10 Cheapest Cities to Live Around The World

Jenny Barry June 24, 2021 | 15:19

Asset manager Mercer has published its cost of living city ranking, showing the cheapest cities the most expensive places for expats to live in around the world.

10 Cheapest Cities to Live Around The World

The 2021 Cost of Living City Ranking places Muscat after Kuwait City and Doha when it comes to affordability

American asset management firm Mercer has revealed the results of its 2021 Cost of Living survey, revealing the most expensive (and least expensive) cities in the world for 2021.

The 2021 ranking, which includes 209 cities across five continents, measured the comparative costs of more than 200 goods and services in each location, and the survey has revealed that the most expensive city for 2021 is – wait for it – Ashgabat in Turkmenistan.

Things have changed a lot in the past year due to COVID-19 and Mercer conducted special analyses on the categories of goods that saw a relative increase in demand as the pandemic affected consumer buying habits.

This year’s ranking includes 209 cities across five continents and measures the comparative cost of more than 200 items in each location, including housing, transportation, food, clothing, household goods, and entertainment.

The world’s least expensive cities for international employees, according to Mercer’s survey, are Tbilisi in Georgia (207), Lusaka in Zambia (208), and Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan, which ranked as the least costly city at 209th.

Johannesburg, South Africa (184) is seen as a cheaper place to live than Cape Town, South Africa (178). However, both cities have become less affordable destinations for expats in 2021 mainly due to a stronger rand against the US dollar.

The Omani capital of Muscat has been named the third-cheapest city to live in among the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

The 2021 Cost of Living City Ranking, issued by Mercer, places Muscat after Kuwait City and Doha when it comes to affordability.

Among the list of 209 cities, Kuwait City was listed 115th, becoming a bit cheaper as it dropped two places from last year. It was a similar situation for Doha, which is ranked 130th and fell 21 places.

Muscat dropped 12 places from 96th position last year, to 108 this year.

The ten least expensive cities (cheapest cities) to live in the world

200. Banjul, Gambia

201. Karachi, Pakistan

202. Gaborone, Botswana

203. Tashkent, Uzbekistan

204. Windhoek, Namibia

205. Brasilia, Brazil

206. Tunis, Tunisia

207. Tbilisi, Georgia

208. Lusaka, Zambia

209. Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

Note:

*If you want to find out where your home city ranks of the cheapest or most expensive cites, check out the full list of rankings here.

*Facts about 'Top Most Expensive Cities' To Live in the World in the Full List Here.

The top 20 most expensive cities in the world right now are as follows:

1. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

2. Hong Kong, Hong Kong

3. Beirut, Lebanon

4. Tokyo, Japan

5. Zurich, Switzerland

6. Shanghai, China

7. Singapore, Singapore

8. Geneva, Switzerland

9. Beijing, China

10. Bern, Switzerland

11. Seoul, South Korea

12. Shenzhen, China

13. Ndjamena, Chad

14. New York City, United States

15. Tel Aviv, Israel

16. Copenhagen, Denmark

17. Guangzhou, China

18. London, United Kingdom

19. Lagos, Nigeria

20. Libreville, Gabon

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