The graph shows the world's most expensive cities to live, compared to New York City. Zurich is with a value of *** the most expensive city to live.

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 indices are relative to New York City (NYC) which means that for New York City, each index should be 100. If another city has, for example, rent index of 120, it means that on an average in that city rents are 20% more expensive than in New York City. If a city has rent index of 70, that means on an average in that city rents are 30% less expensive than in New York City.

Cost of Living Index (Excl. Rent) is a relative indicator of consumer goods prices, including groceries, restaurants, transportation and utilities. Cost of Living Index doesn't include accommodation expenses such as rent or mortgage. If a city has a Cost of Living Index of 120, it means Numbeo estimates it is 20% more expensive than New York (excluding rent).

Rent Index is an estimation of prices of renting apartments in the city compared to New York City. If Rent index is 80, Numbeo estimates that price of rents in that city is on an average 20% less than the price in New York.

Groceries Index is an estimation of grocery prices in the city compared to New York City. To calculate this section, Numbeo uses weights of items in the "Markets" section for each city.

Restaurants Index is a comparison of prices of meals and drinks in restaurants and bars compared to NYC.

Cost of Living Plus Rent Index is an estimation of consumer goods prices including rent comparing to New York City.

Local Purchasing Power shows relative purchasing power in buying goods and services in a given city for the average wage in that city. If domestic purchasing power is 40, this means that the inhabitants of that city with the average salary can afford to buy on an average 60% less goods and services than New York City residents with an average salary.

West Virginia and Kansas had the lowest cost of living across all U.S. states, with composite costs being half of those found in Hawaii. This was according to a composite index that compares prices for various goods and services on a state-by-state basis. In West Virginia, the cost of living index amounted to **** — well below the national benchmark of 100. Virginia— which had an index value of ***** — was only slightly above that benchmark. Expensive places to live included Hawaii, Massachusetts, and California. Housing costs in the U.S. Housing is usually the highest expense in a household’s budget. In 2023, the average house sold for approximately ******* U.S. dollars, but house prices in the Northeast and West regions were significantly higher. Conversely, the South had some of the least expensive housing. In West Virginia, Mississippi, and Louisiana, the median price of the typical single-family home was less than ******* U.S. dollars. That makes living expenses in these states significantly lower than in states such as Hawaii and California, where housing is much pricier. What other expenses affect the cost of living? Utility costs such as electricity, natural gas, water, and internet also influence the cost of living. In Alaska, Hawaii, and Connecticut, the average monthly utility cost exceeded *** U.S. dollars. That was because of the significantly higher prices for electricity and natural gas in these states.

Title: Top Cities Worldwide: Quality of Life Index 2024 Subtitle: Ranking the World's Best Cities for Living Based on Key Metrics

Source of Data: The dataset was collected from Numbeo.com, a publicly accessible database that provides data on various quality-of-life indicators across cities worldwide. Numbeo aggregates user-contributed data validated through statistical methods to ensure reliability.

Data Collection Method: Data was acquired through web scraping. Care was taken to follow ethical web scraping practices, adhering to Numbeo’s terms of service and respecting their robots.txt file.

Columns Description:

The dataset includes the following columns:

• Rank: City ranking based on the Quality of Life Index.
• City: Name of the city.
• Country: Country where the city is located.
• Quality of Life Index: Overall index measuring quality of life, calculated based on various sub-indices.
• Purchasing Power Index: Measures relative purchasing power in the city.
• Safety Index: Indicates how safe the city is based on crime rates.
• Health Care Index: Reflects the quality and accessibility of healthcare services.
• Cost of Living Index: Represents the cost of living, including housing, food, and transportation.
• Property Price to Income Ratio: A measure of housing affordability, calculated as the ratio of property prices to average incomes.
• Traffic Commute Time Index: Average time spent commuting within the city.

Limitations and Considerations:

• User-Generated Data: Since data on Numbeo is user-contributed, it may be subject to biases.
• Data Update Frequency: As Numbeo updates its data regularly, the dataset represents a snapshot in time and may require periodic updates.

Usage Note: The dataset is intended for research and analytical purposes. Users should verify the data's applicability for their specific use cases, considering the limitations mentioned above.

This is a comparison of the cost of living in various cities, as gathered by popular site numbeo. All data belongs to them and has been shared with permission

Currency is Euro

Denmark - Housing cost overburden rate: Cities was 22.70% in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Denmark - Housing cost overburden rate: Cities - last updated from the EUROSTAT on September of 2025. Historically, Denmark - Housing cost overburden rate: Cities reached a record high of 30.10% in December of 2009 and a record low of 20.30% in December of 2020.

