Singapore named the world's most expensive city to live in

Karen Gilchrist

CNBC

Singapore has been dubbed the world's most expensive city to live in for the fifth year running.

The city-state marched in ahead of New York, London and Los Angeles, which didn't even feature in the top 10 priciest places in the Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) Worldwide Cost of Living 2018 survey.

The EIU's annual ranking compares the prices of over 150 items in 133 cities around the world, such as bread, wine, cigarettes and petrol. It is designed to help hiring managers calculate fair salaries when relocating their employees overseas.

The 10 most expensive cities in the world

City Index Change 1. Singapore 116 0 2. Paris, France 112 +5 3. Zurich, Switzerland 112 +1 4. Hong Kong 111 -2 5. Oslo, Norway 107 +6 6. Geneva, Switzerland 106 +1 7. Seoul, S. Korea 106 0 8. Copenhagen, Denmark 105 +1 9. Tel Aviv, Israel 103 +2 10, Sydney, Australia 102 +4

Note: Index is based on New York Cityhaving a score of 100.Change represents the number of ranks higher or lower. Source: EIU Worldwide Cost of Living 2018 survey

Singapore's top ranking is reflective of a regional trend, with the costs of living picking up across parts of Asia as their economies expand. The Southeast Asian financial centre was joined in the top 10 by Seoul, which ranked in seventh position, as well as Hong Kong and Sydney.

However, some of the world's cheapest cities are still in Asia, such as India and Pakistan.

Europe, too, continues to be expensive — Paris, Zurich, Oslo, Geneva and Copenhagen appeared in the top 10. The only city outside of Asia or Europe to appear in the top 10 was Tel Aviv.

Meanwhile, the weakening of the U.S. dollar in 2017 caused New York and Los Angeles to slip to 13th and 14th positions, respectively.

Bangalore, Chennai, Karachi and New Delhi all featured among the top 10 cheapest locations this year.

They were joined by Damascus, Caracus, Almaty, Lagos, Algiers and Bucharest.

© CNBC is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news and commentary. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

The most expensive cities in the world list gets shake-up in 2021

Move over Paris, there's a city more expensive than you this year.

The annual Worldwide Cost of Living index was released by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) and the Israeli city of Tel Aviv vaulted from fifth last year to first this year, leapfrogging Paris as the most expensive. The city's rise is accredited to hiked grocery and transport prices as well as the Israeli shekel's strength over the U.S. dollar

Overall, cities in general were reported to be more expensive and inflation was the fastest growing in five years (3.5% year-on-year), research from the EIU revealed. That's largely as a result of supply-chain blockages and consumer habits changing amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Paris tied with Singapore for second place this year. Zurich, Switzerland and Hong Kong, which both tied at the top with Paris last year, slid down to fourth and fifth, respectively.

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New York City (sixth) and Los Angeles (ninth) were the only two U.S. cities to rank in the top 10. Cities with currencies stronger against the U.S. dollar are likely to appear higher in the rankings because the index is benchmarked against prices in New York City.

The Worldwide Cost of Living Index explored the rise and fall of living costs in 173 cities altogether. The EIU's global team of researchers compares the price of more than 200 everyday products and services in the cities every March and September. Data for the survey has been used for more than three decades.

The top 21 most expensive cities in the world

The most densely populated cities the world: Mumbai, India tops list

Elzy Kolb

24/7 Wall Street

Americans living in big cities like New York or Los Angeles are familiar with the stress of overcrowded streets and sidewalks and the lack of parking. It’s nearly impossible to find a spot to spread your beach blanket at Coney Island in the summer, and the long wait to cross the George Washington bridge connecting Manhattan with the borough of Fort Lee in New Jersey should be a crime.

But take a look at the crowds from another perspective: In the United States, we don’t actually know anything about real overcrowding – not a single American city ranks among the top 50 most densely populated urban areas in the world. At the other end of the spectrum, these are the least densely populated places in the world.

A variety of factors help explain the high density of these cities, where it seems impossible to walk without bumping into pedestrians every second: more births than deaths, people moving to cities for jobs or forced off rural land by natural disasters, skyrocketing land prices, to name a few.

