Los Angeles is holding its own as a global city for business with its broad array of characteristics, according to a recent study of 30 major world metropolises from PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The city ranked No. 13 out of 30, right behind Chicago and ahead of Tokyo, though down one spot from the last survey two years ago. London once again topped the list as the city with the most opportunity, followed by Singapore and Toronto. New York, at No. 6, was the top U.S. city.

The survey compared cities using dozens of metrics, grouped in major categories from technology readiness to transportation/infrastructure to economic clout. It’s designed to ferret out the city that works best on multiple levels.

Boosting Los Angeles is its No. 1 ranking in city brand, No. 3 position in overall cost, and No. 4 rank in demographics/livability. Strong entertainment options and attractiveness for relocation were also major pluses.

Those positives were offset by some of L.A.’s well-chronicled weaknesses, including transportation/infrastructure (No. 19), and economic clout (also No. 19). On the transportation front, an outdated airport with limited access to downtown (a light-rail link is still a few years away) and its legendary traffic congestion are major drags.

Surprisingly, Los Angeles scored relatively well on the “ease of doing business” front, ranking No. 9, despite the constant griping of many in the local business community about how difficult it is to deal with City Hall.

“Yes, Los Angeles and San Francisco may have a lot of rules and regulations; however, compared to many global cities, they are very welcoming environments in which to do business,” said Brian Cullinan, managing partner of PwC’s Southern California, Arizona, and Nevada markets.

– Howard Fine