Zürich City Performance, Brand Strength and Reputation

Zürich (or Zurich) is Switzerland’s most populous city and possibly also the most well-known Swiss city. Zürich is close to the eponymous lake and is situated in the (Swiss) German-speaking part of the country. The city has the busiest and largest airport in Switzerland and has the busiest train station in the country: the Zürich Hauptbahnhof.

Zürich is considered a financial centre but comes with much more strengths (and weaknesses). How does this city do in terms of economic performance, livability, city brand strength and reputation? How attractive is it for international talent and digital nomads?

Let’s explore deeper how Zurich 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:

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

Zurich’s competitiveness and financial performance

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

The Global Financial Centres Index 34 ranks Zurich 18^th, jumping two positions from the previous ranking. It is currently sitting between Boston (17^th) and Amsterdam (19^th). It ranks the following in areas of competitiveness: 11^th in Business Environment, 12^th in Human Capital, and 12^th in Reputational & General. It also performs very well in the Fintech (5^th), Investment Management (12^th), and Government & Regulatory (14^th) industry sectors. Zurich holds the 6th position in the Western European region.

According to 2thinknow’s Innovation Cities Index 2022-2023 Zurich ranks 54^th, a jump of 16 positions from the previous ranking. The city now sits in between Istanbul (53^rd) and Phoenix (55^th).

Zurich’s brand strength and global attractiveness 

Which subfactors hurt and help the brand of Zurich? 

Resonance’s 2023 World’s Best Cities Report ranks Zurich 33^rd, scoring the following in Place Power Highlights: 8^th in Labour Force Participation and 11^th for Global 500 companies. It currently sits just behind Lisbon (32^nd), and above Seattle (34^th).

Kearney’s 2023 Global Cities Report ranks Zurich 18^th, a jump of one position from the previous ranking, sitting right behind New York City (17^th), and above Phoenix (19^th). Also, the city ranks 32^nd in the Global Cities Outlook, a jump of one position since the previous ranking.

The comprehensive ranking of the Global Power City Index ranks Zurich 19^th. In terms of function-specific rankings, the city ranks 5^th in terms of Economy, 24^th in R&D, 45^th in Cultural Interaction, 32^nd in Livability, 8^th in Environment, and 18^th in Accessibility. Zurich ranks 8^th for Urban Greenery. Lastly, Zurich positioned 12^th in the Highly-skilled Workers, 5^th in the Corporate Executive, 18^th in the Resident, and 36^th in the Tourism categories.

According to Brand Finance’s City Index 2023, Zurich ranks 17^th in the global ranking with a score of 72/100, sitting in between Melbourne (16^th) and Berlin (18^th). Zurich positions first in the world to work locally, work remotely, invest, and retire. However, the city should invest in increasing familiarity to reach its full potential.

Livability: Zurich’s appeal for digital nomads and locals

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

The Mercer Quality of Living City Ranking places Zurich 2^nd, sitting right behind Vienna (1^st).  The Mercer Cost of Living Ranking ranks Zurich 3^rd sitting just behind Singapore (27^th), and Hong Kong (1^st). 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, Zurich ranks 45^th out of 56 global cities. It currently sits between Osaka (44^th) and Copenhagen (46^th).

The Arcadis Sustainability City Index 2022 ranks Zurich 11^th overall, sitting in between Amsterdam (10^th) and Rotterdam (12^th). Zurich’s pillar rankings are the following: Planet 9^th, People 2^nd, and Profit 51^st. Its strengths are: transport, broadband, crime, education, and health; while, work-life balance could be improved.

Lastly, Zurich is home to a couple of the best universities in the world. According to The Times Higher Education ranking, ETH Zurich ranks 11^th, and the University of Zurich 80^th. Whereas, the QS World University ranking ranks ETH Zurich 7^th, and the University of Zurich 91^st.

Last updated in January 2024. More city benchmarking insights, profiles and reports in our City Observatory.

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