Barcelona – City Performance, Brand Strength and Reputation

Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia in Spain and one of Europe’s most visited cities, thanks to its Gaudi architecture, history, location, and favourable climate. However, it is also a city suffering from its own success as a tourist destination, as protests against overtourism, Airbnb, and tourist apartments have shown.

But what do leading city rankings have to say about Barcelona, in terms of economic performance and urban sustainability, city brand strength, and reputation?

Let’s take a closer look at:

• Economic competitiveness and sustainability
• City brand strength and global reputation
• Barcelona’s appeal for visitors, talent, and locals

Economic Competitiveness and Financial Performance

According to 2thinknow’s Innovation Cities Index 2022-2023 Barcelona ranks 26^th, an impressive jump of 26 positions from the previous ranking. The city now sits between Atlanta (25^th) and Milan (27^th).

City Brand Strength and Reputation

According to Brand Finance’s City Index 2023, Barcelona ranks 13^th globally with a score of 73.2/100. The city sits between Toronto (12^th) and Rome (14^th).

Resonance’s 2023 World’s Best Cities Report ranks Barcelona an impressive 8^th overall, scoring 4^th in Prosperity, 7^th in Lovability, and 11^th in Livability. It currently sits between San Francisco (7^th) and Amsterdam (9^th). It also ranks 3^rd for Nightlife and 5^th for TripAdvisor Reviews.

Kearney’s 2023 Global Cities Report ranks it 24^th, a slight improvement of two positions from the previous ranking. It currently sits between Dubai (23^rd) and Istanbul (25^th). Moreover, the Catalan capital ranks 22^nd in the Global Cities Outlook, a jump of seven positions since the previous report.

The Global Power City Index ranks Barcelona 22^nd. In terms of function-specific performance, the city ranks 34^th for Economy, 33^rd for R&D, 13^th for Cultural Interaction, 4^th for Livability, 29^th for Environment, and 13^th for Accessibility. Barcelona ranks 9^th for Variety of Work Place Options, 4^th for Nightlife Options, and 6^th for Number of Retail Shops.

How Appealing for Talent, Investors, Visitors?

The Mercer Quality of Living City Ranking places Barcelona 48^th, sitting between Yokohama (47^th) and Aberdeen (49^th). Mercer’s Cost of Living Ranking puts Barcelona 75^th, jumping three positions from the previous ranking. The cost of living survey reports that factors such as currency fluctuations, cost inflation for goods and services, and instability of accommodation prices are key to determining the cost of expat packages for employees on international assignment.

According to the Best Urban Cities for Digital Nomads ranking by Spot a Home, Barcelona ranks 3^rd out of 56 global cities. It currently sits between Lisbon (2^nd) and Brisbane (4^th).

Urban Sustainability

The Arcadis Sustainability City Index 2022 ranks Barcelona 49^th overall: Planet 17^th, People 45^th, Profit 57^th.

Last updated in January 2024. More city profiles here.

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Disclaimer: The information in this article is intended to provide a general overview of Barcelona’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.