I just checked the global cost of living data and the situation is quite interesting. Switzerland completely dominates when it comes to the most expensive cities in the world, with six Swiss metropolises in the top positions. Zurich leads the ranking with an index of 112.5, followed by Geneva at 111.4 and Basel at 110.7. Basically double what you find in many other parts of the world.

The index uses New York as the baseline reference (100 points), so these numbers mean Zurich costs about 12-13% more than NYC. In Geneva, where the UN and WHO headquarters are located, rents and restaurants are literally off the charts. Lausanne, Lugano, and Bern also complete the Swiss dominance in the top six spots. What surprises me is how Switzerland is so clearly separated from the other most expensive cities in the world.

It’s not just Europe, though. In the United States, New York remains the basis for the calculation, while Honolulu (94.4) surprises with high costs on an island. San Francisco, Seattle, and Boston follow, all driven upward by tech demand. Los Angeles and San Diego also rank quite high, around 76. Interestingly, the most expensive American cities still remain below Swiss levels.

In Asia, Singapore (85.3) is the undisputed leader, followed by Tel Aviv (81.2) and Hong Kong, but they also don’t reach Swiss levels. Oslo in Norway (84.3) ranks well, reflecting Scandinavian living costs. What stands out when looking at this data is how wealth is geographically concentrated. When you look at the most expensive cities in the world, a clear pattern emerges: finance, technology, and strategic geopolitical positions.

One thing that makes Switzerland even more interesting is that salaries there offset the costs. In Zurich, they earn an average of 7,000-9,000 Swiss francs per month, among the highest globally. So yes, it’s expensive, but those who work there also have proportional purchasing power. This is different from many other expensive cities where rents go up but salaries don’t keep pace.