Been researching cheap places to live in the world lately and honestly the data is pretty eye-opening. If you're thinking about relocating somewhere affordable, these numbers might surprise you.

So here's what I found: most of the cheapest cities globally are in South Asia and parts of China. We're talking cost-of-living indexes in the 20s compared to the US baseline of 100 - meaning you could live there for literally one-third of what you'd spend in America.

Pune and Delhi in India are absolutely wild for affordability. Pune hits a cost index of around 24.8, Delhi at 24.5. Your rent, groceries, everything is just dramatically cheaper. Same story with Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Chennai - all under 30 on the index. Pakistan's Karachi and Lahore are even more budget-friendly if you can adapt to the lifestyle.

Outside South Asia, Wuhan and Chengdu in China are solid options around 32-33 on the index. If you want something with a bit more Western infrastructure, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia is reasonable at 35. Cape Town and Johannesburg in South Africa also made the list - decent quality of life without breaking the bank.

The pattern's clear: cheap places to live in the world tend to cluster in developing economies with lower local wages but also much lower costs for housing, food, and services. Your purchasing power actually goes further in these cities even if salaries are lower.

Obviously this varies by neighborhood and lifestyle choices, but if you're remote working or have passive income, these cheap places to live in the world could genuinely change your financial situation. Worth considering if you're looking to stretch your money further.