Cost of Living by Country: 195 Countries Ranked (2026)
Compare cost of living by country, including monthly living expenses, rent prices, salaries, purchasing power, safety, and quality of life rankings. Explore the cheapest and most expensive countries to live, work, study, retire, or relocate in 2026.
- ✓ 197 countries covered
- ✓ Cost of living & rent rankings
- ✓ Salaries, purchasing power & safety data
- ✓ Updated monthly
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
Quick Answer
The cheapest countries to live in 2025 include North Korea, Afghanistan, Yemen, Eritrea, Syria, Venezuela. The most expensive countries include Monaco, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland, Luxembourg. Use the country database below to compare monthly expenses, quality of life, and safety across 197 countries.
Key Takeaways
- 197 countries compared
- Updated monthly
- Includes quality of life data
- Includes safety scores
- Data sourced from contributors and official sources
Data updated monthly. Last updated: July 4, 2026 · Data source: Worldlivingcost contributor database.
Cheapest Countries to Live In, Ranked (2025)
| 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, Ranked (2025)
| 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 (2025)
| 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 |
What Are the Cheapest Countries to Live in 2025?
According to Worldlivingcost data, the cheapest countries to live in 2025 include North Korea, Afghanistan, Yemen, Eritrea, Syria, Venezuela. Average monthly living expenses range from $400 to $900 depending on city, lifestyle, and housing costs.
What Are the Best Countries for Remote Workers?
The best countries for remote workers and digital nomads combine low living costs with fast internet and nomad-friendly visas. Thailand, Vietnam, Georgia, Portugal, and Mexico are consistently ranked among the top choices, with typical monthly budgets under $1,500.
What Are the Cheapest Countries to Retire In?
Bhutan, Sri Lanka, India, Philippines, Tunisia, Paraguay are among the cheapest countries to retire in 2025 based on affordability and quality-of-life data, offering budgets typically between $1,000 and $2,000 per month for a couple.
Which Countries Have the Highest Quality of Life?
Austria, Norway, Denmark, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Sweden rank among the highest for quality of life in the Worldlivingcost database, combining strong infrastructure, healthcare, and safety scores.
How Cost of Living Is Calculated
Worldlivingcost calculates cost of living using housing, groceries, transportation, utilities, dining, healthcare, and local purchasing power data collected across cities and countries worldwide. Figures are averaged across each country's tracked cities to produce the country-level estimates shown on this page.
Factors That Affect Cost of Living
- Housing prices
- Rent demand
- Utility costs
- Food prices
- Transportation expenses
- Healthcare costs
- Average salaries
- Inflation rates
Cost of Living vs Quality of Life
A low cost of living does not always mean a higher quality of life. Countries with affordable housing and food may offer different healthcare, infrastructure, safety, and employment opportunities. That's why this page tracks quality of life and safety alongside average monthly cost, rather than ranking countries on price alone.
Cheapest Countries to Live in 2025
Many countries offer very low living costs. A single person can live well on $500–$900 per month.
- Pakistan – from $400/month
- India – from $450/month
- Nepal – from $480/month
- Vietnam – from $550/month
- Cambodia – from $600/month
Best Countries to Retire Abroad
These countries combine low costs with a reasonable quality of life, based on affordability and quality-of-life data.
- Bhutan
- Sri Lanka
- India
- Philippines
- Tunisia
- Paraguay
Top Countries for Remote Workers
These countries have fast internet and low costs. Most offer digital nomad visas.
- Thailand – fast WiFi, under $1,500/month
- Vietnam – very affordable, great cafes
- Georgia – nomad visa available
- Portugal – EU access, good infrastructure
- Mexico – close to US timezone
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 comparison tool. Pick any two cities. See rent, food, and salary differences. Data updates every month.
Asia
- Pakistan – $400–$700/month
- India – $450–$800/month
- Vietnam – $550–$900/month
- Nepal – from $480/month
Europe
- Georgia – $700–$1,000/month
- Albania – from $750/month
- Bulgaria – $800–$1,200/month
- Romania – from $900/month
Americas
- Bolivia – from $700/month
- Colombia – $900–$1,400/month
- Ecuador – from $800/month
- Paraguay – very affordable
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