London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 31, 2025

Can you guess which cities are ranked most expensive for expats?

Can you guess which cities are ranked most expensive for expats?

Looking for a cheaper city to live in as an expat? Head east - but forget about Hong Kong.

If you are an expat living in Hong Kong, Zurich or Geneva, life is costing you more than anywhere else on the planet, according to the 2022 Cost of Living Survey, an annual report by consulting firm Mercer.

Hong Kong has been ranked for the fourth time in five years as the world’s most expensive city for expatriates, followed by four Swiss cities: Zurich, Geneva, Basel and Bern.

Ankara, the capital of Turkey, closed the ranking of 227 cities as the world’s most affordable for expats.


If you’re in Europe and looking for a cheaper city to live in, look east: Ankara is followed by Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan (226th), Dushanbe in Tajikistan (225th), and Islamabad and Karachi in Pakistan (224th and 223rd).

Denmark's capital Copenhagen is the most expensive city for expats in the Nordics, ranking 11th globally, while the Swedish capital Stockholm is the most affordable, dropping to 87th place in 2022.

Where does the cost of living meet the quality of living?


Interestingly, two of the world’s priciest cities for expats, Zurich and Geneva, are also in the top five of the Global Liveability Index, an annual report by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) that evaluates which cities around the world offer the best living conditions.

Mercer also analysed the correlation between the Cost of Living Index and their own Quality of Living Index for a selected list of global cities.

The lucky locations with the lowest cost of living but the highest quality of living are Vancouver and Toronto in Canada, Stockholm in Sweden, Lisbon in Portugal and Frankfurt in Germany.

On the other hand, Hong Kong was found to have the highest cost of living but a lower quality of living than many other locations.

Mercer’s report also concluded that locations with a higher cost of living and quality of living tend to rank higher for eco-friendliness.

How the cost of living index is calculated


Mercer’s Cost of Living city ranking is based on the group’s own research, which is carried out twice a year and encompasses over 400 cities around the world.

The survey highlights key economic indicators such as currency fluctuations, cost inflation and accommodation price instability.

It also reflects the prices of over 200 items from categories such as housing utilities, personal care, recreation and entertainment, transportation, alcohol, and tobacco.

Cost of living crisis


As with most things over the past two years, the 2022 cost of living report has been notably impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, which has fueled skyrocketing inflation and volatility on the markets.

Annual inflation in the eurozone's 19 countries hit a record 8.6 per cent in June, surging past the 8.1 per cent recorded in May, according to the latest figures published Friday by Eurostat, the European Union’s statistics agency.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
×