Helsinki – City Performance, Brand Strength and Reputation

Helsinki, the capital city of Finland, is a vibrant small metropolis with short daylight hours in winter and long summer days due to its latitude. Besides Finnish being the main language, Swedish is also widely spoken, together with other languages, such as Russian and Estonian.

How does Helsinki perform in terms of economic competitiveness, sustainability, city brand strength, and appeal to talent from abroad?

Let’s take a closer look at:

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

Economic Competitiveness and Financial Performance

How attractive is Helsinki as a place to work and do business?

The Global Financial Centres Index 34 ranks Helsinki 50^th, dropping nine positions since the previous ranking – currently between Hamburg (49^th) and Glasgow (51^st).

According to the Innovation Cities Index 2022-2023, Helsinki ranks 39^th, a jump of two positions from the previous ranking. The city now sits between Brisbane (38^th) and Tel Aviv (40^th).

Helsinki’s Brand Strength and Global Attractiveness

Resonance’s 2023 World’s Best Cities Report ranks Helsinki 53^rd, scoring 14^th in Labour Force Participation and 36^th in Educational Attainment. It currently sits just behind Orlando (52^nd) and above Miami (54^th).

Kearney’s 2023 Global Cities Report ranks Helsinki 68^th, a drop of 14 positions from the previous ranking. The city ranks a strong 7^th in the Global Cities Outlook, a jump of ten positions since the previous ranking.

The Global Power City Index ranks Helsinki 31^st. In terms of function-specific rankings, the city fares 25^th in terms of Economy, 31^st in R&D, 48^th in Cultural Interaction, 14^th in Livability, 4^th in Environment, and 25^th in Accessibility. Helsinki ranks a strong 3^rd for Urban Greenery. Helsinki’s appeal by target audiences: 29^th among Highly-skilled Workers, 23^rd among Corporate Executives, 14^th among Residents, and 42^nd among Tourists.

According to Brand Finance’s City Index 2023, Helsinki ranks 50^th globally, with a score of 65.1/100, comparable with Prague (49^th) and Budapest (51^st).

Livability: How Attractive as a Place to Live, Work and Study?

The Mercer Quality of Living City Ranking places Helsinki 34^th, tying with Brisbane. Mercer’s Cost of Living Ranking puts Helsinki 34^th, just behind Prague (33^rd) and above Paris (35^th).

According to the Best Urban Cities for Digital Nomads ranking by Spot a Home, Helsinki ranks 34^th out of 56 global cities. It currently sits between Stockholm (33^rd) and Bratislava (35^th).

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 Helsinki’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.