Rome, like few others, stands as a metropolis rich in history, culture, and potential. From its iconic landmarks to its vibrant street life, Rome’s influence stretches far beyond its ancient walls. As one of the world’s most visited cities, the Italian capital continues to captivate visitors with its rich heritage and timeless charm.
But how does Rome perform in areas like reputation and influence, business attractiveness, livability, and sustainability, according to leading rankings and indices?
Overview of Rome’s Performance & Potential
The following table offers an overview of Rome’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 | – | – | – | – | 14 | 12 | – |
| Resonance World’s Best Cities | – | 10 | 11 | 7 | 11 | 6 | 6 |
| Global Financial Centres Index | – | 53 | 52 | 44 | 54 | 54 | 57 |
| 2Thinknow Innovation Cities Index | 45 | – | 93 | – | 48 | – | – |
| Kearney Global Cities Index | 36 | 37 | 38 | 40 | 37 | 31 | – |
| Mercer Quality of Living Ranking | 56 | – | – | – | 61 | 59 | – |
| Mercer Cost of Living Ranking | 55 | 65 | 47 | 57 | 59 | 67 | – |
| Numbeo Cost of Living Index | – | 114 | 110 | 177 | 168 | 168 | 144 |
| Numbeo Quality of Life Index | – | 173 | 202 | 203 | 190 | 133 | 162 |
| IESE Cities in Motion Index | 75 | 67 | – | 65 | – | 69 | 77 |
| Arcadis Sustainable Cities Index | – | – | – | 68 | – | 57 | – |
City Brand Strength
Rome stands as one of the world’s most iconic and enduring urban brands, celebrated for its unparalleled historical legacy, cultural influence, and role as a major global tourism and lifestyle destination. Ranked 12th in Brand Finance’s Global City Index 2024, 6th in Resonance Consultancy‘s World’s Best Cities 2025 report, and 31st in Kearney’s Global Power City Index 2024, Rome continues to command a strong presence on the international stage.
Appeal to Investors and Business
Rome is a historic global capital where millennia of cultural legacy meet an evolving modern economy. Ranked 48th in the Innovation Cities 2023 Index, the city demonstrates notable strengths in creative industries, tourism innovation, and cultural entrepreneurship. Its 57th position in the GFCI 37 Rank highlights growing opportunities to strengthen its role in international finance and investment, with ongoing initiatives aimed at boosting business competitiveness, attracting talent, and enhancing Rome’s position as a leading Mediterranean hub.
Appeal to Talent
Rome blends ancient heritage, vibrant street life, and modern conveniences, offering a unique but complex urban experience. Ranked 59th in Mercer’s Quality of Living Ranking 2024 and 162nd in Numbeo’s Quality of Life Index 2025, the city provides strong cultural and lifestyle appeal but faces challenges in areas such as infrastructure and cost-efficiency.
On the financial side, Rome ranks 67th in Mercer’s Cost of Living Index 2024, indicating moderate living costs for expatriates, while its 144th position in Numbeo’s Cost of Living Index 2025 points to a more affordable day-to-day lifestyle for local residents.
Urban Sustainability
Rome is progressing in sustainability and smart city development, leveraging its world-renowned historical legacy while embracing modern urban solutions. Ranked 77th in the IESE Cities in Motion Index 2025 and 57th in the Arcadis Sustainable City Index 2024, Rome demonstrates strengths in cultural richness, tourism appeal, and urban mobility improvements—showcasing its commitment to preserving heritage while advancing toward a more sustainable future.
Our Key Takeaways
Rome is a global icon of history and culture, renowned for its ancient landmarks, artistic treasures, and distinctive Italian lifestyle. As the political and administrative heart of Italy, it is also a major center for business, diplomacy, and the creative industries. The city offers a rich cultural environment, Mediterranean climate, and global tourism appeal, but faces structural challenges such as traffic congestion, bureaucratic complexity, and uneven infrastructure quality.
- Strengths: World-renowned heritage and tourism appeal, political and cultural capital, strong creative industries.
- Weaknesses: Infrastructure inefficiencies, traffic congestion, bureaucratic hurdles.
- Opportunities: Urban regeneration, sustainable tourism, expansion of knowledge and creative economies.
- Threats: Over-tourism, environmental degradation, economic fluctuations.
Last updated in August 2025. Explore more city profiles here.
Did you know? Our custom reports complement publicly available rankings by offering a deeper look at your city’s performance and potential. They combine independent benchmarking across key indices with expert community feedback—highlighting how your city is perceived and where it stands out. Designed to support place branding leaders, these reports provide clear, actionable insights to strengthen strategy, positioning, and international reputation.
📊 Want to see an example? Contact us today!
Disclaimer: The information in this article is intended to provide a general overview of Rome’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.
