I just reviewed a ranking of what the most expensive city in the world will be in 2025, and I was quite surprised. It turns out Switzerland completely dominates the top, with Zurich in first place with a score of 112.5, meaning living there costs approximately 12.5% more than in New York. Geneva and Basel follow very closely. Honestly, I didn't know Swiss cities were so expensive.

The interesting part is how this index works. Basically, they compare the cost of everything—housing, food, transportation, services—with New York as the reference point (score 100). If a city has 112, it’s 12% more expensive; if it has 60, it’s 40% cheaper. That simple.

In the United States, New York is the most expensive in the global ranking at position 7, but there are others that are quite costly as well. San Francisco, Honolulu, and Seattle are in the top 25 worldwide. What caught my attention is that cities in California like Los Angeles and San Diego also appear on the list, probably due to real estate prices.

Singapore in Asia has the highest cost of living index on the continent, followed by Tel Aviv and Hong Kong. But compared to the Swiss cities, they are quite behind.

Basically, if you’re wondering which is the most expensive city in the world, the answer is Zurich. But if you’re looking for more affordable options, there are cities outside the top 25 that offer a better value. It’s interesting to see how the high standard of living and high salaries in places like Switzerland help balance out these extreme costs for local residents.