How to make money in Cities Skylines 2?

In the bustling metropolis of Cities: Skylines 2, every aspiring urban planner aims to accumulate wealth and create a flourishing city. The road to financial success in this city-building simulation is paved with numerous challenges, but with the right strategies, you can unlock the secret to sustainable prosperity. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the core principles of financial management, helping you surpass your financial goals and create a thriving city that stands as a testament to your strategic prowess.

Prioritize Your Service Buildings

Creating a well-functioning city is a complex task that demands careful financial consideration. One of the key elements that often drain your resources are service buildings. When you introduce a new service, it comes with a monthly upkeep cost that can significantly impact your budget. Therefore, it is crucial to prioritize these services based on your city’s needs and your available budget.

While the allure of a state-of-the-art hospital might be tempting, it’s essential to ask yourself if your citizens can be adequately served by a clinic. The upkeep cost for a single hospital can be substantial, nearly $100,000 per month. By carefully assessing the requirements of your city and your available funds, you can make informed decisions on which services to prioritize, ensuring both your citizens’ well-being and your budget are in balance.

Decrease Service Budget

Optimizing your city’s service budget is a shrewd financial strategy. Head to the City Economy tab and access the Services menu to adjust your service budgets. By tweaking these settings, you can free up funds that might have been underutilized. This can be especially helpful if you are running a tight budget or need to allocate resources to other critical areas of your city’s development.

Raise Taxes Strategically

Taxes are a vital source of income for your city, much like they are in the real world. You can adjust tax rates via the City Economy menu, with the ability to fine-tune the tax percentages for different zones. Furthermore, you can customize taxes based on factors such as education level and business type, allowing for a more granular approach to taxation.

To optimize your tax strategy, consider experimenting with tax percentages. Starting with a higher tax rate, say 30 percent, can be a viable initial approach. If this results in citizen dissatisfaction, you can always reduce the tax rate. Balancing taxes requires some trial and error, but higher taxes at the outset can be a potent means of generating income.

Export Excess Materials

Generating revenue from exports is an indispensable aspect of bolstering your city’s finances. Consider what materials your city can produce, such as excess power, and export them to neighboring cities. Power generation presents various options, including clean energy or more polluting sources, or you can even opt to import power at a higher cost.

With your own power sources, you can tap into the surplus energy and turn it into a lucrative export. If your city features specialized industry zones, these can serve as a goldmine for producing and selling surplus materials, further enhancing your financial stability.

Don’t Forget About Specialized Industry

Specialized industry zones can significantly impact your city’s economy. Check the Production tab in the City Economy menu to monitor the flow of specialized materials through your city. If there’s a deficit in any material, consider establishing a specialized district to produce it internally, eliminating the need for costly imports.

For example, if your city is struggling with coal production but possesses a coal plant, it’s a clear signal to establish a specialized district dedicated to coal production. Failure to do so will result in continued reliance on external sources and unnecessary expenditures.

Reach New Milestones

Advancing your city’s rank is a notable financial boost. While it won’t provide a continuous income increase, it offers a substantial one-time influx of funds. To rank up, focus on expanding your city and ensuring the well-being of your citizens. Building new roads, introducing additional service buildings, and nurturing your city’s growth will contribute to your experience points, eventually propelling you to a higher rank and a significant monetary reward.

Take Out A Loan Wisely

While being in debt is generally unfavorable, taking out a loan can serve as a last-resort measure to jumpstart your city’s development. If you’ve exhausted the funds earned from completing milestones, consider securing a loan. The capital obtained from a loan can be strategically invested in expanding your city and optimizing income streams.

Loans should be used judiciously, with a clear plan for how the borrowed funds will be invested in income-generating projects that will eventually offset the debt.

Expand Your City for Prosperity

Expanding your city is perhaps the most fundamental strategy for financial success. Smaller cities may struggle to generate income initially, but as you gradually expand your zones, cater to your citizens’ needs, and diligently manage your city, you’ll witness a transformation in your financial outlook.

In instances where a small city is hemorrhaging money, don’t lose hope. Instead, consider it a learning experience. Cities: Skylines 2 embraces the concept of learning from mistakes. Starting anew with the knowledge gained from previous attempts can lead to the creation of an even more prosperous and financially stable city.

In conclusion, mastering the art of wealth accumulation in Cities: Skylines 2 requires a blend of careful planning, astute budgeting, and strategic decision-making. By prioritizing services, optimizing budgets, adjusting taxes, exploring export opportunities, focusing on specialized industries, reaching milestones, using loans judiciously, and expanding your city, you’ll be well on your way to financial prosperity in this urban simulation game. Your city’s financial future is in your hands; make it a prosperous one!

graph TD; A[City Expansion] –> B[Optimized Services] A –> C[Strategic Taxation] A –> D[Export Surplus Materials] A –> E[Specialized Industry] A –> F[Reach Milestones] A –> G[Smart Loan Use] A –> H[Continuous Expansion]