Cost of Living by Country: 197 Countries Ranked
Compare cost of living by country, including monthly living expenses, rent prices, salaries, purchasing power, safety, and quality of life rankings. Explore affordable and expensive countries to live, work, study, retire, or relocate.
- ✓ 197 countries covered
- ✓ Cost of living & rent rankings
- ✓ Salaries, purchasing power & safety data
- ✓ Dataset updated regularly
Showing 12 of 197 countries
United States
North America
Avg monthly cost
$3,534
Currency
USD
United Kingdom
Europe
China (SAR)
Asia
Indonesia
Asia
Vietnam
Asia
Avg monthly cost
$925
Currency
VND
Singapore
Asia
Switzerland
Europe
France
Europe
Japan
Asia
Australia
Oceania
United Arab Emirates
Asia
Canada
North America
Cost of Living by Country: Quick Answer
The countries with the lowest average living costs in the current WorldLivingCost dataset include North Korea, Afghanistan, Yemen, Eritrea, Syria, Venezuela. The most expensive countries include Monaco, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland, Luxembourg. Use the country rankings below to compare monthly living expenses, quality of life, and safety across 197 countries.
Key Takeaways
- 197 countries compared
- Average monthly living costs by country
- Rent and cost of living rankings
- Quality of life data
- Safety scores
- Country and city-level comparisons
Last updated: July 4, 2026 · Data source: WorldLivingCost contributor database.
Cost of Living Index by Country
The cost of living index by country helps show how expensive everyday life can be in different destinations. WorldLivingCost combines average monthly expenses with housing, transportation, groceries, salaries, safety, and quality-of-life information to make country-level comparisons easier.
| Rank | Country | Avg. Monthly Cost | Quality of Life | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Korea | $400 | 18/100 | 45/100 |
| 2 | Afghanistan | $450 | 22/100 | 8/100 |
| 3 | Yemen | $460 | 18/100 | 8/100 |
| 4 | Eritrea | $480 | 30/100 | 45/100 |
| 5 | Syria | $480 | 20/100 | 12/100 |
| 6 | Venezuela | $500 | 28/100 | 10/100 |
| 7 | Guinea-Bissau | $520 | 30/100 | 42/100 |
| 8 | Burundi | $520 | 28/100 | 28/100 |
| 9 | Niger | $530 | 28/100 | 32/100 |
| 10 | Central African Republic | $530 | 22/100 | 18/100 |
| 11 | Pakistan | $550 | 45/100 | 32/100 |
| 12 | Madagascar | $550 | 36/100 | 38/100 |
| 13 | Malawi | $550 | 38/100 | 44/100 |
| 14 | Tajikistan | $560 | 44/100 | 52/100 |
| 15 | Somalia | $580 | 20/100 | 10/100 |
| 16 | Sudan | $580 | 28/100 | 24/100 |
| 17 | Gambia | $580 | 38/100 | 52/100 |
| 18 | Nepal | $600 | 48/100 | 55/100 |
| 19 | Myanmar | $600 | 41/100 | 35/100 |
| 20 | Cuba | $600 | 52/100 | 55/100 |
Cheapest Countries to Live In
Looking for affordable countries to live in? The rankings below are based on average monthly costs calculated from cities in the WorldLivingCost dataset. Actual expenses depend on the city, housing choice, household size, and lifestyle.
