Damascus in Syria was ranked as the least expensive city worldwide in 2023, with an index score of ** out of 100. The country has been marred by civil war over the last decade, hitting the country's economy hard. Other cities in the Middle East and North Africa, such as Tehran, Tripoli, and Tunis, are also present on the list. On the other hand, Singapore and Zurich were ranked the most expensive cities in the world.

Zurich, Lausanne, and Geneva were ranked as the most expensive cities worldwide with indices of ************************ Almost half of the 11 most expensive cities were in Switzerland.

Addis Ababa, in Ethiopia, ranked as the most expensive city to live in Africa as of 2024, considering consumer goods prices. The Ethiopian capital obtained an index score of ****, followed by Harare, in Zimbabwe, with ****. Morocco and South Africa were the countries with the most representatives among the ** cities with the highest cost of living in Africa.

As of mid-2025, Port of Spain ranked as the second Latin American and Caribbean city with the highest cost of living. The capital of ******************* obtained an index score of ****, followed by the ********* capital, with **** points.

As of July 2025, the cost of living in Barrancabermeja was the highest among major Colombian cities. In total, the average cost per month amounted to *** U.S. dollars. Medellín followed in the ranking, with a monthly cost of living of *** U.S. dollars at that time.

In October 2023, Milan was by far the most expensive city in Italy to rent a dwelling. In fact, people wishing to rent an apartment or a house in the city were expected to pay almost ** euros per square meters. Following in the ranking, came Florence and Bologna with **** and ** euros per square meter. Rome, the Eternal City, came fifth: renting a dwelling in the Italian capital cost on average **** euros per square meter.

Cities in the United States dominate the list of cities with the highest rents worldwide. New York was ranked as the most expensive city to rent in, ahead of San Francisco, with an index score of ***. Boston followed in third.

In the first quarter of 2025, Amsterdam was the most expensive city to rent a furnished private room among the 27 European cities surveyed. It was also among the top ranking most expensive cities to rent a furnished one-bedroom flat and studio apartment. One of the main factors driving high rents across European cities is the same as any other consumer-driven business. If demand outweighs supply, prices will inflate. The drive for high paid professionals to be located centrally in prime locations, mixed with the low levels of available space, high land, and construction costs, all keep rental prices increasing.

As of September 2025, Mumbai had the highest cost of living among other cities in the country, with an index value of ****. Gurgaon, a satellite city of Delhi and part of the National Capital Region (NCR) followed it with an index value of ****.  What is cost of living? The cost of living varies depending on geographical regions and factors that affect the cost of living in an area include housing, food, utilities, clothing, childcare, and fuel among others. The cost of living is calculated based on different measures such as the consumer price index (CPI), living cost indexes, and wage price index. CPI refers to the change in the value of consumer goods and services. The wage price index, on the other hand, measures the change in labor services prices due to market pressures. Lastly, the living cost indexes calculate the impact of changing costs on different households. The relationship between wages and costs determines affordability and shifts in the cost of living. Mumbai tops the list Mumbai usually tops the list of most expensive cities in India. As the financial and entertainment hub of the country, Mumbai offers wide opportunities and attracts talent from all over the country. It is the second-largest city in India and has one of the most expensive real estates in the world.

