The World's Most Expensive Cities

1. 1

   Zurich, Switzerland

   Everyday costs run higher here than in Manhattan.

   103.8

   index

2. 2

   Lausanne, Switzerland

   100.9

   index

3. 3

   Geneva, Switzerland

   100.7

   index

4. 4

   New York City, USA

   The baseline every other city on Earth gets measured against.

   100.0

   index

5. 5

   Basel, Switzerland

   98.0

   index

6. 6

   Bern, Switzerland

   95.0

   index

7. 7

   San Francisco, USA

   The most expensive US city outside New York.

   90.5

   index

8. 8

   Honolulu, USA

   Island logistics keep everyday costs among the highest in the US.

   86.9

   index

Numbeo’s crowdsourced index (groceries, dining, and transport — excluding rent) puts five Swiss cities and New York at the very top. Expat-basket surveys like Mercer weigh housing more heavily and rank Hong Kong and Singapore higher — different methodology, different order.