Budapest ranked underdeveloped in the latest SMART cities ranking

Budapest came 83^rd in a ranking of SMART cities by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Switzerland and by Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD).

As reported by turizmusonline.hu, while Budapest was ranked ahead of Bratislava and Bucharest in the 102 cities investigated by the study, it was behind Krakow, Vienna and Ho Chi Minh. Using a range of surveys and indicators, the IMD Smart City Index shows the extent to which residents believe that their cities’ smart solutions are successful. It is important to note that the results reflect the residents’ subjective opinion and the minimum number of participants for each city was at a lowly 120 indivudals.

The indicators include the use technological solutions to makes life in cities more SMART, which involve urban planning policies, transport, renewable energy use, and a city’s ability to attract highly educated individuals.

Smart City Index. Source: imd.org

The top 3 cities were Singapore, Zurich and Oslo. Central European cities Vienna and Prague were ranked 17^th and 19^th respectively.

Hungary performed poorly in categories which investigated corruption, openness to minorities and the levels of congestion on the roads.

 According to the Index, Budapest has a very poor health care system and there are very few green spaces in the city as well. However, on average Budapest has more employment opportunities than the other cities that were ranked.

Survey respondents believed that the three biggest issues that Budapest needs to overcome are high property prices, corruption and congestion.

While the index does not reflect well on the city, it is important to note that Hungarians are traditionally very pessimistic people. Could that have played a role in Hungary’s poor performance in this ranking?

Earlier this year Hungary was ranked very low in the World Press Freedom Index. In another ranking last year, Budapest came 32nd for the best city for expats to live in.

Source: turizmusonline.hu, imd.org