Vancouver and Montreal ranked 1st and 3rd globally for perceived ease of finding employment 

• Toronto is Canada’s highest-ranked city brand in the latest Brand Finance Global City Index, sitting in 14^th place, a drop from 11^th in 2023. 
• Two other Canadian cities are featured: Vancouver in 29^th and Montreal in 44^th. 
• London, New York, and Paris remain the world’s top 3-ranked cities across all metrics, as Tokyo and Dubai rise to 4^th and 5^th ranks overall. 
• The research is based on a survey of 15,000 respondents across 20 countries, providing global insight into the world’s top city brands. 

[VANCOUVER] 7^th November 2024 – Toronto has dropped three places from 14^th to 11^th in the latest Brand Finance Global City Index, the most comprehensive global survey of city perceptions. 

The 2024 results are based on a survey of over 15,000 respondents across 20 countries, offering a detailed look at how the world’s leading city brands are viewed. Respondents were asked to rate 100 cities on Key Performance Indicators: Familiarity, Reputation, and Consideration, indicating how strongly these cities are perceived as places people would want to live, work, study, visit, retire, and invest in. In addition, respondents chose from 45 attributes grouped under seven pillars, including Culture & Heritage or Business & Investment, that they associated with city brands. 

Toronto has experienced declines in Familiarity, Reputation, and Consideration. However, the city has shown notable progress in the People & Values pillar, climbing 13 places to secure the 9^th position globally. Toronto is now ranked 8^th worldwide for perceptions of it being friendly and 14^th for being open and welcoming. The city also excels in global rankings for lifestyle appeal and places in the top five for consideration as a place to work—both locally and remotely—study, and live. 

Vancouver sits in 29^th overall, down from 26^th in 2023. Representing the country’s west coast, Vancouver scores particularly well for Liveability, ranking 8^th globally and being perceived as the best city in the world for pets. It also places 5^th for being viewed as a clean city that cares for the environment. 

Montreal has dropped five spots in the Index to 44^th. Among Canadian cities, it has the lowest Familiarity globally, ranking 59^th. Like Toronto, Montreal is recognized for being friendly, sitting 4^th globally. Notably, both Montreal and Vancouver are among the top three cities worldwide for ease of finding employment. 

Laurence Newell, Managing Director, Brand Finance North America, commented: 

“Canada’s cities in the Brand Finance Global City Index—Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal—continue to be recognized for their unique qualities, such as liveability, diversity, and strong employment opportunities. However, familiarity with all three cities does not match that of their American counterparts and has declined since 2023. To bolster their global prominence, these cities should showcase their strengths as cultural and economic hubs while emphasizing their commitment to quality of life and community values.” 

Global Results 

London retains its position as the world’s best city brand. London continues to perform well in familiarity and reputation, ranking 2^nd for Education & Science and 3^rd for Culture & Heritage too. However, London is ranked 19^th in Consideration, with respondents indicating they do not perceive it among the best cites to live in, work in, invest in, or retire in – perhaps due to a high cost of living, underscored by its 97^th out of 100 rank for affordability.  

Konrad Jagodzinski, Place Branding Director at Brand Finance, commented,  

“London continues to shine as the world’s best city brand thanks to its strong international presence, rich cultural identity, and renowned educational institutions. However, challenges like affordability and perceived bureaucracy, including post-Brexit visa complexities, impact its image. While London ranks high for global significance and strong economy, its scores in liveability suggest room for improvement in how the city is perceived by international audiences. Strengthening these perceptions will be key for London to maintain its global appeal."  

New York retains 2^nd place in the top 100 and is recognised as the world’s top city of global significance. However, the city faces challenges in Governance, where it ranks a low 65^th, notably following the mayor’s recent involvement in a significant corruption case. On the back of hosting the 2024 Olympics, Paris retains 3^rd rank, with the highest perceptions in the Culture & Heritage pillar. Tokyo climbs to 4^th rank overall, owing to its perception as the world’s leader in science and technology. However, there is a gap between its strong position overall and its lower Consideration ranking (43^rd), driven by its poor scores for language familiarity (76^th) and how hard it is to get a visa (73^rd).  

Though essential for overall success, Brand Finance data reveals that global familiarity is not necessary to develop an edge in a specific dimension. For example, a relatively smaller city like Zurich is perceived as the best place to work in for the second year running, while Melbourne, a regional rather than a global hub, is recognised as the best city to live and retire in. 

David Haigh, Chairman and CEO of Brand Finance, commented, 

“The 2024 study reveals that familiarity can be a double-edged sword. For example, while London remains the world’s best city brand overall, its perceptions across certain metrics have weakened this year. It is no longer considered the world’s top city to visit – overtaken by Rome, or to study in – where Boston is now top of class. These findings provide valuable insights into the changing perceptions and priorities of residents and visitors, which can help guide decision makers in cities across the world in implementing effective strategies to drive growth.” 

Breakdown of top cities across regions  

• Europe: After London (1^st) comes Paris (3^rd), ahead of Amsterdam (10^th), Zurich (11^th), Rome (12^th) and Berlin (13^th). 
• North America: New York is the top city (2^nd), followed by Los Angeles (7^th) San Francisco (9^th) and Toronto (14^th). 
• Asia-Pacific: Behind Tokyo (4^th overall) comes Singapore (6^th), ahead of Sydney (8^th) and Melbourne (22^nd). 
• Middle East & North Africa: Dubai (5^th) leads ahead of Abu Dhabi (30^th). 
• Latin America: Six cities are ranked in the top 100 - Santiago (56^th), Mexico City (58^th), São Paulo (62^nd), Rio de Janeiro (64^th), Buenos Aires (67^th), and Bogotá (87^th). 
• Sub-Saharan Africa: Cape Town is the highest ranked in 66^th overall. Three other cities: Johannesburg (72^nd), Nairobi (85^th), and Lagos (91^st) - are also featured in the Index. 

With the introduction of regional expansions, including the Brand Finance US City Index launched earlier this year, the study helps local governments and destination marketing organizations across the world to understand their city brands better. 

For a detailed breakdown of the rankings and insights into the global city brands, visit the full report at www.brandfinance.com/globalcityindex.