The Most Expensive Cities to Live in, According to 2021 Survey

Here Are the World’s Most Expensive Cities to Live in, Singapore Ranks First in Asia

Have you travelled to any of these countries?

An updated list of the world’s most expensive cities to live in has just been released by the Economist magazine. The study was conducted via the Worldwide Cost of Living (WCOL) Survey from the Economist Intelligence Unit; and surprise, surprise, Hong Kong actually dropped down to fifth place while Singapore came on top of every other Asian nation. In the whole world though, Tel Aviv in Israel proved the most expensive city.

Image credit: Yeo Khee

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Most expensive cities in the world

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Tel Aviv reportedly climbed to the top thanks to the strength of the national currency, Israeli shekel, which was benchmarked against the US dollar. This, along with the city’s increases in transport and grocery prices solidified its number one spot. Here are the top 10 most expensive cities in the world. Note that Paris and Singapore tied at number two with a WCOL index of 104.

  1. Tel Aviv – 106
  2. Paris – 104
  3. Singapore – 104
  4. Zurich – 103
  5. Hong Kong – 101
  6. New York City – 100
  7. Geneva – 99
  8. Copenhagen – 97
  9. Los Angeles – 96
  10. Osaka – 94

The WCOL report evaluates 173 cities across the world and considers the prices of more than 200 goods and services. These include food, drink, clothing, household supplies, transport, and utility bills. Meanwhile, there’s also a ranking of the best cities to live in if you’re an international student, with different factors considered. Read about it here

Do you live in one of these most expensive cities? Let us know about your cost of living and experiences in the comments section of our Facebook page!


Featured image credit: Guo Xin Goh | Unsplash

About Author

Therese Sta. Maria
Therese Sta. Maria

Therese's close friends know that if they haven’t seen her around recently, then she’s probably having an adventure with her luggage and camera in hand. Though she loves staying at home and spending lazy afternoons with friends, there are times when she has to be "away from home to feel at home," — that’s when she’s bitten by the travel bug. See her travels on Instagram @reesstamaria.

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