Gothenburg, Sweden	104	229	60	629,000
98	Sapporo, Japan	117	148	68	2,028,000
99	Bilbao, Spain	123	191	56	1,048,966
100	Baltimore, USA	112	135	77	2,838,327

More rankings and articles can be found in our remote work area:
► Most dangerous countries in the world
► Countries with the best healthcare in the world
► World’s worst countries to drive in
► Best countries for women
► Happiest countries in the world
► World’s most powerful passport
► Countries with the fastest internet in the world
► Most stressed countries in the world
► Most expensive cities for expats
► World’s most democratic countries

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Lead image: Dafinka/Shutterstock