World's Most Expensive Cities to Live In 2025

About This Dataset

Cities ranked by cost of living index in 2025 based on the Mercer Cost of Living Survey and EIU rankings. Hong Kong, Singapore, and Zurich are perennial fixtures at the top of global cost-of-living rankings, driven by high housing costs, imported goods, and service prices.

✨ AI Insight

The cost of living index highlights a significant gap between the top three cities and others on the list. Hong Kong, with a score of 131, is not only the most expensive but also sets a high bar that the next contenders, Singapore and Zurich, cannot quite reach at 129 and 127, respectively. This disparity can be attributed to high demand for housing and premium prices for goods and services in these urban centers. Interestingly, New York City, often perceived as a costly place to live, ranks fifth with a score of 121, indicating that while it is expensive, it still falls behind the leading trio. The trend suggests that the cost of living in these cities will continue to rise, driven by ongoing urbanization and economic factors.

Source: Wikipedia

Key Findings

Auto-computed highlights from this dataset

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Hong Kong leads with 131 in 2025.

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Average value in 2025: 121 · median: 123.

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Gap in 2025: Hong Kong is 1.2× larger than Paris.