Culture plays an essential role in the sustainable and economic development of cities. There are currently more and more cities that recognize their importance and include it in their development plans, thus demonstrating its transversality. However, the prevailing question is how to measure its impact. In this sense, an alternative proposal to the UNESCO Culture for Development Indicators (CDIS) for evaluation is presented, consisting of 27 indicators organized in seven categories. The model is applied in the cities of Stockholm, Bilbao, and the Guadalajara metropolitan area (ZMG, consisting of the municipalities of Guadalajara, San Pedro Tlaquepaque, Zapopan, Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, Tonalá and El Salto). These cities have been chosen for their public policies and the cultural and creative projects that have been carried out there in recent decades. Lastly, the results show that cities that position culture in a cross-cutting manner achieve greater sustainable development.