The gap between cities embracing the sharing economy and those imposing restrictive rules has never been greater. While national regulations are often stringent, the most significant barriers usually come from local policies, such as limits on short-term rentals, e-scooter bans, or rigid ride-hailing rules, that can stifle innovation and reduce consumer choice. These restrictions not only limit access to shared services but also affect the flexibility and livelihoods of gig workers. The Consumer Choice Center highlights these trends to help consumers navigate the sharing economy and guide policymakers toward regulations that encourage innovation, protect users, and promote fair and efficient markets.
We ranked 65 cities worldwide across ride-hailing, professional car-sharing, car-pooling, flat-sharing, gym-sharing, ultra-fast delivery apps, and e-scooters to help consumers avoid unnecessary risk and make informed choices, while guiding policymakers toward regulations that foster industry growth and consumer welfare.
This sixth edition introduces five new cities: Bremen, Essen, Seoul, Toronto, and Singapore—and further refines the methodology, with stricter grading for price controls and license caps, a minimum availability threshold for heavily restricted flat-sharing, and composite scoring for easier comparison. The rankings draw on expert assessments, annual reports, online statistics, news coverage, and our own research, reflecting the most up-to-date information.
Dubai leads the 2025 Sharing Economy Index, driven by advanced IT infrastructure, high mobile penetration, supportive early policies, and innovations like aerial taxis, though flat-sharing fees remain a barrier. Vilnius slipped due to declining ultra-fast delivery options, while Nashville benefited from eased HOA restrictions on short-term rentals. The report highlights how local regulations often outweigh national ones: cities like Bremen, Essen, Paris, and New York impose restrictive rules that limit ride-hailing and other shared services, favoring narrow interests over consumers. At the bottom, San Jose, Valletta, and Minsk illustrate the consequences of restrictive or unstable frameworks, from suspended e-scooters and limited fintech services to political uncertainty that stifles sharing-economy growth.
There are several advantages to choosing one of the top five cities, such as multiple affordable options for ride-hailing, carpooling, and car sharing, certainty and safety for borrowers and lenders engaged in peer-to-peer exchanges, accessible libraries, frequentable gyms anywhere in the city, the convenience of ultra-fast delivery, and an easy means of transportation on hand in the form of e-scooters.
Research Director
Policy Fellow
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