When I sat down to write this, I was absolutely shocked to find out that America doesn’t even crack the top 20 on the list of most expensive countries to live in. However, the data pulled from Numbeo by Movehub directly compares the cost of living in countries around the world to the cost of living in New York City, and the results show that there are only five countries in the world which are more expensive to live in than the Big Apple.
5 Most Expensive Countries
Switzerland
Compared to NYC, Switzerland is 26% more expensive to live in overall. The data shows that restaurants and hotels are not cheap, so if you’re visiting you might end up breaking the bank. If you live there, however, you’ll find you get paid more to accommodate for increased expenses.
Norway
Norway is about 18% more expensive than NYC, again with restaurants being a pricey form of leisure. Personal goods and services also lean toward the expensive side, as does the cost of gasoline.
Venezuela
Venezuela is roughly 10% more expensive to live in than New York. Groceries are a major expense in Venezuela, as they are an incredible 31% more expensive than in NY. If you’ve ever shopped in NY, you’re probably having heart palpitations right about now.
Iceland
My friend visited Iceland and said it wasn’t that bad; but he lives in New York City. Iceland is pretty much on par with NYC as far as expenses go. Of course, he backpacked, slept in hostels, and packed his own clothing. The price of gas and clothing makes up the most expensive commodities in Iceland, as do unnecessary additions like cigarettes and alcohol.
Denmark
Denmark is about as close to NYC as can be in terms of expenses. Restaurants, clothing, and public transportation are the highest expenses in Denmark, which sounds remarkably familiar if you’ve ever been on 5th Avenue in Manhattan.
5 Least Expensive Countries
The least expensive countries all offer extremely cheap dining, groceries, transportation, and rent. In order from most expensive to cheapest, they are:
Algeria
Commodities in Algeria cost an average of 66% less than in New York, which makes me want to take a trip over there and come back with a lifetime supply of couscous. It also wouldn’t hurt to soak up the culture, see some ancient ruins, and visit the Tassili n’Ajjer
Tunisia
The same goes for Tunisia. More couscous! Just kidding, there’s much more to do there, such as visit the Sahara, followed by a Turkish bath to cleanse afterwards.
Pakistan
The amount of museums and monuments in Pakistan is incredible; it’s an open world of discovery and beauty. There’s also natural beauty in the lakes, as well as the K2 summit.
Nepal
It’s incredibly disheartening to know of the devastation that recently occurred in Nepal in April 2015, so let’s just take this time to hope for better things to come. You can find beautiful Mount Everest there, as well as a variety of temples and sacred monuments.
India
It costs about 25% of what it costs in NYC to live in India. Of course, you can check out the Taj Mahal and the Ganges River, but there are a ton of beaches and rivers to check out as well.
Featured photo credit: Pixabay via pixabay.com
