Paris City Performance, Brand Strength and Reputation

Paris: the French capital is one of the best-known cities and among the most popular tourist destinations worldwide. It has for centuries been a global reference for culture, travel, art, and commerce. Events such as the yearly Fashion Week, the defining COP21 summit, and the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games guarantee continued international attention. What do the different indices say about the reputation of Paris, its innovation capacity, business attractiveness, and sustainability?

Let’s explore deeper how Paris 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:

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

Paris’s competitiveness and financial performance

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

The Global Financial Centres Index 34 ranks Paris 15^th, falling one position from the previous ranking. It is currently sitting between Frankfurt (14^th) and Luxembourg (16^th). Paris ranked as 10^th center most likely to become more significant. It ranks 14^th in the Business Environment area of competitiveness. It also performs very well in the Banking (15^th) industry sector. Paris holds the 4^th position in the Western European region.

According to 2thinknow’s Innovation Cities Index 2022-2023 Paris ranks 4^th, a jump of six positions from the previous ranking. The city now sits in between New York (3^rd) and Singapore (5^th).

Paris’s  brand strength and global attractiveness 

Which subfactors hurt and help the brand of Paris? 

Resonance’s 2023 World’s Best Cities Report ranks Paris 2^nd, scoring the following in the Place Power Score subfactors: 14^th in Prosperity, 3^rd in Lovability, and 2^nd in Livability. It also ranks first for the following Place Power Highlights: Sights and Landmarks and Walking Score. It currently sits just behind London (1^st), and above New York City (3^rd).

Kearney’s 2023 Global Cities Report continues to rank Paris 3^rd. Also, the city ranks 5^th in the Global Cities Outlook, a drop of three positions since the previous ranking.

The comprehensive ranking of the Global Power City Index ranks Paris 4^th. In terms of function-specific rankings, the city ranks 16^th in terms of Economy, 9th in R&D, 3^rd in Cultural Interaction, 1^st in Livability, 27^th in Environment, and 5^th in Accessibility. Paris ranks 15^th in Variety of WorkPlace Options, 4^th in Winners of Prizes in Science and Technology, 12^th for Nightlife Options, 1^st for Number of Retail Shops, 38^th for Urban Greenery, and 43^rd for Average Driving Speed. Lastly, Paris positioned 3^rd in the Highly-skilled Workers, 7^th in the Corporate Executive, 6^th in the Resident, and 3^rd in the Tourism categories.

According to Brand Finance’s City Index 2023, Paris ranks 3^rd in the global ranking with a score of 79.7/100, sitting in between New York City (2^nd) and Los Angeles (4^th). Paris ranked as the world’s 2^nd most familiar city and 3^rd best city in the world to visit. Paris also ranked 1^st in the Culture & Heritage pillar. The French capital also performed strongly in People & Values, ranking 2^nd globally, but fell short on the friendliness pillar where it ranks 25^th.

Livability: Paris’s appeal for digital nomads and locals

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

The Mercer Quality of Living City Ranking places Paris 32^nd, sitting in between Nuremberg (31^st) and Toulouse (33^rd). The Mercer Cost of Living Ranking ranks Paris 35^th behind Helsinki (34^th), and above Guangzhou (36^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.

According to the Best Urban Cities for Digital Nomads ranking by Spot a Home, Paris ranks 48^th out of 56 global cities. It currently sits between Milan (47^th) and Oslo (49^th).

The Arcadis Sustainability City Index 2022 ranks Paris 8th overall, sitting in between Seattle (7^th) and San Francisco (9^th). Paris’s pillar rankings are the following: Planet 2^nd, People 43^rd, Profit 31^st.

Lastly, Paris is home to some of the best universities in the world. According to The Times Higher Education ranking, Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL) ranks 40^th, Université Paris-Saclay ranks 58^th, Institut Polytechnique de Paris ranks 71^st, and Sorbonne University 75^th. Whereas, the QS World University ranking ranks PSL in 24^th, Institut Polytechnique de Paris in 38^th, Sorbonne University 59^th, and Université Paris-Saclay ranks 71^st.

Last updated in January 2024. More city profiles here.

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