How does the cost of living vary across countries in 2026?

To find out, this graphic, via Visual Capitalist’s Dorothy Neufeld, visualizes Numbeo’s Global Cost of Living Index, which measures the price of everyday expenses, including rent, relative to New York City (baseline of 100).

If a country has an index score of 80, prices are 20% lower than in New York. Scores above 100 indicate higher everyday costs.

While inflation has eased in many regions, the cost of living remains a major global challenge. Across 28 countries, home prices have risen more than 50% since 2020, and grocery costs have risen sharply in countries such as Mexico, Germany, and Malaysia, continuing to strain household budgets worldwide.

Global Cost of Living by Country

Below, we show the cost of living index for 155 countries or territories in 2026, highlighting stark differences in everyday costs around the world.

Bermuda has the highest cost of living worldwide, a British Overseas Territory synonymous with high-end real estate, luxury tourism, and offshore wealth.

RankCountryCost of Living Index 2026
1🇧🇲 Bermuda123.5
2🇰🇾 Cayman Islands97.9
3🇨🇭 Switzerland84.3
4🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands82.5
5🇸🇬 Singapore81.2
6🇧🇸 Bahamas77.1
7🇮🇸 Iceland75.9
8🇯🇪 Jersey72.5
9🇭🇰 Hong Kong 69.8
10🇸🇧 Solomon Islands65.4
11🇬🇬 Guernsey65.3
12🇱🇺 Luxembourg65.2
13🇬🇮 Gibraltar63.9
14🇳🇴 Norway59.4
15🇮🇪 Ireland58.7
16🇮🇱 Israel58
17🇳🇱 Netherlands57.9
18🇩🇰 Denmark56.6
19🇺🇸 United States56.3
20🇮🇲 Isle Of Man55.7
21🇦🇺 Australia52.7
22🇬🇧 United Kingdom51.9
23🇦🇹 Austria50.7
24🇬🇩 Grenada49.4
25🇩🇪 Germany49
26🇨🇦 Canada48.9
27🇧🇪 Belgium48.6
28🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates48.2
29🇫🇮 Finland48
30🇸🇨 Seychelles48
31🇸🇪 Sweden47.8
32🇫🇷 France47.5
33🇲🇴 Macao (China)46.3
34🇶🇦 Qatar45.8
35🇦🇩 Andorra45.2
36🇳🇿 New Zealand45
37🇨🇾 Cyprus44.6
38🇵🇷 Puerto Rico44.3
39🇲🇹 Malta44.1
40🇮🇹 Italy43.1
41🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo42.4
42🇰🇷 South Korea41.3
43🇪🇪 Estonia40.5
44🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea39.2
45🇸🇮 Slovenia39.1
46🇪🇸 Spain39
47🇬🇾 Guyana39
48🇯🇲 Jamaica38.7
49🇨🇿 Czech Republic38.6
50🇨🇷 Costa Rica38.3
51🇵🇹 Portugal38.3
52🇲🇻 Maldives38.1
53🇺🇾 Uruguay37.3
54🇭🇷 Croatia37.1
55🇬🇷 Greece36
56🇧🇭 Bahrain35.9
57🇵🇦 Panama35.6
58🇸🇳 Senegal35.5
59🇱🇹 Lithuania35.3
60🇹🇹 Trinidad And Tobago35.2
61🇸🇰 Slovakia35.2
62🇨🇮 Ivory Coast34.5
63🇦🇴 Angola34.5
64🇵🇱 Poland34.4
65🇱🇻 Latvia34.3
66🇹🇼 Taiwan33.9
67🇧🇳 Brunei33.6
68🇰🇼 Kuwait33.3
69🇯🇵 Japan32.8
70🇭🇺 Hungary32.3
71🇾🇪 Yemen32
72🇧🇿 Belize32
73🇦🇱 Albania31.7
74🇲🇽 Mexico31.5
