The average for 2021 based on 165 countries was 79.81 index points. The highest value was in Bermuda: 212.7 index points and the lowest value was in Syria: 33.25 index points. The indicator is available from 2017 to 2021. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

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.

Cost of Living Index data was reported at 7,726.308 1913=1 in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 7,642.160 1913=1 for 2016. Cost of Living Index data is updated yearly, averaging 5.167 1913=1 from Dec 1861 (Median) to 2017, with 157 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7,726.308 1913=1 in 2017 and a record low of 0.766 1913=1 in 1865. Cost of Living Index data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Institute of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Italy – Table IT.I030: Cost of Living Index: 1913=1.

This Cost of International Education dataset compiles detailed financial information for students pursuing higher education abroad. It covers multiple countries, cities, and universities around the world, capturing the full tuition and living expenses spectrum alongside key ancillary costs. With standardized fields such as tuition in USD, living-cost indices, rent, visa fees, insurance, and up-to-date exchange rates, it enables comparative analysis across programs, degree levels, and geographies. Whether you’re a prospective international student mapping out budgets, an educational consultant advising on affordability, or a researcher studying global education economics, this dataset offers a comprehensive foundation for data-driven insights.

Description

Potential Uses

• Budget Planning Prospective students can filter by country, program level, or university to forecast total expenses and compare across destinations.
• Policy Analysis Educational policymakers and NGOs can assess the affordability of international education and design support programs.
• Economic Research Economists can correlate living-cost indices and tuition levels with enrollment rates or student demographics.
• University Benchmarking Institutions can benchmark their fees and ancillary costs against peer universities worldwide.

Notes on Data Collection & Quality

• Currency Conversions All monetary values are unified to USD using contemporaneous exchange rates to facilitate direct comparison.
• Living Cost Index Derived from reputable city-index publications (e.g., Numbeo, Mercer) to standardize disparate cost-of-living metrics.
• Data Currency Exchange rates and fee schedules should be periodically updated to reflect market fluctuations and policy changes.

Feel free to explore, visualize, and extend this dataset for deeper insights into the true cost of studying abroad!

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.

Although consumers around the globe wish to help protect the environment in 2022, many of them feel the current cost of living prevents them from doing so. Specifically, about two-thirds of global consumers reported wanting to do more, but that the cost of living is preventative. This sentiment was felt most in countries like Brazil and India.

The average for 2021 based on 20 countries was 97.17 index points. The highest value was in Bermuda: 212.7 index points and the lowest value was in Nicaragua: 49.42 index points. The indicator is available from 2017 to 2021. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

South Korea's capital Seoul had the highest cost of living among megacities in the Asia-Pacific region in 2024, with an index score of ****. Japan's capital Tokyo followed with a cost of living index score of ****. AffordabilityIn terms of housing affordability, Chinese megacity Shanghai had the highest rent index score in 2024. Affordability has become an issue in certain megacities across the Asia-Pacific region, with accommodation proving expensive. Next to Shanghai, Japanese capital Tokyo and South Korean capital Seoul boast some of the highest rent indices in the region. Increased opportunities in megacitiesAs the biggest region in the world, it is not surprising that the Asia-Pacific region is home to 28 megacities as of January 2024, with expectations that this number will dramatically increase by 2030. The growing number of megacities in the Asia-Pacific region can be attributed to raised levels of employment and living conditions. Cities such as Tokyo, Shanghai, and Beijing have become economic and industrial hubs. Subsequently, these cities have forged a reputation as being the in-trend places to live among the younger generations. This reputation has also pushed them to become enticing to tourists, with Tokyo displaying increased numbers of tourists throughout recent years, which in turn has created more job opportunities for inhabitants. As well as Tokyo, Shanghai has benefitted from the increased tourism, and has demonstrated an increasing population. A big factor in this population increase could be due to the migration of citizens to the city, seeking better employment possibilities.

Ireland: Cost of living index, world average = 100: The latest value from 2021 is 175.68 index points, an increase from 157.19 index points in 2017. In comparison, the world average is 79.81 index points, based on data from 165 countries. Historically, the average for Ireland from 2017 to 2021 is 166.44 index points. The minimum value, 157.19 index points, was reached in 2017 while the maximum of 175.68 index points was recorded in 2021.

Finland Cost of Living Index data was reported at 1,960.000 Oct1951=100 in Nov 2018. This stayed constant from the previous number of 1,960.000 Oct1951=100 for Oct 2018. Finland Cost of Living Index data is updated monthly, averaging 978.000 Oct1951=100 from Oct 1951 (Median) to Nov 2018, with 806 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,960.000 Oct1951=100 in Nov 2018 and a record low of 98.000 Oct1951=100 in Mar 1955. Finland Cost of Living Index data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Finland. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Finland – Table FI.I014: Cost of Living Index: October 1951=100.

