London, UK, remains one of the world’s most influential global cities, known for its unmatched connectivity, cultural depth, and economic clout. As a leading centre for finance, education, and creative industries, London consistently ranks at the top of international indices. Its strength lies in its ability to adapt—leveraging its historic legacy while investing in innovation, sustainability, and global talent attraction.
But what do international rankings and indices have to say about London in terms of its economic performance, sustainability, city brand strength, and reputation?
Overview of London’s Performance & Potential
The following table offers an overview of London’s overall performance across various international rankings. For a deeper analysis, our custom reports provide tailored insights for specific contexts, such as cities, regions, or countries.
| Ranking | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| Brand Finance Global City Index | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | – |
| Resonance World’s Best Cities | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Global Financial Centres Index | – | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 2Thinknow Innovation Cities Index | 3 | – | 11 | – | 2 | – | – |
| Kearney Global Cities Index | – | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | – |
| Mercer Quality of Living Ranking | 41 | – | – | – | 45 | 40 | – |
| Mercer Cost of Living Ranking | 23 | 19 | 18 | 15 | 17 | 8 | – |
| Numbeo Cost of Living Index | – | 19 | 37 | 34 | 82 | 27 | 14 |
| Numbeo Quality of Life Index | – | 163 | 161 | 164 | 153 | 131 | 117 |
| IESE Cities in Motion Index | 1 | 1 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 1 |
| Arcadis Sustainable Cities Index | – | – | – | 6 | – | 10 | – |
| Global Power City Index | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – |
City Brand Strength
London continues to lead as the world’s top city brand, combining global influence, cultural richness, and economic power. It ranks 1st in both Brand Finance’s Global City Index 2024 and Resonance Consultancy‘s World’s Best Cities 2025, reflecting its unmatched soft power, international connectivity, and cultural appeal.
In Kearney’s Global Cities 2024 Report London holds the 2nd position globally, reinforcing its role as a key driver of globalisation, talent, and innovation. Its leadership is further underlined by a 1st place ranking in the Global Power City Index 2024, highlighting its strength across economy, research and development, cultural interaction, and accessibility.
Appeal to Investors and Business
London maintains its global leadership in both finance and innovation. Ranking 2nd in the 2Thinknow Innovation Cities Index 2023 the city showcases a highly developed ecosystem of research institutions, tech startups, and creative industries. This innovation capacity is underpinned by strong public and private investment, making London a magnet for entrepreneurial talent and forward-thinking firms.
Its 2nd place in the GFCI 37 Rank further reinforces its role as a premier global financial hub, offering deep capital markets, regulatory stability, and a robust professional services sector.
Appeal to Talent
London offers a dynamic yet complex urban experience, balancing world-class amenities with a high cost of living. In Numbeo’s Quality of Life Index 2025, the city ranks 117th, and 40th in Mercer’s Quality of Living Ranking 2024, reflecting strong access to education, healthcare, culture, and infrastructure, albeit with challenges around affordability and congestion.
Cost of living remains a significant pressure point—Mercer’s Cost of Living Ranking 2024 places London at 8th globally, while Numbeo’s Cost of Living Index 2025 ranks it 14th, confirming its position as one of the most expensive cities in the world. Despite these costs, the city’s unparalleled access to global networks, career opportunities, and public services continue to draw talent and investment.
Urban Sustainability
London ranks 10th in the Arcadis Sustainable Cities Index 2024, reflecting its strong performance in areas such as mobility, environmental management, and economic sustainability. It leads the IESE Cities in Motion Index 2025 in first place, underscoring its global leadership in urban governance, technology integration, and international connectivity.
Our Key Takeaways
London remains one of the world’s most influential and globally integrated cities. It leads across multiple indices in city brand strength, financial power, innovation, and sustainability governance. Its consistent top-tier performance reflects deep-rooted strengths in infrastructure, international connectivity, cultural capital, and a mature innovation ecosystem. However, affordability and post-Brexit uncertainties continue to present ongoing challenges.
- Strengths: Global financial centre, world-class universities and research institutions, robust infrastructure, strong cultural influence.
- Weaknesses: High cost of living, housing pressures, growing socioeconomic divides.
- Opportunities: Leadership in green finance and AI regulation, enhanced global partnerships post-Brexit, expanding creative industries.
- Threats: Brexit-related talent and investment shifts, geopolitical volatility, affordability-driven talent attrition.
Last updated in July 2025. Explore more city profiles here.
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Disclaimer: The information in this article is intended to provide a general overview of London’s economic and cultural landscape and facilitate comparison over time. While we strive for accuracy and completeness, the data is provided “as is” without warranty of any kind. Please verify any information before relying on it for decision-making purposes.
