Amsterdam, the Netherlands, has ranked as the best place to live for tech enthusiasts in 2018, according to a new ranking published by electronic component company RS Components.
The European city topped the list due to its advanced technology infrastructure and early adoption of electric vehicles, coupled with its high quality of living and affordable housing.
Go deeper with GlobalData
The study looked at the top 100 cities from Mercer’s annual quality of life index, assigning each a score for various tech-related factors, such as broadband speed, cybersecurity, tech salaries and the gender pay gap in the tech industry, as well as life-related factors such as housing costs, quality of living and commute times.
Amsterdam didn’t place top for any single metric. However, its high ranking in multiple areas means that it achieved the highest tech index score out of each of the 90 cities studied. Amsterdam was found to fall short for fixed broadband speeds, but it ranked second for mobile speeds and number of electric car charging points.
Philadelphia, United States, placed second overall with a score of 7.19. Oslo, Norway, made up the top three.
Where did your city place?
Silicon Valley in San Francisco is widely regarded as the capital of the tech world. However, the US city could only place 14th on the list. The city tops the list for tech salaries and is joint second for cybersecurity commitments, but it falls short on mobile and broadband speeds, as well as electric car technology.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalDataEurope dominates the top ten. Despite the uncertainty surrounding the continent due to Brexit and the ongoing migrant crisis, Europe remains a promising destination for those keen to work in tech. It is home to five of the top ten cities on the Tech Cities Index. These are Amsterdam, Oslo, Geneva, Zurich and Berlin.
Despite its excellent tech infrastructure (for which it scored 9.5) and commitment to electric car technology (10), London, England, only placed 33rd. The UK’s highest-placed city is Edinburgh, Scotland, in 27th place.
Philadelphia, Seattle, St. Louis, Dallas and Minneapolis all rank in the top ten in the US. North America’s highest placed city outside of the US is Toronto, Canada, in 16th.
Brisbane is Australia’s best tech city, while Seoul, South Korea, tops Tokyo, Japan, and Hong Kong in Asia. Dubai came out just above Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, while no African nation placed in the top 90 cities.
How do results differ from the Mercer Quality of Life index?
Many of the top ranking cities can also be found towards the top end of the Mercer index too for quality of living. However, a number of US cities seemingly offer those working in the tech industry far more than the average person.
St. Louis in Missouri ranks number eight on the tech index, some 62 places above its ranking on the Mercer index. Accordable housing, high cybersecurity commitments and its lack of gender pay gap helped to propel it up the list.
The same goes in Philadelphia, which ranked second for tech cities and 50th overall thanks to the same three factors.
Amsterdam climbed 11 places to reach top spot, up from 12th on the Mercer index.
The best tech cities for:
Fixed broadband speed: Lyon, France
Mobile speed: Oslo, Norway
Cybersecurity commitment: Singapore
ICT development: Seoul, South Korea
Quality of living: Vienna, Austria
Tech wages: San Francisco, United States
Affordable housing: Detroit, United States
Gender pay gap in tech: Lisbon, Portugal
Electric car charging points: London, United Kingdom
Commute times: Canberra, Australia
View the full RS Components Tech Cities Index ranking here, or check how this ranking compares to the Mercer quality of life index here.
