Nearly half of the world’s priciest cities are right here in the U.S. According to Visual Capitalist’s 2025 ranking of the world’s most expensive cities to live in, 40% of them are right here in the United States. This is an eye-opening reminder of how costly life has become from coast to coast.
Topping the list at 100 on the Cost of Living Rent Index? New York City is the global leader in cost of living thanks to sky-high rent and everyday expenses can leave your wallet significantly lighter.
Not far behind is San Francisco, ranking 85.3 on the index. There, housing demand, tech-sector strength, and limited inventory drive living costs up and placing it among the world’s elite in affordability challenges.
Boston is number seven on the list, just below San Francisco at 81.2 on the index, below Basel and Lausanne in Switzerland. San Jose is 80.4 and number 9 on the list, with Honolulu and Washington ranking eleventh and twelfth place (78.5 and 78.1, respectively).
These U.S. outposts now rival traditional hubs like Zurich and Geneva. That means if you’re living (or even just dreaming) of a major American metro, you’re likely navigating costs on par with the world’s wealthiest and most expensive cities. These urban areas show that U.S. living isn’t just expensive by American standards, it’s among the priciest in the world.
