In 2009, Sydney was ranked as the second best city 'brand' in the world in the 2009 Anholt City Brands Index. The city brands index ranks 40 world cities based on the following dimensions:

• presence – how familiar people are with each city and how much of a contribution they believe that each city has made to the world in the last 30 years
• place – physical and climatic attributes of each city
• prerequisites – basic amenities such as affordable accommodation and the standard of schools, hospitals etc.
• people – the friendliness and safety of each city
• pulse – the variety of activities available in each city
• potential – what economic opportunities each city offers.

Sydney's high ranking was due to consistently high scores across all six criteria, with the city rated first for the friendliness of its people and its physical beauty. According to the Anholt survey, "there seem to be no corners of the world that are not convinced of Sydney's attractions...it is no exaggeration to say that Sydney is as close to having a 'perfect place brand' as any city can have."

In 2008, Sydney was the only Australian city to be ranked in the 20 most global cities according to A.T Kearney’s Global Cities Index. Sydney was recognised for its strengths in human capital and the ability to attract international residents.