Six Swiss Cities Top List of World's Most Expensive

Zurich, Geneva, Basel, Lausanne, Lugano, and Bern rank among the 10 priciest cities globally.

Published on Feb. 1, 2026

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A new cost-of-living ranking by Numbeo found that six of the top 10 most expensive cities in the world are located in Switzerland. The study looked at factors like groceries, rent, restaurants, and local purchasing power to determine the overall cost-of-living score. Zurich, Geneva, Basel, Lausanne, Lugano, and Bern all made the top 10, with New York City, Reykjavik, Honolulu, and San Francisco rounding out the list.

Why it matters

The high cost of living in these cities, particularly the Swiss cities, reflects the overall economic prosperity and high standard of living in those areas. However, it also highlights the challenges for residents and businesses in affording basic necessities and maintaining a comfortable lifestyle in these urban centers.

The details

Numbeo's cost-of-living index compares prices across a range of categories, including groceries, rent, restaurants, and local purchasing power. The study found that six of the top 10 most expensive cities globally are located in Switzerland, with Zurich, Geneva, Basel, Lausanne, Lugano, and Bern all ranking among the priciest. New York City, Reykjavik, Honolulu, and San Francisco rounded out the top 10 list.

  • The cost-of-living ranking was published on February 1, 2026.

The players

Numbeo

A crowd-sourced global database that compares the cost of living in different cities around the world.

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The takeaway

The high cost of living in these top-ranked cities, particularly the Swiss cities, underscores the economic prosperity and high standard of living in those areas. However, it also highlights the challenges for residents and businesses in affording basic necessities and maintaining a comfortable lifestyle in these urban centers.