China Cities Ranking Low But Rising

By Frank Mulligan, Talent Software

I love data to be sliced and diced. Saves me having to do the work.

This is especially true when the report tells me something that is useful to me. The Mercer annual standard of living report has to be one of those reports.

It ranks the quality of life in the world’s major cities and is important in the hiring of expatriate managers. It could eventually have competition from the Chinese government’s city ranking figures but I don’t imagine Mercer is too concerned.

And The Winner Is......

So, who’s winning this race in China?

Clearly it’s Shanghai with a ranking of 103, way above all the other cities except Beijing. The Eastward flow of professionals in China tends back this up but it sets me wondering.

What were the limitations of Shanghai that held it to such a low level by comparison to other world cities?. According to Mercer the quality of living is based on purely on the tangible aspects of living in a city on an expatriate assignment.

So at a guess the reason Shanghai does not get a higher ranking is the pollution and the traffic. Luckily this is solvable, and with 3 new subway lines this year, I am looking forward to a higher ranking next year. As a former resident of Beijing I can guess the even lower ranking for that city: pollution and traffic. With the Olympics coming in Beijing, that looks sorted already.

Apparently Mercer is in agreement with this. The author of the report, Slagin Parakatil, says that Beijing and Shanghai are on the rise and should experience rapid improvements in quality of living in the coming years.

Comments to: frank.mulligan@recruit-china.com