Hong Kong City Performance, Brand Strength and Reputation

Hong Kong, thanks to its world-class infrastructure and well-educated, talented workers, is among the world’s best places to do business. Built in a comparatively small area, the city nevertheless can boast with national parks and islands, along with its famous skyline, architectural landmarks, and shopping opportunities.

But how is Hong Kong performing in terms of city reputation and influence, business attractiveness and sustainability? Let’s explore deeper how HK positions itself on the world stage, drawing insights from data provided by TPBO partners and other reputable institutions.

Let’s take a closer look at:

  • Hong Kong’s competitiveness and financial performance
  • Hong Kong’s brand strength and global attractiveness
  • Livability: Hong Kong’s appeal for digital nomads and locals

Hong Kong’s competitiveness and financial performance

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

The Global Financial Centres Index 34 continues to rank Hong Kong 4th. It is currently sitting between Singapore (3rd) and San Francisco (5th). Hong Kong holds the second place in the Asia-Pacific region, sitting in between Beijing and Sydney.

Globally, Hong Kong holds the 4th position for centers to become more significant. The city also holds a strong standing in the following areas of competitiveness: Business Environment (4th), Human Capital (4th), Financial Sector Development (4th), Reputational & General (4th), and Infrastructure (7th).

It also performs very well in the following industry sectors: Professional Services (4th), FinTech (4th), Finance (6th), Investment Banking (7th), Banking (8th), Insurance (8th), Trading (10th), and Government & Regulatory (11th). 

According to 2thinknow’s Innovation Cities Index 2022-2023 Hong Kong holds the 58th position, a drop of nine positions from the previous ranking.


Hong Kong’s brand strength and global attractiveness 

Which subfactors hurt and help the brand of Hong Kong

Resonance’s 2023 World’s Best Cities Report ranks Hong Kong 46th, scoring the following in the Place Power Highlights: 12th for restaurants and 13th for outdoors. It currently sits in between Osaka (45th) and Tel Aviv (47th). Kearney’s 2023 Global Cities Report continues to rank Hong Kong in 10th.

The comprehensive ranking of the Global Power City Index ranks Hong Kong 10th. In terms of function-specific rankings, the city ranks 26th in terms of Economy, 10th in R&D, 26th in Cultural Interaction, 27th in Livability, 23rd in Environment, and 16th in Accessibility. Hong Kong ranks 5th in the Variety of Workplace Positions, and 8th for Average Speed.

Lastly, Hong Kong positioned 23rd in the Highly-skilled Workers, 28th in the Corporate Executive, 22nd in the Resident, and 29th in the Tourism categories.

According to Brand Finance’s City Index 2023, Hong Kong ranks 41st in the global ranking with a score of 68.1/100, sitting in between Edinburgh (40th) and Seoul (42nd).


Livability: Hong Kong’s appeal for digital nomads and locals

Which aspects of Hong Kong’s urban living make it an attractive place to live, work and study?

The Mercer Quality of Living City Ranking places Hong Kong 77th, sitting between Detroit (76th) and Lbujana (78th). The Mercer Cost of Living Ranking continues to rank Hong Kong 1st. 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.

According to the Best Urban Cities for Digital Nomads ranking by Spot a Home, Hong Kong ranks in last place 56th.

The Arcadis Sustainability City Index 2022 ranks Hong Kong 63rd overall, sitting in between Warsaw (62nd) and Brisbane (64th). Hong Kong’s pillar rankings are the following: Planet 56th, People 65th, Profit 45th.

Lastly, Hong Kong is home to a few of the best universities in the world. According to The Times Higher Education ranking, the University of Hong Kong in 35th place, the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 53rd place, the University of Hong Kong of Science and Technology in 64th place, the City University of Hong Kong in 82nd place, and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in 87th.

The QS World University ranking positions the University of Hong Kong in 26th place, the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 47th place, the University of Hong Kong of Science and Technology in 60th place, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in 65th, and the City University of Hong Kong in 70th place.


Last updated in January 2024. More city profiles here.


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