CEE City Ranking puts capitals under the spotlight
The infrastructure works, people are highly educated, they're innovative, have an international flair, a high quality of life and a broad range of culture on offer: that's what make cities attractive to international managements and companies. Roland Berger has rated ten Central and Eastern European capitals according to these criteria, and discovered which are the hot spots in the region. At the top of the CEE City Rankings 2009 is Vienna, with 89.9 points out of a possible 100, followed by Prague (70.8) and Budapest (52.3). Ljubljana (39.6), Moscow (34.0), Warsaw (30.0) and Bratislava (23.4) are mid-pack, with Bucharest (13.7), Kiev (13.5) and Zagreb (10.0) bringing up the rear.
Infrastructure
When it comes to infrastructure, Vienna (82.1 points) is out in front, ahead of Prague (61.2) and Budapest (45.7). This is based on how many direct flights a city has, how big the public transport system is, how much magnetic resonance equipment it has per capita and how many households have broadband. When it comes to flight connections, Moscow Domodedovo leads with 222 destinations, ahead of Vienna Schwechat and Prague Ruzyně. In public transport, Prague is top, followed by Budapest and Bratislava. Vienna has the best medical infrastructure, followed by Bratislava and Ljubljana. The Austrian capital also comes out on top in broadband penetration: 61% of Viennese households had fixed network broadband in 2008, with Ljubljana (51%) and Moscow (50%) second and third.
Education
In education, again, the order is the same: Vienna (77.5), Prague (64.5) and Budapest (62.2), measured by the number of pupils/students per teacher, what proportion of the population has completed secondary/tertiary education and how many of the top 500 universities they have. The smallest class sizes are found in Vienna, Kiev, Moscow and Warsaw. Prague leads, ahead of Bratislava and Vienna in terms of secondary school graduates (ISCED 3-4a). Bucharest has more university graduates (ISCED 4c-5b) than anywhere else in the region, at 31%, followed by Moscow and Budapest with 30% each. In terms of universities, Prague, Warsaw and Vienna have two of the top 500 in the QS World University Rankings each, Budapest, Ljubljana and Moscow one.
Innovation
Ljubljana leads in innovation, with 71.4 points, followed by Budapest (69.1) and Prague (53.4). The survey counted how many new companies were founded, how many people worked in the creative industries, how many national patents there were and how much cities spent on research and development. Budapest is a real boom town for new companies: nearly 25,000 were founded here in 2007, putting the city ahead of Prague and Bucharest, with 18 startups per 1,000 residents, compared with 13 and 12. But the Hungarian capital also has the highest proportion of people working in creative occupations like architecture, the media, design, music and the creative arts. In terms of national patents, Moscow tops the list, while Ljubljana leads on R&D spend.
Internationalism
Vienna scores a grand slam here, with a maximum 100 points, followed by Prague in second place, with 36.2, and Ljubljana and Bratislava jointly holding third, with 23.8 each. The survey looked at how many international headquarters the capitals had, how many foreign students, how many foreigners per capita and how many mixed-nationality marriages. Forty-one major international groups are based in Vienna, most of them managing their activities in Central and Eastern Europe from here. Thirty-three have their headquarters in Moscow, putting it in second place. In terms of total population, the picture changes completely: Vienna is still in first place, but now followed by Ljubljana and Warsaw. In numbers of foreign students, Vienna leads with 22%, ahead of Prague (10%) and Moscow (7%). The Austrian capital also has far more foreign residents and mixed-nationality marriages than anywhere else.
Living standards
In terms of living standards, Vienna comes out ahead again, with 90.8 points, followed by Prague with 78.4 and Ljubljana with 63.6. This is based on UBS's Big Mac index, average rent per apartment, the Mercer Safety Index and the proportion of green spaces and recreational areas. In Vienna, a worker needs to work 16 minutes on average to buy a Big Mac, putting it ahead of Moscow (25 minutes) and Ljubljana (35). In terms of monthly rental, Ljubljana is ahead of Vienna and Prague. Vienna is the safest city in the region, followed by Ljubljana and Prague. The greenest city in Central and Eastern Europe is Kiev, ahead of Prague and Vienna.
