Most Expensive Places to Live in the World

most expensive places to live in the world

Where are the most expensive places to live in the world? There are a lot of expensive places to call home throughout the world. If you live in the United States perhaps you feel that your home state or city is one of the worst places to reside when it comes to expenses. For example, places like San Francisco and New York City are known for being notoriously expensive, which can be a huge burden for many people who live there. For example, there was recently a story regarding the cost of living in San Francisco that made headlines. According to reports, several engineers working for Facebook had asked CEO Mark Zuckerberg if the company could subsidize their rent in order to make their living situation more affordable. These were apparently well-paid employees that were having trouble paying their rent.

Does Anywhere in the U.S. Crack the List?

Rent prices in San Francisco are now, by some counts, the most expensive in the world. In fact, according to SmartAsset.com, the cost of living in San Francisco was more than 62 percent higher than the average in the rest of the country in 2015. So you might think that San Francisco would for sure end up on a top ten most expensive places to live list. However, you’d be wrong. The fact is, not a single city or state, or even the entire country made the top ten list, which was put together by Numbeo, which collects data from users regarding countries all over the world. So if you’re looking for a really expensive place to uproot to, just because, then head to any location on this list and be prepared to open up your wallet.

Cost of Common Products and Services

According to Numbeo, they tracked information on 120 different countries from around the world, in order to truly determine what it costs to live there. They based their results on the pricing of 50 different products and services. A few of the many items that were included in the price study included food from grocery stores, Internet access, and rent. Then, with the help of MoveHub, a company that assists people that are moving abroad, they used all the collected data points and created an infographic that depicts the most expensive locations throughout the world.

Vacation Paradise

As you might expect, some of these locations are also some of the top vacation destinations in the world as well. So if you can’t afford to move to one of these places or you really aren’t looking to relocate in the first place, you could still go and enjoy these locations and all they have to offer for a nice vacation. In any case, without further adieu, here are the top ten most expensive places to live in the world, according to Numbeo and MoveHub. For the full cost of living index from Numbeo, just click here to see the numbers in detail. By the way, the United States finished 18th on the list.

•Bermuda
• Switzerland
• Hong Kong
• Iceland
• Singapore
• Norway
• Bahamas
• United Arab Emirates
• Qatar
• Luxembourg

We hope you found this updated article about the most expensive places to live in the world helpful.  If you have questions or need expert tax or family office advice that’s refreshingly objective (we never sell investments), please contact us or visit our Family office page  or our website at www.GROCO.com.  Unfortunately, we no longer give advice to other tax professionals gratis.

To receive our free newsletter, contact us here.

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more updates.

Considerately yours,

GROCO, GROCO Tax, GROCO Technology, GROCO Advisory Services, GROCO Consulting Services, GROCO Relationship Services, GROCO Consulting/Advisory Services, GROCO Family Office Wealth, and GROCO Family Office Services.

Posted in
5 dynamic philanthropy and impact investing insights

5 Dynamic Philanthropy & Impact Investing Insights

The Power of Impact Investing: Bridging Philanthropy and Profit This article is based on an interview of Geoff “Chester” Wooley, Co-founder, Patamar Capital and current Board member of SKS Microfinance, India’s largest microfinance bank by Alan Olsen on his American Dreams show. Impact investing is more than a buzzword—it is a transformative approach that aligns…

3 Powerful Leadership and Mentorship Pillars

3 Powerful Leadership and Mentorship Pillars

This article about powerful global leadership and mentorship pillars is based on an interview of Lew Cramer by Alan Olsen, CPA on his American Dreams show. In an era where global connections and visionary leadership drive progress, few individuals embody these principles as effectively as Mr. Cramer. As the President and CEO of Colliers International…

2025 State of Healthcare with Joe DeLuca

This week we welcome back Joe DeLuca, a healthcare innovator and executive leader with decades of experience in transforming health systems. Joe shares his journey from scientific research to becoming a trusted advisor and problem-solver in healthcare management and consulting. Key topics discussed: The current challenges and fragmented nature of the U.S. healthcare system. The…

Chris Kowalik: Simplifying Retirement Education

In this episode of American Dreams, we sit down with Chris Kowalik, founder and CEO of ProFeds, to discuss her inspiring journey from serving as a Marine Corps Arabic linguist to becoming a leader in retirement education for federal employees. Chris shares her insights on simplifying complex government benefits, empowering federal workers to make informed…