May 23, 2025
UK Property Market / Manchester
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London tops the list of the world’s smartest cities, followed by New York and Paris, as per the 2024 edition of IESE’s Cities in Motion Index. This index assesses 183 cities across 92 countries on various criteria related to their economic vibrancy and the quality of life for their residents.
According to IESE Business School’s index, New York (2nd) and Paris (3rd) occupy the other top slots. Five of the top 10 cities are European: London (1st), Paris (3rd), Berlin (5th), Oslo (7th), and Amsterdam (8th). Three are in the United States: New York (2nd), San Francisco (9th), and Chicago (10th). Tokyo ranks 4th, while Singapore is 6th in the study, which is prepared by IESE Business School’s Center for Globalization and Strategy and co-authored by professors Pascual Berrone and Joan Enric Ricart.
Now in its ninth edition, the study serves as a tool for urban planners, politicians, and citizens to monitor the factors contributing to vibrant, sustainable, fair, and livable urban communities worldwide.
Europe has 26 cities in the top 50, while North America has 14. The remaining cities are in Asia (Tokyo, Singapore, Seoul, Beijing, Taipei, Hong Kong, Shanghai) and Australia (Melbourne, Sydney, and Canberra).
Meanwhile, developing countries continue to struggle to break into the top spots. Among Latin American cities, Santiago ranks highest at 91st, followed by Buenos Aires at 115th and Montevideo at 119th. In Africa, Cape Town is the highest-ranked city, positioned at 141st.
The latest results are available on an online map, allowing users to compare cities and examine scores across each of the nine dimensions. The Cities in Motion Index (CIMI) calculator is another tool provided, enabling users to input indicator data for a city and see how it would rank. The calculator also shows potential changes in ranking based on different inputs.
As the authors note, each city is unique and must craft its own plan to thrive, while remaining adaptable to change. The human factor is crucial. “Beyond technological and economic development, citizens are the key to taking cities from smart to wise,” they write in the report. “This is the goal every city should pursue—to mobilise local residents and leaders to use all their talents in the pursuit of progress.”
