Monterrey, the most competitive city in Mexico: Imco

Monterrey is positioned among 17 cities as the most competitive in the category of more than 1 million inhabitants, followed by Saltillo, Guadalajara, Querétaro, the Valley of Mexico, Chihuahua and Aguascalientes, revealed the 2022 Urban Competitiveness Index prepared by the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness (Imco).

As every year, the Imco released the results of the Urban Competitiveness Index (ICU) that it carries out to find out the performance and challenges that each city presents. A competitive city, described the institute, generates, attracts and retains talent and investment.

The analysis, which considers 69 indicators grouped into 10 sub-indices, evaluates 66 cities and its methodology recognizes the complexity of the different urban areas, so the results are presented by population size and classified into six levels of competitiveness: very high , high, medium high, medium low, low and very low.

Monterrey is the only city ranked in the Very High category of the index among the 66 cities.

"In the 2022 edition of the ICU, it is observed that Mexican cities advanced in their activities related to tourism, the use of financial services increased and the number of active economic sectors in each city also increased," he reported.

In cities of 500,000 to 1,000,000, Mazatlán and Culiacán make it 1-2 with a High level of competitiveness among 23 cities. They are followed with a Medium High level, Hermosillo, Durango and Cancún, as part of the first five.

For cities of 250 to 500,000 inhabitants (20), Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta, Los Mochis, Nuevo Laredo and Campeche occupy the first five places with a Medium High level.

While among the cities with less than 250,000 only Piedras Negras stands out among six cities whose level of competitiveness is High. Manzanillo, Guaymas and Delicias obtained a low Medium level; Tecoman, Baja; and San Francisco del Rincón de Muy Baja.

The latter, along with Cuatla (from 500,000 to 1,000,000) registered the lowest level of competitiveness. 

According to the Imco , among the setbacks it is observed that the criminal incidence intensified. While per capita water consumption also grew, a resource that will be crucial to use in a sustainable manner, since the scarcity is already beginning to become evident. 

In order to have more competitive cities, Imco proposes three actions: coordination, dual infrastructure and digital management. For the first, he suggests implementing a coordination figure that interacts with other actors with management power.

Dual infrastructure can focus on solving more than one problem and must be accompanied by risk and cost-benefit feasibility studies. And finally, digital management, where governments must use electronic tools to be more efficient, reduce costs and facilitate access to services.

So for people to find more and better opportunities they need safe, innovative and connected cities.