Portugal, Canada, and the United States were the countries with the highest house price to income ratio in 2024. In all three countries, the index exceeded 130 index points, while the average for all OECD countries stood at 116.2 index points. The index measures the development of housing affordability and is calculated by dividing nominal house price by nominal disposable income per head, with 2015 set as a base year when the index amounted to 100. An index value of 120, for example, would mean that house price growth has outpaced income growth by 20 percent since 2015. How have house prices worldwide changed since the COVID-19 pandemic? House prices started to rise gradually after the global financial crisis (2007–2008), but this trend accelerated with the pandemic. The countries with advanced economies, which usually have mature housing markets, experienced stronger growth than countries with emerging economies. Real house price growth (accounting for inflation) peaked in 2022 and has since lost some of the gain. Although, many countries experienced a decline in house prices, the global house price index shows that property prices in 2023 were still substantially higher than before COVID-19. Renting vs. buying In the past, house prices have grown faster than rents. However, the home affordability has been declining notably, with a direct impact on rental prices. As people struggle to buy a property of their own, they often turn to rental accommodation. This has resulted in a growing demand for rental apartments and soaring rental prices.

As of 2022, Israel had the highest price level index among listed countries, amounting to 138, with 100 being the average of OECD countries. Switzerland and Iceland followed on the places behind. On the other hand, Turkey and India had the lowest price levels compared to the OECD average. This price index shows differences in price levels in different countries. Another very popular index indicating the value of money is the Big Mac index, showing how much a Big Mac costs in different countries. This list was also topped by Switzerland in 2023.

Kazakhstan Cost of Living: Average per Capita: Region: Karagandinskaya data was reported at 27,666.000 KZT in Oct 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 27,737.000 KZT for Sep 2018. Kazakhstan Cost of Living: Average per Capita: Region: Karagandinskaya data is updated monthly, averaging 11,918.000 KZT from Oct 2000 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 217 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 28,240.000 KZT in Aug 2018 and a record low of 4,267.000 KZT in Oct 2000. Kazakhstan Cost of Living: Average per Capita: Region: Karagandinskaya data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by The Agency of Statistics of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Kazakhstan – Table KZ.H012: Cost of Living: Average per Capita.

Living Cost: Labour Force: Average per Month: SF: Republic of Kalmykia data was reported at 10,914.000 RUB in Dec 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 11,023.000 RUB for Sep 2020. Living Cost: Labour Force: Average per Month: SF: Republic of Kalmykia data is updated quarterly, averaging 5,689.000 RUB from Dec 2001 (Median) to Dec 2020, with 77 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 11,083.000 RUB in Jun 2020 and a record low of 1,469.000 RUB in Dec 2001. Living Cost: Labour Force: Average per Month: SF: Republic of Kalmykia data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal State Statistics Service. The data is categorized under Russia Premium Database’s Household Survey – Table RU.HF002: Living Cost: Labour Force.

Living Cost: Average per Month: NW: Republic of Komi data was reported at 14,567.000 RUB in Dec 2020. This stayed constant from the previous number of 14,567.000 RUB for Sep 2020. Living Cost: Average per Month: NW: Republic of Komi data is updated quarterly, averaging 7,823.000 RUB from Mar 2001 (Median) to Dec 2020, with 80 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 14,567.000 RUB in Dec 2020 and a record low of 1,759.000 RUB in Mar 2001. Living Cost: Average per Month: NW: Republic of Komi data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal State Statistics Service. The data is categorized under Russia Premium Database’s Household Survey – Table RU.HF001: Living Cost.

Of the cities who have experienced cost of living increases, the top three are located in Latin America, two in Mexico and one in Costa Rica. Each moved 38, 39, and 48 spots in the ranking respectively since 2022. Due to increases in interest rates, the Mexican peso and Costa Rican colón have both appreciated against the U.S. Dollar. Comparatively, Singapore and Zurich were ranked the most expensive cities in the world.

As of September 2024, 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.

This dataset contains data on monthly cost of living index in Estonia in 1919-1939. Dataset "Monthly Cost of Living Index in Estonia, 1919-1939" was published implementing project "Historical Sociology of Modern Restorations: a Cross-Time Comparative Study of Post-Communist Transformation in the Baltic States" from 2018 to 2022. Project leader is prof. Zenonas Norkus. Project is funded by the European Social Fund according to the activity "Improvement of researchers' qualification by implementing world-class R&D projects' of Measure No. 09.3.3-LMT-K-712".

Living Cost: Labour Force: Average per Month: SF: Republic of Crimea data was reported at 11,846.000 RUB in Dec 2020. This records an increase from the previous number of 11,671.000 RUB for Sep 2020. Living Cost: Labour Force: Average per Month: SF: Republic of Crimea data is updated quarterly, averaging 10,467.500 RUB from Sep 2014 (Median) to Dec 2020, with 26 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 11,846.000 RUB in Dec 2020 and a record low of 6,211.000 RUB in Sep 2014. Living Cost: Labour Force: Average per Month: SF: Republic of Crimea data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal State Statistics Service. The data is categorized under Russia Premium Database’s Household Survey – Table RU.HF002: Living Cost: Labour Force.

Morocco: Cost of living index, world average = 100: The latest value from 2021 is 67.61 index points, an increase from 63.47 index points in 2017. In comparison, the world average is 79.81 index points, based on data from 165 countries. Historically, the average for Morocco from 2017 to 2021 is 65.54 index points. The minimum value, 63.47 index points, was reached in 2017 while the maximum of 67.61 index points was recorded in 2021.