| Rank | Country | Avg. Monthly Cost | Quality of Life | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Korea | $400 | 18/100 | 45/100 |
| 2 | Afghanistan | $450 | 22/100 | 8/100 |
| 3 | Yemen | $460 | 18/100 | 8/100 |
| 4 | Eritrea | $480 | 30/100 | 45/100 |
| 5 | Syria | $480 | 20/100 | 12/100 |
| 6 | Venezuela | $500 | 28/100 | 10/100 |
| 7 | Guinea-Bissau | $520 | 30/100 | 42/100 |
| 8 | Burundi | $520 | 28/100 | 28/100 |
| 9 | Niger | $530 | 28/100 | 32/100 |
| 10 | Central African Republic | $530 | 22/100 | 18/100 |
| 11 | Pakistan | $550 | 45/100 | 32/100 |
| 12 | Madagascar | $550 | 36/100 | 38/100 |
| 13 | Malawi | $550 | 38/100 | 44/100 |
| 14 | Tajikistan | $560 | 44/100 | 52/100 |
| 15 | Somalia | $580 | 20/100 | 10/100 |
| 16 | Sudan | $580 | 28/100 | 24/100 |
| 17 | Gambia | $580 | 38/100 | 52/100 |
| 18 | Nepal | $600 | 48/100 | 55/100 |
| 19 | Myanmar | $600 | 41/100 | 35/100 |
| 20 | Cuba | $600 | 52/100 | 55/100 |
Most Expensive Countries to Live In
Countries with higher average living costs generally have more expensive housing, food, transportation, services, or other everyday expenses. Compare the countries below using the same dataset and ranking method.
| Rank | Country | Avg. Monthly Cost | Quality of Life | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monaco | $7,000 | 90/100 | 92/100 |
| 2 | Switzerland | $4,800 | 91/100 | 88/100 |
| 3 | Liechtenstein | $4,500 | 92/100 | 92/100 |
| 4 | Norway | $4,400 | 92/100 | 86/100 |
| 5 | Iceland | $4,300 | 90/100 | 92/100 |
| 6 | Luxembourg | $4,200 | 88/100 | 82/100 |
| 7 | China (SAR) | $4,000 | 72/100 | 80/100 |
| 8 | Denmark | $4,000 | 92/100 | 82/100 |
| 9 | Israel | $3,600 | 74/100 | 52/100 |
| 10 | Ireland | $3,600 | 80/100 | 72/100 |
| 11 | United States | $3,534 | 70/100 | 48/100 |
| 12 | Singapore | $3,500 | 84/100 | 90/100 |
| 13 | Finland | $3,300 | 90/100 | 84/100 |
| 14 | United Kingdom | $3,100 | 75/100 | 60/100 |
| 15 | Canada | $3,000 | 83/100 | 68/100 |
| 16 | Netherlands | $3,000 | 88/100 | 70/100 |
| 17 | Sweden | $3,000 | 90/100 | 78/100 |
| 18 | Japan | $2,967 | 85/100 | 89/100 |
| 19 | Australia | $2,900 | 87/100 | 78/100 |
| 20 | France | $2,833 | 77/100 | 49/100 |
Safest Countries, Ranked
Compare countries using safety scores alongside average monthly living costs and quality-of-life data.
| Rank | Country | Safety | Avg. Monthly Cost | Quality of Life |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iceland | 92/100 | $4,300 | 90/100 |
| 2 | Liechtenstein | 92/100 | $4,500 | 92/100 |
| 3 | Monaco | 92/100 | $7,000 | 90/100 |
| 4 | Singapore | 90/100 | $3,500 | 84/100 |
| 5 | Japan | 89/100 | $2,967 | 85/100 |
| 6 | Switzerland | 88/100 | $4,800 | 91/100 |
| 7 | Andorra | 88/100 | $2,400 | 82/100 |
| 8 | San Marino | 88/100 | $2,600 | 84/100 |
| 9 | United Arab Emirates | 87/100 | $2,800 | 79/100 |
| 10 | Qatar | 86/100 | $2,600 | 76/100 |
| 11 | Norway | 86/100 | $4,400 | 92/100 |
| 12 | Taiwan | 84/100 | $2,000 | 84/100 |
| 13 | Finland | 84/100 | $3,300 | 90/100 |
| 14 | Oman | 84/100 | $2,000 | 70/100 |
| 15 | Denmark | 82/100 | $4,000 | 92/100 |
| 16 | Luxembourg | 82/100 | $4,200 | 88/100 |
| 17 | South Korea | 81/100 | $2,500 | 81/100 |
| 18 | China (SAR) | 80/100 | $4,000 | 72/100 |
| 19 | Austria | 80/100 | $2,600 | 92/100 |
| 20 | New Zealand | 80/100 | $2,633 | 84/100 |
Cost of Living in Different Countries
The cost of living in different countries can vary significantly depending on housing, food, transportation, utilities, healthcare, local salaries, and lifestyle. Country-level averages are useful for an initial comparison, while city-level data provides a more detailed picture of what you may actually spend.
