2026 World’s Best Cities Report

Our 2026 World’s Best Cities Report identifies urban powerhouses. The report features the top 100 cities worldwide. These cities rank among more than 270 cultural capitals and economic dynamos. Resonance Consultancy supports this iconic ranking with a unique fusion of data-driven analysis and real-life perception. It highlights the most globally influential cities. These cities are also economically ascendant places to live

1. London

The “Capital of Capitals” claims the throne atop the World’s Best Cities ranking in 2026. This is an incredible 11th consecutive year. It secures the top position in three of our 34 subcategories, which is the most of any city. It ranks 1st in our Prosperity Index. It ranks 2nd in our Livability index and 3rd in our Livability index.

Population
Metro: 12,451, 000

London’s magnetic appeal continues to draw a global audience, from students and entrepreneurs to tourists and corporate titans. The city’s robust recovery post-pandemic is reflected in its strong international traveler spending, which in 2024 reached almost $22 billion (up from$17.4 billion in 2023) and secured London the third-highest amount globally, outpacing destinations like New York and Dubai.

Benefiting from a softer pound, London has remained a compelling bucket-list destination. Heathrow Airport recorded record-breaking arrivals, exceeding pre-pandemic passenger levels, and Gatwick Airport’s recent $320-million upgrade underscores London’s infrastructural excellence, enhancing the visitor experience with new concourses and improved amenities. The city’s airports, not surprisingly, rank #1 in our Top 100 cities.

Yet beneath these tourist triumphs lies a luxury property market experiencing a fascinating paradox that savvy investors are exploiting. High-end home sales have dropped sharply as new tax policies put off wealthy international buyers, pulling prices lower and leading to a glut of supply.

Americans aren’t deterred.

They now form the largest demographic of overseas buyers in London, accounting for 25% of prime purchases in the city last year, up from 18% in 2023, according to Beauchamp Estates. “Americans are taking advantage of the markets being relatively flat,” said Ugo Arinzeh, an American real estate consultant based in London, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. Real estate agents say they have never had as many inquiries from U.S. clients, prompted by favorable exchange rates and political concerns back home.

The value proposition is compelling: according to data from Knight Frank, $1 million now buys 365 square feet in London, compared with only 247 square feet a decade ago. 

This sustained investment confidence is palpable in the city’s luxury hospitality renaissance. The Peninsula London, which opened in September 2023 near Hyde Park Corner, epitomizes elegance with Peter Marino-designed rooms, sweeping views of Hyde Park, and amenities such as a world- class spa and Rolls-Royce fleet.

Equally captivating is the opening of Raffles London at The OWO, the meticulously restored Old War Office, now hosting stunning guest rooms and restaurants by Michelin-starred chef Mauro Colagreco, revitalizing the previously quiet Whitehall area into a chic nightlife hotspot. Here too, Americans comprise the largest demographic of buyers at the OWO’s private apartments, which can cost up to $26 million.

American institutional real estate interest is voracious, with U.S. funds investing $3.78 billion into UK commercial property in the first quarter of 2024 alone. High-profile acquisitions, including MCR’s purchase of the iconic BT Tower for transformation into a luxury hotel and Starwood Capital’s substantial entry with a $1-billion acquisition of 10 Radisson Blu Edwardian hotels, reinforce London’s buoyant property market.

Meanwhile, London’s skyline is undergoing its most dramatic transformation since Christopher Wren rebuilt the city after the Great Fire. Last year alone, planning applications for 64 towers of more than 20 stories were submitted. Although only six received planning approval, some 270 skyscrapers have been given the green light in the past decade, according to official data from the Greater London Authority, analyzed by the New London Architecture think tank. A further 583 are in the planning pipeline.

Even if just a fraction of these get built, London’s architecture is poised to change forever.

“Tall buildings have changed the face of London substantially over the last 20 years and will continue to do so,” says Nick McKeogh, the chief executive of NLA, which has published an annual Tall Buildings Survey since 2013, according to The Times. “To meet London’s housing needs, densification through tall buildings is not just necessary, it’s an opportunity for innovation and growth.