Culture & tourism
Prague wins on culture: the Czech capital scored 88.8 points, with Vienna second, with 70.7 and Moscow third, with 48.5. The survey looked at how many concerts there were by international rock bands, how many theaters and museums the cities had and how many tourists visit. In international rock concerts, Vienna came ahead of Prague, with Budapest and Bratislava a joint third. In theaters, Moscow is ahead of Prague and Vienna, with 93; in museums, Budapest beats Prague and Vienna. In terms of visitor hotel bookings per capita, Prague is in first place, followed by Vienna and Budapest; in terms of absolute numbers, Moscow is third.
Infrastructure
When it comes to infrastructure, Vienna (82.1 points) is out in front, ahead of Prague (61.2) and Budapest (45.7). This is based on how many direct flights a city has, how big the public transport system is, how much magnetic resonance equipment it has per capita and how many households have broadband. When it comes to flight connections, Moscow Domodedovo leads with 222 destinations, ahead of Vienna Schwechat and Prague Ruzyně. In public transport, Prague is top, followed by Budapest and Bratislava. Vienna has the best medical infrastructure, followed by Bratislava and Ljubljana. The Austrian capital also comes out on top in broadband penetration: 61% of Viennese households had fixed network broadband in 2008, with Ljubljana (51%) and Moscow (50%) second and third.
Education
In education, again, the order is the same: Vienna (77.5), Prague (64.5) and Budapest (62.2), measured by the number of pupils/students per teacher, what proportion of the population has completed secondary/tertiary education and how many of the top 500 universities they have. The smallest class sizes are found in Vienna, Kiev, Moscow and Warsaw. Prague leads, ahead of Bratislava and Vienna in terms of secondary school graduates (ISCED 3-4a). Bucharest has more university graduates (ISCED 4c-5b) than anywhere else in the region, at 31%, followed by Moscow and Budapest with 30% each. In terms of universities, Prague, Warsaw and Vienna have two of the top 500 in the QS World University Rankings each, Budapest, Ljubljana and Moscow one.
Innovation
Ljubljana leads in innovation, with 71.4 points, followed by Budapest (69.1) and Prague (53.4). The survey counted how many new companies were founded, how many people worked in the creative industries, how many national patents there were and how much cities spent on research and development. Budapest is a real boom town for new companies: nearly 25,000 were founded here in 2007, putting the city ahead of Prague and Bucharest, with 18 startups per 1,000 residents, compared with 13 and 12. But the Hungarian capital also has the highest proportion of people working in creative occupations like architecture, the media, design, music and the creative arts. In terms of national patents, Moscow tops the list, while Ljubljana leads on R&D spend.
Internationalism
Vienna scores a grand slam here, with a maximum 100 points, followed by Prague in second place, with 36.2, and Ljubljana and Bratislava jointly holding third, with 23.8 each. The survey looked at how many international headquarters the capitals had, how many foreign students, how many foreigners per capita and how many mixed-nationality marriages. Forty-one major international groups are based in Vienna, most of them managing their activities in Central and Eastern Europe from here. Thirty-three have their headquarters in Moscow, putting it in second place. In terms of total population, the picture changes completely: Vienna is still in first place, but now followed by Ljubljana and Warsaw. In numbers of foreign students, Vienna leads with 22%, ahead of Prague (10%) and Moscow (7%). The Austrian capital also has far more foreign residents and mixed-nationality marriages than anywhere else.
Living standards
In terms of living standards, Vienna comes out ahead again, with 90.8 points, followed by Prague with 78.4 and Ljubljana with 63.6. This is based on UBS's Big Mac index, average rent per apartment, the Mercer Safety Index and the proportion of green spaces and recreational areas. In Vienna, a worker needs to work 16 minutes on average to buy a Big Mac, putting it ahead of Moscow (25 minutes) and Ljubljana (35). In terms of monthly rental, Ljubljana is ahead of Vienna and Prague. Vienna is the safest city in the region, followed by Ljubljana and Prague. The greenest city in Central and Eastern Europe is Kiev, ahead of Prague and Vienna.
Culture & tourism
Prague wins on culture: the Czech capital scored 88.8 points, with Vienna second, with 70.7 and Moscow third, with 48.5. The survey looked at how many concerts there were by international rock bands, how many theaters and museums the cities had and how many tourists visit. In international rock concerts, Vienna came ahead of Prague, with Budapest and Bratislava a joint third. In theaters, Moscow is ahead of Prague and Vienna, with 93; in museums, Budapest beats Prague and Vienna. In terms of visitor hotel bookings per capita, Prague is in first place, followed by Vienna and Budapest; in terms of absolute numbers, Moscow is third.
