In today’s rapidly changing global economy, where political shifts, tax reforms, and economic uncertainties can impact personal wealth, the choice of where to live has become increasingly important.
- The 2025 Global Cities Report highlights cities excelling in tax efficiency, wealth preservation, and sustainable living.
- Three key indices shape the rankings: Tax-Friendly Cities, Wealth Preservation Cities, and Smart & Sustainable Cities.
- Seychelles emerges as a notable entry for its growing influence in wealth preservation and sustainability in Africa.
The 2025 Global Cities Report, published by Multipolitan, examines urban centers that provide favorable conditions for tax efficiency, wealth preservation, and sustainable, future-ready living.
The study highlights cities around the world that combine strong governance, resilient infrastructure, and strategic economic policies to help residents protect and grow their assets over the long term.
The report is built on three indices:
- The Tax Friendly Cities Index 2025
This evaluates metropolitan areas in the top 20 tax-friendly countries and ranks 164 jurisdictions based on multi-metric national-level assessments, excluding high-risk locations for political or security reasons.
- The Wealth Preservation Cities Index 2015–2025
This identifies the 25 cities that best safeguarded individual wealth over the past decade using a two-stage process combining national-level filtering with city-level scoring; and;
- The Smart & Sustainable Cities Index 2025
This builds on the wealth preservation rankings to identify cities most likely to maintain long-term conditions for investment and prosperity, focusing on digital readiness, climate resilience, and political stability.
According to Gabrielle Reid, Head of Insights at Multipolitan, individual wealth today faces increasing exposure to forces beyond personal control.
Emerging geopolitical shifts can disrupt capital flows, domestic political changes can reshape tax regimes, and macroeconomic headwinds can erode purchasing power, all of which may undermine the real value of personal assets.
“For individuals focused on safeguarding their wealth, the local environment plays a critical role. In this context, where you live can matter as much as how you invest when it comes to wealth preservation,” she added.
Global Top Cities Rankings
Among the cities ranked, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Singapore top the Tax Friendly Cities Index, offering favorable tax environments that attract global investors.
Zug, Hong Kong, and Basel lead the Wealth Preservation Cities Index, while Wellington, Copenhagen, and Singapore rank highest on the Smart & Sustainable Cities Index.
Notably, Seychelles is the only African nation to appear in the global rankings, featuring in both the Wealth Preservation and Smart & Sustainable Cities indices, highlighting its emerging role as a wealth-preserving and sustainable hub on the continent.
| S/N | Tax Friendly Cities | Wealth Preservation | Smart Cities |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abu Dhabi | Zug | Wellington |
| 2 | Dubai | Hong Kong | Copenhagen |
| 3 | Singapore | Basel | Singapore |
| 4 | Manama | San Francisco | Vaduz |
| 5 | Doha | Singapore | Basel |
| 6 | Zurich | Tel Aviv | Zug |
| 7 | Hong Kong | Seattle | Stockholm |
| 8 | Kuwait | Sydney | Sydney |
| 9 | George Town | Luxembourg | Reykjavik |
| 10 | Hamilton | Amsterdam | Melbourne |
These rankings provide investors and high-net-worth individuals with a comprehensive view of cities that combine favorable taxation, resilient wealth protection, and sustainable, future-ready urban environments.
Singapore, Hong Kong, and Switzerland emerge repeatedly across the three indices due to their unique combination of financial stability, favorable tax regimes, and advanced urban planning.
Singapore tops the charts in tax friendliness, wealth preservation, and smart cities, offering low and predictable taxes, a robust financial system, and strong political stability, alongside significant investments in sustainable and technologically advanced infrastructure.
Hong Kong features prominently in tax-friendly and wealth preservation rankings, reflecting its longstanding role as a global financial hub with secure banking and resilient economic policies.
Swiss cities such as Zug, Basel, and Zurich appear in wealth preservation and smart city indices, benefiting from strong legal frameworks, political stability, and forward-looking urban development.
These recurring appearances underscore how nations that balance economic security, governance, and sustainable urban planning consistently attract global investors and high-net-worth individuals.
