I just reviewed an analysis about which is the most expensive city in the world in 2025, and the data is quite revealing. It turns out that Switzerland practically monopolizes the top of the most costly cities to live in. Zurich leads the list with an index of 112.5, meaning it's approximately 12.5% more expensive than New York. Geneva follows very closely with 111.4, and Basel completes the podium with 110.7.

The interesting part is that the index is calculated by comparing everything: housing, food, transportation, services. New York serves as the reference point with 100 points. If a city scores 112, you're basically paying 12% extra for everything there. In Switzerland, six of the top six most expensive cities are all in the same country, which is quite extreme.

Outside of Switzerland, the most costly cities are scattered. In the United States, New York remains the most expensive with 100 points, followed by Honolulu with 94.4. San Francisco (90.7) and Seattle (86) are also brutal due to housing prices. In Asia, Singapore scores 85.3, Tel Aviv 81.2, and Hong Kong appears lower on the list.

What surprises me most is that although these cities are extremely expensive, many also have very high salaries. In Zurich, for example, monthly wages range between 7,000 and 9,000 Swiss francs, among the highest in the world. So yes, living in the most expensive city in the world is costly, but if you have local work, there’s at least the capacity to pay. Norway also appears several times in the top 25, with Oslo, Bergen, and Stavanger in high positions. Europe definitely dominates this ranking.