I just discovered an interesting ranking of the most expensive cities in the world in 2025, and I must say the results are quite surprising. Switzerland completely dominates the top positions, with Zurich, Geneva, and Basel occupying the first three spots. Zurich is in the lead with an index of 112.5, which means living there costs about 12.5% more than New York.

What struck me is how Switzerland literally holds the top six positions on the list. It's not just one Swiss city among the most expensive in the world, but six. Lausanne, Lugano, and Bern complete the Swiss dominance. Apparently, salaries there are just as high, with monthly averages between 7,000 and 9,000 Swiss francs, so at least the purchasing power is proportional.

Among the most expensive cities in the world, we also find several American metropolises. New York is in seventh place with an index of 100 (the reference benchmark), while San Francisco, Seattle, and Boston all rank within the top twenty. Honolulu is interesting because it shows how even American islands are incredibly costly.

In Asia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Tel Aviv are the only ones competing with European cities, but they still rank lower on the list compared to Swiss cities. Copenhagen, Oslo, and other Nordic cities are very expensive, but nothing compared to Zurich and Geneva.

Basically, if you want to live in one of the most expensive cities in the world without spending a fortune, you should avoid Switzerland unless you have a salary from an international bank. It's interesting to see how geography and local economy so greatly influence the cost of living.