What Are the Cheapest Countries to Live In?
According to the current WorldLivingCost dataset, countries among the lowest average monthly living costs include North Korea, Afghanistan, Yemen, Eritrea, Syria, Venezuela. Actual expenses vary by city, housing, lifestyle, and household size.
What Are the Best Countries for Remote Workers?
The best countries for remote workers and digital nomads depend on internet access, visa rules, living costs, time zone, infrastructure, and lifestyle. Thailand, Vietnam, Georgia, Portugal, and Mexico are popular options, but the right destination depends on individual requirements and budget.
What Are the Cheapest Countries to Retire In?
Bhutan, Sri Lanka, India, Philippines, Tunisia, Paraguay are among the more affordable countries in the current dataset when affordability is considered alongside a quality-of-life score. Retirement costs can differ substantially between cities and housing choices.
Which Countries Have the Highest Quality of Life?
Austria, Norway, Denmark, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Sweden rank among the highest for quality of life in the current WorldLivingCost database. Quality of life is considered alongside living costs and safety to give users a broader picture of each destination.
How Cost of Living Is Calculated
WorldLivingCost calculates country-level living costs using city data covering housing, groceries, transportation, utilities, dining, healthcare, and other everyday expenses. Country averages are calculated from the cities represented in the dataset. This makes the country rankings useful for broad comparisons while city pages provide more specific local information.
Factors That Affect Cost of Living
- Housing and rent prices
- Food and grocery prices
- Transportation expenses
- Utility costs
- Healthcare costs
- Average local salaries
- Purchasing power
- Inflation and local price changes
Cost of Living vs Quality of Life
A low cost of living does not necessarily mean a higher quality of life. Affordable countries can differ in healthcare, infrastructure, safety, transportation, employment opportunities, and public services. WorldLivingCost therefore displays quality of life and safety alongside average monthly expenses.
Cheapest Countries to Live In
Many countries offer relatively low living costs. However, monthly expenses can change considerably between major cities, smaller towns, neighborhoods, housing types, and lifestyles.
- North Korea – approximately $400/month on average
- Afghanistan – approximately $450/month on average
- Yemen – approximately $460/month on average
- Eritrea – approximately $480/month on average
- Syria – approximately $480/month on average
Best Countries to Retire Abroad
Affordable retirement destinations can offer lower housing and everyday expenses while maintaining a reasonable quality of life. Use country and city data together when planning a move.
- Bhutan
- Sri Lanka
- India
- Philippines
- Tunisia
- Paraguay
Top Countries for Remote Workers
Remote workers often consider living costs, internet connectivity, visas, transportation, safety, and access to international communities when choosing a country.
- Thailand – popular with international remote workers
- Vietnam – affordable living and major cities
- Georgia – popular long-stay destination
- Portugal – strong infrastructure and EU access
- Mexico – popular location for North American remote workers
Safest Countries
- Iceland – safety score 92/100
- Liechtenstein – safety score 92/100
- Monaco – safety score 92/100
- Singapore – safety score 90/100
- Japan – safety score 89/100
- Switzerland – safety score 88/100
How to Compare Countries
Use the free city comparison tool to compare specific destinations. You can also open individual country pages to explore local living costs and city-level expenses.
Asia
- North Korea – $400/month
- Afghanistan – $450/month
- Yemen – $460/month
- Syria – $480/month
Europe
- North Macedonia – $900/month
- Albania – $950/month
- Ukraine – $1,000/month
- Moldova – $1,000/month
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