Beijing – City Performance, Brand Strength and Reputation

Beijing, sometimes also referred to as Peking, is the political, cultural and educational centre of China. The majestic Forbidden City stands as a symbol of ancient grandeur, while the bustling hutongs offer a glimpse into traditional Chinese life amidst a backdrop of modern skyscrapers and technological innovation.

But how does Beijing fare in rankings that measure economic and sustainability performance, city brand strength and reputation?

Let’s take a closer look at:

• Economic competitiveness and financial performance
• City brand strength and global attractiveness
• Livability: its appeal for talent, locals, visitors

Beijing’s competitiveness and financial performance

The Global Financial Centres Index 34 ranks Beijing 13^th, currently sitting between Shenzhen (12^th) and Frankfurt (14^th). It also ranked as the 13^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 (5^th), Financial Sector Development (8^th), Human Capital (9^th), Infrastructure (9^th), and Reputational & General (9^th). It also performs very well in the following industry sectors: Banking (4^th), Investment Management (5^th), Finance (5^th), Trading (5^th), and Insurance (6^th). Overall, Beijing holds the sixth place in the Asia-Pacific region.

According to 2thinknow’s Innovation Cities Index 2022-2023 Beijing dropped nine positions from the previous ranking and now holds the 28^th position. It sits in between Milan (27^th) and Vancouver (29^th).

City brand strength and global attractiveness

Resonance’s 2023 World’s Best Cities Report ranks Beijing 18^th, scoring 10^th for Google Search and 13^th for the topic of University. It currently sits in between Washington D.C. (17^th) and Istanbul (19^th).

Beijing continues to rank 5^th according to Kearney’s 2023 Global Cities Report. It ranks 39^th for the Global Cities Outlook, a drop in 12 positions from the previous ranking.

The Global Power City Index ranks it 17^th, just after Stockholm (16^th) and before Hong Kong (18^th). In terms of function-specific rankings, the city ranks 3^rd in terms of Economy, 12^th in R&D, 19^th in Cultural Interaction, 31^st in Livability, 39^th in Environment, and 40^th in Accessibility.

According to Brand Finance’s City Index 2023, Beijing ranks 58^th in the global ranking with a score of 63.2/100, sitting in between Marseille (57^th) and Mexico City (59^th).

Livability: appeal for talent, locals, visitors

The Mercer Quality of Living City Ranking places Beijing 126^th, between Sofia (125^th), Rabat and Tel Aviv (both at 127^th). The Mercer Cost of Living Ranking ranks it 13^th, a drop of three positions from the previous ranking. It now sits between Shanghai (12^th) and San Francisco (14^th). The cost living survey reports that factors such as currency fluctuations, cost inflation for goods and services, and instability of accommodation prices are key to determine the cost of expat packages for employees on international assignment.

The Arcadis Sustainability City Index 2022 ranks Beijing 73^rd overall, between Bangkok (72^nd) and Istanbul (74^th).

Lastly, Beijing is home to some of the best universities in the world. According to The Times Higher Education ranking, Tsinghua University ranks 12^th, and Peking University 14^th. The QS World University ranking positions Tsinghua University 25^th, and Peking University 17^th.

Last updated in January 2024. More city profiles here.

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