• Malaysia’s capital shines among top 50 global cities with ‘attractive personal taxation’ and perceived as ‘easy to do business in’
• Kuala Lumpur stands at 70thplace in a new ranking of the world’s top 100 best city brands, ahead of Perth, Jakarta and Manila
• London, New York, and Paris remain world’s top three ranked cities across all metrics, as Tokyo and Dubai rise to 4th and 5th ranks
• The research is based on a survey of 15,000 respondents across 20 countries, providing global insight on the world’s top city brands
  

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.

Kuala Lumpur has experienced growth in the Education and Science pillar, moving up from the 78th rank to 70th, supported by a rise in the rankings of key attributes including ‘great publicly funded schools’ (up 17 ranks), ‘leader in science and technology’ (up three ranks) and ‘great private schools’ (up by one rank).

The vibrant ASEAN city ranked as the 38th city globally for attributes of ‘attractive personal taxation’ with a significant 32 spot rise compared to 2023, ahead of Bangkok, Tokyo and Seoul this year.

In addition, Kuala Lumpur also ranked as the 43rd city globally for the ‘easy to do business in’ attribute, ahead of Bangkok, Sydney and Jakarta.

Global Results

London retains its position as the world’s top city brand. The city excels in Familiarity (3rd) and Reputation (3rd), exemplifying its strong global profile and appeal. However, London faces challenges in Consideration (19th), particularly in areas like living, investing, and retiring, with affordability (97th) emerging as a major concern. New York and Paris hold the 2ndand 3rd ranks, respectively. Paris leads in Culture & Heritage, while New York is top for Education & Science. Tokyo has risen to 4th and is perceived as the world's ‘leader in science and technology’. Dubai, now 5th globally, is perceived as the world’s most reputable city, and leads for ‘future growth potential’ and investment appeal. 

“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.” David Haigh, Chairman and CEO, Brand Finance

With the introduction of regional expansions, including the US City Index launched earlier this year, the report helps city leaders across the world to understand the top 100 global city brands.