”Tower Hamlets topped this year’s list, with 17 applications for 20-story-plus towers, including the $678-million, 1,600-home Orchard Wharf regeneration project near the East India Docks. The scheme includes seven potential buildings between nine and 25 stories tall. Southwark follows with 10 applications, including Berkeley Homes’ Borough Triangle with four towers of up to 44 stories delivering 900 homes, and the controversial Aylesham Centre redevelopment in Peckham, an 867-home scheme by Berkeley Homes with buildings ranging from four to 20 stories.

The average tall building completed in 2014 was 26 floors, shooting up to 36 floors in 2022, though moderating to 29 floors in 2024. While 2024’s residential tower applications totaled 13,000 homes – significant against the capital’s 35,000 total completions – they remain well short of the government’s 80,000 annual target for London.

The ambitious “Canary Wharf 3.0” project in particular exemplifies London’s reinvention, blending traditional banking spaces with a mixed-use community and Europe’s largest life sciences center, an 823,000-square-foot research hub.

This transformation underpins London’s position as Europe’s top city for inward investment in 2023, according to EY, surpassing traditional rivals like Paris and Frankfurt while competing globally with financial centers like Singapore and Hong Kong. 

India’s rise as London’s premier source market for tech investments has reshaped the city’s global appeal, exemplified by innovators like InMobi Advertising, iGene Media and VenPep Solutions choosing London as a gateway to international markets. Climate tech, notably, is experiencing meteoric growth, with companies like Allume, Cloverly and Einride electing to scale in London.

All to say that the #1 ranking in our Large Companies subcategory is safe for a while.

Efforts to better connect the city’s attributes are underway, with the famed Tube network improving dramatically in recent years, notably through the expansion of the transformative Elizabeth line, connecting Reading, Heathrow, Abbey Wood and Shenfield directly through central London. The Bond Street station, opened in 2022, has further amplified the West End’s vibrant allure.

Placemaking remains central to London’s growth, exemplified by the highly anticipated Camden Highline. Inspired by New York’s famous High Line, this mile-long elevated greenway, slated to open in 2027, symbolizes the city’s commitment to enhancing urban livability through creative renewal projects.

Mayor Sadiq Khan, re-elected in May 2024 for an unprecedented third term, continues his vision for a “fairer, safer, greener” London, aiming to construct 40,000 new council homes by 2030 and driving ambitious plans for net-zero carbon emissions by the end of the decade. This synergy, bolstered by alignment between city leadership and the national government, promises to deliver tangible benefits to residents and businesses alike.

The city’s strategic vision is encapsulated in the ambitious London Growth Plan, developed by City Hall and London Councils, which aims to harness London’s strengths in finance, technology and sustainability to drive inclusive economic growth powered by the planet’s third-most-educated residents. Prioritizing productivity growth, the plan targets raising London’s economic output significantly by 2035, creating 150,000 high-quality jobs by 2028 and driving inclusive prosperity through extensive investment in affordable housing, transport infrastructure and skills training. 

City marketing organization London & Partners’ Tourism Vision sets an ambitious goal of positioning London as the most visited, sustainable and diverse global city destination by 2030. Recognizing the tourism industry as vital to London’s economy, the strategy aims to boost international visitor spending to $28.5 billion annually and attract three million more visitors compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Investment promotion through Opportunity London, a public-private partnership, targets $135 billion of inward capital focused on low-carbon infrastructure and real estate, underpinning sustainable and inclusive growth.“London is a city of constant reinvention. It is this remarkable commitment to ongoing growth that has seen us retain our crown as the World’s Best City,” says Laura Citron, CEO of London & Partners. “In 2025 we launched a 10-year plan for growth in the capital and celebrated a number of wins: record-breaking London-based scaleups going global, growing visitor numbers and an almost £10 billion planned investment in our experience economy over the next decade.”

2. New York

New York City, the perpetual heartbeat of America, has moved into #2 this year. Gotham’s refusal to play by anyone’s script remains its greatest asset. This uniqueness will keep the world transfixed and craving the Big Apple’s special sauce in 2026 and beyond.

Population Metro: 19,940,000 Highlighted Rankings#1Google Trends

Large Companies

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