Shanghai – City Performance, Brand Strength and Reputation

Shanghai, characterized by its iconic and modern Lujiazui skyline, is one of the biggest cities in the world. It is a major transport hub, as well as an increasingly important global financial center. Home to the largest free-trade zone of mainland China, how does this huge metropolis fare in terms of economic competitiveness and innovation, city brand strength, and reputation?

Let’s take a closer look at:

• Shanghai’s competitiveness and financial performance
• Its brand strength and global attractiveness
• Livability: how appealing for talent, locals, visitors?

Economic Competitiveness and Financial Performance

The Global Financial Centres Index 34 continues to rank Shanghai 7^th, comparable with Los Angeles (6^th) and Washington D.C. (8^th). It also ranks as the 6^th centre most likely to become more significant in the near future. Moreover, the city holds a strong standing in the following areas of competitiveness: Business Environment (6^th), Financial Sector Development (6^th), Human Capital (7^th), Infrastructure (10^th), and Reputational & General (7^th). It also performs very well in the following industry sectors: Banking (3^rd), Investment Management (4^th), Finance (3^rd), Trading (9^th), Insurance (5^th), Government & Regulatory (8^th), Professional Services (10^th), and Fintech (15^th).

According to 2thinknow’s Innovation Cities Index 2022-2023, Shanghai dropped 31 positions from the previous ranking, now at 46^th, next to Las Vegas (45^th) and Detroit (48^th).

Shanghai’s Brand Strength and Reputation

According to Brand Finance’s City Index 2023, Shanghai ranks 54^th globally, comparable with Kuala Lumpur (53^rd) and Athens (55^th).

Resonance’s 2023 World’s Best Cities Report ranks Shanghai 62^nd, scoring 7^th for Global 500 Companies and 7^th for Restaurants. It currently sits in between Glasgow (61^st) and Rio de Janeiro (63^rd).

Kearney’s 2023 Global Cities Report ranks it 13^th, a jump of three positions from the previous edition. Shanghai ranks 51^st in the same firm’s Global Cities Outlook, a drop of 21 positions since the previous ranking.

The Global Power City Index ranks Shanghai 15^th. In terms of function-specific performance, the city ranks 11^th in Economy, 13^th in R&D, 23^rd in Cultural Interaction, 30^th in Livability, 33^rd in Environment, and 9^th in Accessibility. Moreover, Shanghai ranks 6^th in the Variety of Workplace Positions. Lastly, its appeal: 33^rd among Highly-skilled Workers, 25^th among Corporate Executives, 23^rd among Residents, and 17^th among Tourists.

Livability: How Attractive to Live, Work and Study?

The Mercer Quality of Living City Ranking places Shanghai 109^th, sitting between São Paulo (108^th) and Durban (110^th). Mercer’s Cost of Living Ranking puts Shanghai 12^th, rather expensive – comparable with Los Angeles (11^th) and Beijing (13^th).

Lastly, Shanghai is home to some of the best universities in the world. According to The Times Higher Education Ranking, Jiao Tong University ranks 43^rd and Fudan University 44^th. The QS World University Ranking positions Jiao Tong University 51^st and Fudan University 50^th.

Urban Sustainability

The Arcadis Sustainability City Index 2022 ranks Shanghai 66^th overall, with room for improvement – sitting in between New Orleans (65^th) and Shenzhen (67^th). Its sustainability pillar rankings: Planet 75^th, People 49^th, Profit 63^rd.

Last updated in January 2024. Explore more city benchmarking insights, profiles, and reports in our City Observatory.

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Disclaimer: The information in this article is intended to provide a general overview of Shanghai’s economic and cultural landscape and facilitate comparison over time. While we strive for accuracy and completeness, we are not responsible for any typographical errors or inaccuracies. The data is provided ‘as is’ without warranty of any kind. Users should verify any information before relying on it for decision-making purposes.