Poland - Housing cost overburden rate: Cities was 5.70% in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Poland - Housing cost overburden rate: Cities - last updated from the EUROSTAT on October of 2025. Historically, Poland - Housing cost overburden rate: Cities reached a record high of 12.40% in December of 2012 and a record low of 5.40% in December of 2020.

This table contains data on the percent of households paying more than 30% (or 50%) of monthly household income towards housing costs for California, its regions, counties, cities/towns, and census tracts. Data is from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Consolidated Planning Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) and the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS). The table is part of a series of indicators in the [Healthy Communities Data and Indicators Project of the Office of Health Equity] Affordable, quality housing is central to health, conferring protection from the environment and supporting family life. Housing costs—typically the largest, single expense in a family's budget—also impact decisions that affect health. As housing consumes larger proportions of household income, families have less income for nutrition, health care, transportation, education, etc. Severe cost burdens may induce poverty—which is associated with developmental and behavioral problems in children and accelerated cognitive and physical decline in adults. Low-income families and minority communities are disproportionately affected by the lack of affordable, quality housing. More information about the data table and a data dictionary can be found in the Attachments.

As of September 2025, Mumbai had the highest cost of living among other cities in the country, with an index value of 26.2. Gurgaon, a satellite city of Delhi and part of the National Capital Region (NCR) followed it with an index value of 24.7.  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.

Displacement risk indicator showing how many households within the specified groups are facing either housing cost burden (contributing more than 30% of monthly income toward housing costs) or severe housing cost burden (contributing more than 50% of monthly income toward housing costs).

Of the most populous cities in the U.S., San Jose, California had the highest annual income requirement at ******* U.S. dollars annually for homeowners to have an affordable and comfortable life in 2024. This can be compared to Houston, Texas, where homeowners needed an annual income of ****** U.S. dollars in 2024.

Graph and download economic data for Estimated Mean Real Household Wages Adjusted by Cost of Living for St. Louis city, MO (MWACL29510) from 2009 to 2023 about St. Louis City, MO; St. Louis; adjusted; MO; average; wages; real; and USA.

This table contains data on the living wage and the percent of families with incomes below the living wage for California, its counties, regions and cities/towns. Living wage is the wage needed to cover basic family expenses (basic needs budget) plus all relevant taxes; it does not include publicly provided income or housing assistance. The percent of families below the living wage was calculated using data from the Living Wage Calculator and the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. The table is part of a series of indicators in the Healthy Communities Data and Indicators Project of the Office of Health Equity. The living wage is the wage or annual income that covers the cost of the bare necessities of life for a worker and his/her family. These necessities include housing, transportation, food, childcare, health care, and payment of taxes. Low income populations and non-white race/ethnic have disproportionately lower wages, poorer housing, and higher levels of food insecurity. More information about the data table and a data dictionary can be found in the About/Attachments section.

Finland - Housing cost overburden rate: Cities was 7.70% in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Finland - Housing cost overburden rate: Cities - last updated from the EUROSTAT on October of 2025. Historically, Finland - Housing cost overburden rate: Cities reached a record high of 7.80% in December of 2023 and a record low of 5.10% in December of 2012.

Poland - Median of the housing cost burden distribution: Cities was 13.50% in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Poland - Median of the housing cost burden distribution: Cities - last updated from the EUROSTAT on October of 2025. Historically, Poland - Median of the housing cost burden distribution: Cities reached a record high of 20.40% in December of 2014 and a record low of 13.50% in December of 2024.

Graph and download economic data for Estimated Mean Real Household Wages Adjusted by Cost of Living for Ada County, ID (MWACL16001) from 2009 to 2023 about Ada County, ID; Boise City; ID; adjusted; average; wages; real; and USA.

Euro Area - Housing cost overburden rate: Cities was 10.10% in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Euro Area - Housing cost overburden rate: Cities - last updated from the EUROSTAT on September of 2025. Historically, Euro Area - Housing cost overburden rate: Cities reached a record high of 13.50% in December of 2016 and a record low of 9.60% in December of 2009.

Graph and download economic data for Estimated Mean Real Household Wages Adjusted by Cost of Living for Salt Lake County, UT (MWACL49035) from 2009 to 2023 about Salt Lake County, UT; Salt Lake City; UT; adjusted; average; wages; real; and USA.

A table comparing the cost of living in various European Union countries, including expenses for rent, utilities, food, and transportation in major cities