Geneva stands out as Europe's most expensive city for apartment purchases in early 2025, with prices reaching a staggering 15,720 euros per square meter. This Swiss city's real estate market dwarfs even high-cost locations like Zurich and London, highlighting the extreme disparities in housing affordability across the continent. The stark contrast between Geneva and more affordable cities like Nantes, France, where the price was 3,700 euros per square meter, underscores the complex factors influencing urban property markets in Europe. Rental market dynamics and affordability challenges While purchase prices vary widely, rental markets across Europe also show significant differences. London maintained its position as the continent's priciest city for apartment rentals in 2023, with the average monthly costs for a rental apartment amounting to 36.1 euros per square meter. This figure is double the rent in Lisbon, Portugal or Madrid, Spain, and substantially higher than in other major capitals like Paris and Berlin. The disparity in rental costs reflects broader economic trends, housing policies, and the intricate balance of supply and demand in urban centers. Economic factors influencing housing costs The European housing market is influenced by various economic factors, including inflation and energy costs. As of April 2025, the European Union's inflation rate stood at 2.4 percent, with significant variations among member states. Romania experienced the highest inflation at 4.9 percent, while France and Cyprus maintained lower rates. These economic pressures, coupled with rising energy costs, contribute to the overall cost of living and housing affordability across Europe. The volatility in electricity prices, particularly in countries like Italy where rates are projected to reach 153.83 euros per megawatt hour by February 2025, further impacts housing-related expenses for both homeowners and renters.

This statistic shows the price of a hotel room in the ** main French destinations between 2017 and 2018. It appears that in the first ***** cities of this ranking, the average price of a hotel room increased from 2017 to 2018, rising from *** euros up to *** euros in Cannes.

Barcelona, Madrid, and Donostia - San Sebastian were some of the most expensive cities to rent a house in Spain in February 2025. Barcelona, which is the capital of Catalonia, led the list with an average price of **** euros per square meter. Madrid followed closely in the second position with an average square meter of rental residential property cost of **** euros.

In the fourth quarter of 2022, the most expensive city for business travel in the Americas (excluding the United States) was Toronto, with daily costs amounting to nearly *** U.S. dollars. San Juan, Puerto Rico's capital, followed in the ranking, with daily costs for hotels, food, and transportation reaching an average of around *** U.S. dollars.

Zurich in Switzerland was the most expensive business travel destination in Europe based on the average daily cost for food in 2020. That year, Zurich's total average meal price, including spending on breakfast, lunch, and dinner, amounted to roughly *** U.S. dollars. Another Swiss city, Basel, ranked second on the list in 2020, with daily food costs of around *** U.S. dollars.

Krasnaya Polyana, located in the Krasnodar Krai of Russia, has become a popular destination for ski tourists over the past years, leading to a surge in real estate prices in this area. Consequently, the average selling price of residential real estate in Krasnaya Polyana exceeded that in the capital city and was measured at over ***** thousand Russian rubles per square meter in December 2021. Apart from Krasnaya Polyana, Sochi, Gelendzhik, and Moscow, all cities in the ranking were located in the Moscow Oblast.

Moscow and St.Petersburg, Russia experienced the largest price drops worldwide, dropping *** and ** places in the ranking respectively. While Russia is experiencing import and labor shortages, this drop has largely been impacted by the depreciation of the Russian rouble, which has depreciated by around **% since 2022. In China and Japan, the drop has also been attributed to weakening currencies. Meanwhile, Singapore and Zurich were ranked the most expensive cities in the world.

The price per square meter in a luxury apartment in Cape Town, South Africa, reached ***** U.S. dollars in 2018. It was double of the price measured in Umhlanga, also a city in South Africa, and second in the ranking. The index tracked the square meter price in selected prime apartments, measuring from *** to *** square meters, mainly in exclusive living complexes.

As of October 2024, the city with the most expensive hotel rate in the United States was Boston. Visitors to the East Coast city could expect to pay 320 U.S. dollars for a doube room during that period. Meanwhile, New York ranked third with an average rate of 284 U.S. dollars.

According to the latest results of IFDAQ's Global Fashion & Luxury Cities index, New York was the leading fashion and luxury city worldwide in the first quarter of 2021, with an index value of ******. Paris and Milan followed New York in the list, with index values of ****** and ******, respectively.

This statistic shows the the most expensive cities in the world for a romantic getaway as of December 2015, by the average cost of amenities. New York City in the United States ranked as the most expensive city for a romantic getaway, two drinks at in a hotel bar there would cost *** U.S. dollars on average. The cost of the entire trip would total ***** U.S. dollars.