Population density is determined by the number of residents who live within a given land area – usually a mile or kilometer. According to the United Nations, as of 2016, about 55% of the world’s population lives in urban areas. This is expected to grow to 60% by 2030, with one in three people living in cosmopolises with at least 500,000 residents – maybe in some of the world’s 33 megacities.

In time for the World Population Day, marked every year on July 11 to raise awareness about urgent population issues, 24/7 Tempo identified the most densely populated cities in the world, using data from CityMayors Statistics, a global source for urban statistics.

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50. Tokyo/Yokohama, Japan

• Population density: 12,296 per square mile

• Population: 33,200,000

• Square miles: 2,700 miles

Tokyo is the capital of Japan, and people flock to the city since it is the country's political and business center. In addition to the many workers who call the region home, there is a thriving student population, thanks to more than a dozen internationally ranked universities. Young people move to Tokyo to further their education, and stay for the available internships and jobs. Despite the crowds, the quality of life earns high marks for safety, public transportation, leisure activities and culture.

49. Porto Alegre, Brazil

• Population density: 12,439 per square mile

• Population: 2,800,000

• Square miles: 225 miles

Porto Alegre, the capital of the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, is one of four Brazilian cities among the 50 most densely populated metro areas. It is one of the nation's top regions for commerce and industry, as well as education and finance. As the name suggests, it has a busy port, plus jobs in tech, agriculture, manufacturing and more.

48. Barcelona, Spain

• Population density: 12,579 per square mile

• Population: 3,900,000

• Square miles: 310 miles

Barcelona isn't too far behind Madrid when it comes to Spanish cities with the greatest population density. The capital of Catalonia is a beloved destination for tourists, with an estimated 30 million-plus visitors taking to Barcelona's beaches, streets and cultural sites in 2017. Though the out-of-towners pump billions of euros into the local economy, some residents, including elected officials, are declaring a strong preference for refugees over tourists, noting that migrants become part of the community, while short-term visitors destabilize it.

47. Moscow, Russia

• Population density: 12,649 per square mile

• Population: 10,500,000

• Square miles: 830 miles

The largest country on Earth by area, Russia's overall population density is a mere 23 people per square mile when you take all of that vast space into consideration. But the headcount density is radically different in the crush of the capital city, where more than 12,000 people share each square mile. Moscow is the northern-most megacity on the planet, and also the coldest. It has one of Europe's largest economies, and low living costs compared to other major cities.

46. Buenos Aires, Argentina

• Population density: 12,801 per square mile

• Population: 11,200,000

• Square miles: 875 miles

Argentina's capital city is among the world's busiest ports; its varied economy includes government, commerce, industry, technology and culture. Agriculture, including grain exports, is among the leading businesses, with the Buenos Aires province being one of the top 10 wheat producers on Earth; the world's largest livestock market is located in the capital city.

45. Sapporo, Japan

• Population density: 12,981 per square mile

• Population: 2,075,000

• Square miles: 160 miles

Even though there's not much elbow room around Sapporo, the megapolis shows high potential for renewable energy development. One of three Japanese areas among the 50 most densely populated places on Earth, Sapporo is the capital of the Hokkaido prefecture. It has a thriving international port, well-regarded universities and research institutes, IT industry, and a cool factor due to its recognition as the first Asian city chosen as a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the field of media and arts.

44. Tel Aviv, Israel

• Population density: 13,150 per square mile

• Population: 2,300,000

• Square miles: 175 miles

The second largest city in Israel, Tel Aviv is the country's top destination for new immigrants from the United States, Africa, Russia, Ukraine and elsewhere. While some gravitate to the city for religious reasons or for asylum, others are attracted by the booming economy and business opportunities. Tel Aviv leads the world in the number of per capita startups, and has the highest gross domestic product investment in research and development.

43. London, UK

• Population density: 13,210 per square mile

• Population: 8,278,000

• Square miles: 627 miles

More than 300 languages are spoken by students in London, the capital city of England, where foreign-born migrants make up a sizable chunk of the population. However, the U.K. also has a high rate of internal migration, with London a revolving door of people arriving to take advantage of business opportunities, jobs, high salaries and the seductive lure of the big city. Others leave the metropolis to raise families or in search of a lower cost of living.

