Top 12 Global Cities for the Ultra-Wealthy: 2021

Which cities are the most desirable for ultra-wealthy people to live, do business and invest? For the first time since Knight Frank has been compiling an index of global cities most favored by the ultra-wealthy, it says it was unable to separate the top two. The index, which appears in the 2021 edition of the firm's Wealth Report, is based on an analysis of 100 cities around the world. Each city in the index was ranked across three categories: Wealth: Number of both high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals in each city Investment: Level and diversity of private investment in real estate in each city Lifestyle: Luxury measures that encourage individuals to visit a city and reside there European cities claimed eight of the top 20 slots this year, mainly driven by high rankings for lifestyle and investment. North American cities occupy seven spots and Asian ones five. See the gallery above for the 12 cities that appeal most to ultra-rich individuals and how they ranked in the categories of wealth, investment and lifestyle.