75🇪🇹 Ethiopia31.3
76🇨🇲 Cameroon31.1
77🇲🇪 Montenegro31
78🇵🇸 Palestine30.9
79🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia30.4
80🇴🇲 Oman30
81🇨🇻 Cape Verde29.6
82🇷🇸 Serbia29.5
83🇱🇧 Lebanon29.5
84🇦🇲 Armenia29.5
85🇬🇹 Guatemala29.5
86🇸🇻 El Salvador29.4
87🇨🇺 Cuba28.3
88🇦🇷 Argentina28.3
89🇸🇷 Suriname28.2
90🇧🇬 Bulgaria28
91🇷🇴 Romania27.8
92🇹🇷 Turkey27.6
93🇩🇴 Dominican Republic27.4
94🇹🇭 Thailand27.2
95🇨🇱 Chile26.8
96🇫🇯 Fiji26.7
97🇿🇦 South Africa26.4
98🇳🇦 Namibia26.4
99🇲🇩 Moldova26.4
100🇲🇺 Mauritius26.1
101🇲🇲 Myanmar26
102🇲🇿 Mozambique25.9
103🇭🇳 Honduras25.7
104🇷🇺 Russia25.7
105🇳🇬 Nigeria25.5
106🇯🇴 Jordan25.3
107🇲🇳 Mongolia25.1
108🇧🇦 Bosnia And Herzegovina25
109🇿🇼 Zimbabwe24.2
110🇻🇪 Venezuela24
111🇬🇪 Georgia24
112🇰🇭 Cambodia23.7
113🇬🇭 Ghana23.7
114🇵🇪 Peru23.6
115🇲🇰 North Macedonia23.2
116🇲🇾 Malaysia22.9
117🇳🇮 Nicaragua22.5
118🇨🇴 Colombia22.4
119🇱🇰 Sri Lanka22
120🇿🇲 Zambia22
121🇧🇾 Belarus21.5
122🇨🇳 China21.5
123🇰🇿 Kazakhstan21.4
124🇦🇿 Azerbaijan21.3
125🇲🇦 Morocco21.1
126🇧🇼 Botswana21
127🇪🇨 Ecuador21
128🇺🇿 Uzbekistan20.6
129🇧🇷 Brazil20.5
130🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan20.4
131🇵🇾 Paraguay20.3
132🇵🇭 Philippines20.2
133🇹🇯 Tajikistan19.8
134🇺🇬 Uganda19.6
135🇽🇰 Kosovo (Disputed Territory)19.5
136🇰🇪 Kenya19.5
137🇷🇼 Rwanda19.4
138🇺🇦 Ukraine19.2
139🇻🇳 Vietnam19.1
140🇮🇶 Iraq19
141🇧🇴 Bolivia19
142🇹🇿 Tanzania18.8
143🇹🇳 Tunisia18.5
144🇮🇩 Indonesia18.5
145🇩🇿 Algeria17.1
146🇮🇷 Iran16.2
147🇸🇾 Syria16.1
148🇲🇬 Madagascar15.8
149🇧🇩 Bangladesh13.8
150🇳🇵 Nepal13.8
151🇪🇬 Egypt13.8
152🇦🇫 Afghanistan12.7
153🇵🇰 Pakistan12.4
154🇮🇳 India12.4
155🇱🇾 Libya12.3

Many of the world’s most expensive places, in terms of cost of living, are islands and often tax shelters or financial centers. The U.S. Virgin Islands, Jersey, and Cayman Islands all make the top 10 in the cost of living index. High concentrations of wealth, combined with heavy reliance on imports, push up prices across these island economies.

Switzerland ranks third overall, with Zurich named the world’s most expensive city in 2026. Beyond a strong Swiss franc, high wages and elevated living standards significantly drive up costs.

Singapore has the highest cost of living in Asia, placing fifth worldwide. Limited land availability has fueled high real estate prices, while the country’s reliance on imports—around 90% of its food—adds further cost pressures.

The U.S. ranks 19th globally, with a cost of living index score of 56.3. By comparison, the global median index score in 2026 stands at 30.8.

To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the world’s most unaffordable housing markets.