42. Madrid, Spain

• Population density: 13,430 per square mile

• Population: 4,900,000

• Square miles: 365 miles

The largest city in Spain as well as its capital, Madrid is among the most densely populated metropolitan areas in Europe. Besides being known for its sports teams, cultural institutions, history and architecture, the city is among Europe's biggest financial centers, a hub of international business and commerce, as well as Spain's main manufacturing center. Most of the nation's wealthiest neighborhoods are located in the capital city.

41. Ankara, Turkey

• Population density: 13,772 per square mile

• Population: 3,100,000

• Square miles: 225 miles

More than half of Turkey's borders are coastal, but the landlocked Ankara is its capital. It ranks second to Istanbul in size and industrial importance. Government is the biggest business, followed by manufacturing of everything from food products to construction materials and tractors. Ankara recently opened the largest hospital in Europe, with more than 3,600 beds, 12,000 employees, and eight divisions specializing in various types of medicine.

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40. Athens, Greece

• Population density: 13,953 per square mile

• Population: 3,685,000

• Square miles: 264 miles

With a written history going back more than three millennia, Athens is one of the oldest cities in the world. The Greek capital continues to be the heart of the country's political, cultural, financial and economic life. The ancient city was recently rated highly on a list of cheap European vacations, cited for its antiquities, museums and charming neighborhoods for dining and shopping.

39. Guadalajara, Mexico

• Population density: 15,210 per square mile

• Population: 3,500,000

• Square miles: 230 miles

One of three Mexican cities among the top 50 most densely populated areas in the world, Guadalajara is the capital and the largest urban area in the state of Jalisco. It has gained a reputation as the Silicon Valley of Mexico, with a sizable talent pool of coders, engineers and programmers, along with startups and venture capital. Besides that, Guadalajara is known for its tequila and mariachi bands.

38. Osaka/Kobe/Kyoto, Japan

• Population density: 16,592 per square mile

• Population: 16,425,000

• Square miles: 990 miles

Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto comprise the most densely populated region in Japan; each is the capital of its prefecture, and the combined area is known as the Kansai region. The major industries include manufacturing, distribution, finance and high tech. Attractions such as temples, castles, shopping, and dining abound in the region.

37. Bangkok, Thailand

• Population density: 16,668 per square mile

• Population: 6,500,000

• Square miles: 390 miles

Thailand's capital as well as its most densely populated city, Bangkok is the country's center of government, finance and industry. While the majority of the residents are of Thai ethnicity, the city has a variety of districts with Chinese, Indian, Japanese and Arab populations. While numerous sites give Bangkok high marks for quality of life, citing affordable cost of living, vibrant culture, good education and job opportunities. On the down side, its air pollution is among the worst on Earth.

36. Monterrey, Mexico

• Population density: 17,303 per square mile

• Population: 3,200,000

• Square miles: 185 miles

Monterrey is the capital of the Mexican state of Nuevo León, which has the nation's strongest economy. Construction and manufacturing surged in the state in 2018, and foreign direct investment (FDI) increased 127% over the previous year. The local unemployment rate hovers around 3.5%. But Monterrey isn't all work and no play – the city currently features a lively nightlife, plus outdoor activities and cultural institutions, and the World Cup is on the schedule for 2024.

35. Khartoum, Sudan

• Population density: 17,770 per square mile

• Population: 4,000,000

• Square miles: 225 miles

Khartoum is the capital of Sudan. Political unrest is rampant in this northeastern African nation. Last spring, the military ousted autocratic leader Omar al-Bashir, and since then, Khartoum has been the site of often-violent demonstrations, with at least 11 people killed during June 30 protests this summer. American travelers are urged to stay away from the area because of terrorism and civil unrest.

34. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

• Population density: 17,704 per square mile

• Population: 10,800,000

• Square miles: 610 miles

Though capital cities are often a country's most densely populated area, that's not the case in Brazil. Rio de Janeiro regularly attracts attention for special events such as the recent Copa America tournament and the annual carnival celebration, believed to be the biggest in the world. Though tourism plays an important role in the city's economy, oil, agriculture, banking, fishing and finance are all major industries as well.

33. Dalian, China

• Population density: 18,310 per square mile

• Population: 2,750,000

• Square miles: 150 miles

All eyes were on Dalian at the start of July, as the northeastern China city hosted the 2019 World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of the New Champions, or Summer Davos Forum. This is the seventh time the forum has been held in Dalian since 2007. The forum, which typically draws about 2,000 participants from around the world, has elevated the city's profile internationally, and spurred infrastructure development, including new roads and building reconstruction. Dalian aims to increase its importance as an international trading center.

32. Istanbul, Turkey

• Population density: 19,991 per square mile

• Population: 9,000,000

• Square miles: 450 miles

Not only is Istanbul the most densely populated city in Turkey, it is also the largest transcontinental city in the world, with its well-packed footprint landing in both Europe and Asia. The city, which is known for having some of the worst traffic in the world, is looking to the sky: It's currently building the world's largest airport. In recent years, Istanbul has become a destination for hundreds of thousands of Syrians, with Turkey ranking as the country taking in the most refugees worldwide.

31. Recife, Brazil

• Population density: 20,837 per square mile

• Population: 3,025,000

• Square miles: 145 miles

With two ports, a thriving IT industry, agriculture and manufacturing, Recife is the major business and economic powerhouse of northeastern Brazil. The capital of the state of Pernambuco, the city is the second largest medical center in the country. With hundreds of hospitals and clinics, thousands of beds, and the latest medical technology, it serves patients across a large area. Unfortunately, Recife also has a high crime rate, including homicides, earning it a place on the list of most dangerous cities in the world as well.

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30. Lahore, Pakistan

• Population density: 21,236 per square mile

• Population: 5,100,000

• Square miles: 240 miles

The capital of the Punjab province, the second largest province by area, Lahore is Pakistan's second most populous city, with less than half the population density of the nation's capital city, Karachi. Punjabi, Urdu and English are the most commonly spoken languages in Lahore. The metropolis is the nation's engineering hub, producing cars, heavy machinery, steel, chemicals and more. Industry, traffic, crop burning and solid waste disposal all contribute to making this regional capital one of the world's most polluted cities.

29. Singapore

• Population density: 21,628 per square mile

• Population: 4,000,000

• Square miles: 185 miles

Often referred to as an economic tiger, Singapore, an island city-state, boasts a high gross domestic product per capita, low unemployment, and thriving electronics and pharmaceutical industries. The city often has superlatives linked with its name: It's among the most expensive city in the world (it's a three-way tie with Paris and Hong Kong), the world's most competitive economy, and – perhaps surprisingly, in such a high-rise environment – the city with the most trees, to name just a few of its attributes.

28. Santiago, Chile

• Population density: 21,683 per square mile

• Population: 5,425,000

• Square miles: 250 miles

On a clear day, you have a good view of the Andes Mountains from Santiago, Chile's capital city. The fourth most densely populated city in South America is also home to the continent's tallest building, the Gran Torre Santiago, standing almost 1,000 feet high. The city has the country's greatest concentration of industry, which includes clothing, shoe and textile manufacturing; banking and a stock exchange; and mining and metallurgy.

27. Mexico City, Mexico

• Population density: 21,750 per square mile

• Population: 17,400,000

• Square miles: 800 miles

Mexico City, situated more 7,300 feet above sea level, is North America's highest capital city, as well as its most densely populated metropolitan area. It is also the world's largest Spanish-speaking city, and one of the largest financial centers on the continent. Mexico City has a large immigrant and expatriate population from the around the globe, including the U.S., Canada, Europe, the Caribbean and elsewhere. Warm weather, good food and a lower cost of living are among the attractions.

