The most expensive cities in the world in 2019 where to live

The French capital, which has been in the top 10 since 2003, has progressed this year, while Hong Kong, the fourth most expensive city of last year, has gained three places, leading for the first time tied at the top .

The annual survey, which assesses the cost of more than 150 items in 133 cities worldwide, is part of a top 10 largely dominated by Asian and European cities.

Rises and falls

The Japanese Osaka has gained six places and now shares fifth place with Switzerland's Geneva.

New York and Los Angeles are the only North American cities in the top 10, with the Big Apple increasing six places to seventh place, a common position with the Danish company of Copenhagen.

The City of Angels (LA) has been named the 10th most expensive city in the world, with Tel Aviv in Israel.

According to the survey, US cities were among the most expensive in terms of public services and domestic help.

In Europe, the Swiss cities of Zurich and Geneva, which occupied the fourth and fifth places respectively (with Osaka), had the highest costs in terms of household expenditure, personal care, leisure and entertainment.

However, the high rank of Copenhagen, ranked seventh (as well as Seoul), would be due to relatively high transportation, leisure and personal care costs.

At the same time, Istanbul, Turkey, has become much cheaper, rising from 48 places to 120th place in the ranking, partly because of the decline in the value of the Turkish lira.

The city of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, also experienced a sharp decline, losing 19 places to 131st, while Moscow is down 16 places to 102nd.

The Bulgarian capital, Sofia, has climbed 29 places to share 90th position, thanks to rising prices for groceries, utilities and recreation.

Economic disturbances

The cost of living in the UK has also increased. Rising domestic prices, pushing London to eight places and 22nd, is a major factor.

San Francisco has also become a more expensive place to live, rising from 12 places to 25th place.

"We're seeing converging costs in traditionally more expensive cities like Paris, Singapore, Zurich, Geneva, Copenhagen and Hong Kong – a testament to globalization and similar tastes and buying habits," says Roxana. Slavcheva, editor-in-chief of the investigation.

"What is even more remarkable is the sharp drop in the ranking of emerging economy cities – Istanbul, Tashkent, Moscow and St. Petersburg – due to continued strong inflation and currency depreciation."

Unsurprisingly, the cheapest cities to live were largely composed of people experiencing well documented political or economic upheavals (or both in the same cases).

Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, was at the bottom of the list this year, a position previously occupied by Syria torn apart by the war in Damascus for obvious reasons.

The deterioration of Venezuela's economic situation and hyperinflation are at the base of its downward trend.

Syria is ranked just above Caracas in 132nd place, while Lagos, Nigeria, is tied to Pakistan's Karachi, in 127th place.

The most expensive cities in the world to live in 2019:

1. (tie) Singapore

1. (tie) Paris, France

1. (tie) Hong Kong

4. Zurich, Switzerland

5. (tie) Geneva, Switzerland

5. (tie) Osaka, Japan

7. (ex aequo) Seoul, South Korea

7. (tie) Copenhagen, Denmark

7. (tie) New York

10. (ex aequo) Tel Aviv, Israel

10. (tie) Los Angeles