I guess very few people do not know some big names on the Forbes list, like Bill Gates, Warren Buffet or Larry Ellison. They are the richest people in the US. These masters of great wealth have great ambition and virtue.
Have you ever noticed that the Forbes list of billionaires is always changing every year? A closer look at the list can help you find some interesting things. The greatest billionaire growth does not come in America or Europe. Instead, the so-called BRIC nations, Brazil-Russia-India-China, witness the fastest growth of billionaires. These countries give birth to 108 new billionaires in the past one year alone. So where do most billionaires live?
Naturally, it’s a big task to figure out top cities with the most billionaires or even zillionaires. Just rest assured! We’ve come up with the latest list of 15 global cities with the most zillionaires.
1. Moscow, Russia
Photo: josef.stuefer, wikipedia, Josh Simerman, Igor Klisov, nuritdinov
With only 5 billionaires on the list in 2002, Moscow ranks as the No.1 city with the most billionaires now. With 79 billionaire residents, the Russian capital has an incredible increase of 21 in just one year.
2. New York, USA
Photo: Wherever I Roam, WanderingtheWorld
New York comes in a close second with 71 billionaires. But NY is definitely not playing for the second place. It’s the world’s financial capital for so long. It’s still a favored locale of billionaire celebrities, including Rupert Murdoch, Donald Trump and Ralph Lauren.
3. Dallas, USA
Photo: Rdoke, ragingwire, wikipedia
Dallas may come as a surprise with the fact that it has a number of 17 billionaires. Several Big Oils stand out among the names, like T. Boone Pickens and Ray Lee Hunt.
4. Taipei, China
Photo: EtherH, huang woodpecker, Richard Messenger, hsuyo
Taipei is a popular tourist destination just like its East Asian rivals, such as Hong Kong and Tokyo. The vibrant city is full of a certain charm, making it unique of its own. Taipei City is also a residential city for billionaires.
5. San Francisco, USA
Photo: bg3photo, El Frito, wikipedia, MarkoCadez
The Internet bubble burst several years ago in San Francisco. But this California city is still home to several world-renowned IT tycoons, including co-founder of Google Larry Page, founder and CEO of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg and more.
6. Mumbai, India
Photo: Nathan Winder
As the business and cultural center of India, Mumbai houses 20 billionaires with a combination worth of $7.6 billion. Top Indian billionaires in Mumbai include Mekesh and Anil Ambani.
7. Sao Paulo, Brazil
Photo: rigues, Wherever I Roam, Rodrigo Yoshioka, Alex Chermucsnis
Sao Paulo has an amazing display of world-class restaurants and cultural activities. It is also one of the richest cities in the southern hemisphere. Sao Paulo even boasts 21 billionaire residents, including Jorge Paulo Lemann and Rubens Ometto Silveira Mello. Notice that Sao Paulo is the only South American city on the list of top10.
8. Los Angeles, USA
Photo: Christopher Chan, xmeltingboyx, incognito85
Los Angeles is a city of luxury and glamour. The paradise is famous for Hollywood, Disneyland and more. Perhaps that’s why most Los Angeles-based tycoons have some ties to the entertainment industry, from Oscar winner Steven Spielberg to Shari Redstone.
9. Beijing, China
Photo: Stuck in Customs, Wojtek Gurak, Trey Ratcliff, synchroni, Wherever I Roam
The Great Wall is not the only thing the city has to offer. Beijing is one of the most important industrial centers of China. A report said that Beijing has the largest number of rich people in the nation. Statistics shows that Beijing has 19 billionaires, not to mention millionaires.
10. Hong Kong, China
Photo: Steve Webel, Thomas Birke, dawvon, cblee
Hong Kong is truly a paradise for dining and shopping. Thanks to its surging economy, Hong Kong is one of top cities with most billionaires. According to a research, the “Pearl of the Orient” is home to 40 billionaire residents, from Li Ka-shing to Macau casino tycoon Stanley Ho.
11. Shanghai, China
Photo: Knowsphotos, Wolfgang Staudt, wikipedia, Grzegorz Pawlikowski, Sjekster
Nicknamed the “Paris of the East”, Shanghai tends to become the Oriental Fashion Capital. Shanghai is also an important economic, financial, trade and shopping center in China. According to Forbes, it’s also a top city with 16 billionaires. Compared with Bill Gates or Rupert Murdoch, their names might be not familiar to the world, like Zhou Chengjian and Liu Yongxing.
12. Seoul, Korea
Photo: Wineblat Eugene – Scapes, Dae-Wang, TiNsTyle
Seoul also takes a place in the rankings with a total of 15 billionaires. Celebrities include Samsung Group chairman Lee Kun-Hee and LG Group chairman Koo Bon-Moo.
13. Tokyo, Japan
Photo: Gary Hayes, naoK, Rick Ghent
Tokyo is one of the richest cities in Japan. It was once ranking 3rd on the Forbes list in 2002. With its economic decline in recent years, Tokyo also experiences huge asset prices decline. It remains a popular locale for the wealthy. To your great surprise, the small populated area has 14 billionaires.
14. London, UK
Photo: Trodel, Trey Ratcliff, ata software
Probably due to the strength of British pound, London is another city filled with huge wealth. Though it cannot rival Moscow or New York, it’s still one of the richest cities on the earth. Some top notch names include steel baron Lakeshmi Mittal and clothing giant Donald Trump.
15. Istanbul, Turkey
Photo: Oberazzi, Evgeny Gorodetsky
Istanbul is definitely a holy land for both tourists and billionaires because of its beautiful coastal location. Scenic wide beaches, stunning coastal properties and mild climate all make it a desirable destination. In the same way, almost all of the Turkey’s billionaires come from Istanbul.
