Dubai has been ranked the top city in the Middle East and Africa in the ‘Global City Index 2024’ report issued by Brand Finance.
Dubai maintained the top position in the region for the second year in a row, performing exceptionally across all key performance indicators and categories, reaffirming the city’s economic leadership in the region.
Dubai also rose to fifth place globally in the Index, which evaluated 100 cities. With a score of 86 out of 100, Dubai surpassed major global cities such as Singapore, Los Angeles, Sydney, San Francisco, and Amsterdam, which ranked sixth through tenth, respectively.
H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, emphasised that Dubai’s remarkable success has been driven by the visionary leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. Guided by the strategic framework of Dubai Plan 2030, along with visionary economic and social agendas for the coming decade, the emirate is steadily advancing in global competitiveness rankings across sectors. These achievements demonstrate the city’s commitment to achieving its transformative goals for the next phase, he added.
His Highness expressed his appreciation to all teams behind these achievements, highlighting their collaborative efforts in shaping Dubai’s success story. He noted that global accolades encourage the emirate’s teams to reinforce efforts to develop new strategic solutions to boost growth and excellence.
"We value every effort that has helped secure Dubai’s position as the top city in the Middle East and North Africa for the second consecutive year. We also celebrate its rise into the ranks of the top five cities globally in a prominent international report that compares 100 leading city brands worldwide. This report captures people’s perceptions of quality of life and their views on opportunities for work, investment, education, and retirement. Dubai ranks first globally as the most desired investment destination and leads in future growth expectations. It is a city that shapes the future that people around the world aspire to."
Dubai has climbed four spots in the Index this year, now ranking as the world’s fifth best city brand. The city has made significant strides, ranking first globally for Reputation (up from seventh in 2023), ahead of Sydney and London in second and third. Dubai has also seen impressive gains in consideration for local work opportunities and remote work (up from 24th to 4th).
The city has been recognised as the second best city of global significance, surpassing traditional heavyweight London. Dubai’s strong and stable economy, ranked second globally, is driven by its strategic role as a hub for international trade, world-class logistics infrastructure, and its advantageous position bridging the East and West. These factors make Dubai an attractive choice for residents, businesses, and global investors.
As a hotspot for innovation and start-ups, Dubai’s initiatives, such as the Dubai Future Foundation, have helped the city secure the top ranking for future growth potential. Additionally, its third place ranking for attractive corporate taxation further solidifies Dubai’s position as a prime investment location, making it the number one city for investment consideration.
Dubai has made remarkable strides in creating a high-quality educational environment, achieving top rankings in the ‘Great Private Schools’ Index, the ‘Great Publicly Funded Schools’ Index, and excelling in ‘Local and International Connectivity’ and ‘Ease to Get a Visa’.
In the Middle East and North Africa, Dubai led across all key performance indicators and categories, excelling in factors such as preference for local and remote work, investment, living, retirement, education, and tourism.