26. St Petersburg, Russia

• Population density: 22,069 per square mile

• Population: 5,300,000

• Square miles: 240 miles

Located just below the Arctic Circle in the far northwest, St. Petersburg served as the capital of the Russian Empire for more than two centuries, until Moscow took over the honors in 1918. St. Petersburg remains a huge and important city 100 years post the Bolshevik revolution, and its historical district was named a UNESCO world heritage site in 1990. In addition to its major Baltic Sea port, the city is known as a Russian cultural center teeming with theaters, concert halls, palaces and museums, and architectural wonders. The Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines is a unique venue, featuring vending machines and games that were the Soviet equivalent of Pac-Man, with an ideological component.

25. São Paulo, Brazil

• Population density: 23,294 per square mile

• Population: 17,700,000

• Square miles: 760 miles

São Paulo is Brazil's most densely populated area, one of the most crowded metro areas in the Southern Hemisphere, and the world's largest Portuguese-speaking city. The capital of the state of the same name, São Paulo is the financial capital of Brazil. It is also a major export center, dealing in products such as soybean, coffee, raw sugar and corn.

24. Hyderabad, India

• Population density: 23,545 per square mile

• Population: 5,300,000

• Square miles: 225 miles

In a 2018 report, Hyderabad was credited with having the highest gross domestic product growth among 20 cities in emerging Asia-Pacific nations. The city, which is the capital of the state of Telangana, was rated second among nine Indian cities for employment growth rate over two years. For the fourth straight year, Hyderabad was named India's top city for standard of living.

23. Shenyang, China

• Population density: 24,013 per square mile

• Population: 4,200,000

• Square miles: 175 miles

This northeastern Chinese industrial city is located a little more than 300 miles from the North Korea border. The capital of Liaoning Province, Shenyang's main products include cars and auto parts, construction materials, chemicals, steel and agricultural products. Unlike Northeast China's other provincial capital cities, Shenyang's population has grown in recent years, with the increase attributed to job seekers, increased college enrollment and more families having second children.

22. Baghdad, Iraq

• Population density: 23,901 per square mile

• Population: 5,500,000

• Square miles: 230 miles

Following the defeat of the Islamic State last year, Baghdad residents reported that life was starting to feel somewhat safe and normal. People who had fled during more than a decade of war and upheaval began returning to their hometown, the capital of Iraq. The economy in Iraq had been picking up in recent months.

21. Cairo, Egypt

• Population density: 24,400 per square mile

• Population: 12,200,000

• Square miles: 500 miles

Cairo is among the most densely populated cities in Africa, with its ongoing growth attributed to the disparity between the annual birth rate (30 births per 1,000 people) and death rate (7 deaths per 1,000 people). Egypt's capital city has such a perennial housing shortage that for decades residents have occupied every viable bit of space, including among the above-ground tombs in the el-Arafa necropolis, also known as the City of the Dead.

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20. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

• Population density: 24,500 per square mile

• Population: 4,900,000

• Square miles: 200 miles

Ho Chi Minh City's population is more than double the population of Hanoi, Vietnam's capital and the next largest city. Migrants are attracted to the city for job opportunities in manufacturing, business and tourism, and by the per capita gross domestic product, which is twice as high as the national average in 2016. The country is investing in infrastructure improvements, such as Ho Chi Minh's metro rapid transit network, to help Vietnam preserve its status as one of the world's fastest growing tourist destinations.

19. Bangalore, India

• Population density: 26,191 per square mile

• Population: 5,400,000

• Square miles: 206 miles

Bangalore is one of the world's least expensive cities. Nevertheless, it's standard of living was rated among the best in India in a recent report, which may explain why much of the population growth in Bangalore is due to migration from other Indian states. The capital of the state of Karnataka, Bangalore is home to many tech companies, earning it the nickname of the Silicon Valley of India.

18. Tianjin, China

• Population density: 27,158 per square mile

• Population: 4,750,000

• Square miles: 175 miles

China's largest coastal city, Tianjin has the biggest port in the northern part of the country. Besides being a major transport and shipping hub, the city is also a manufacturing center, producing cars, textiles, metalwork and chemicals. Tianjin is China's fourth most densely populated city, with growth expected to continue over the next decade.

17. Jakarta, Indonesia

• Population density: 27,138 per square mile

• Population: 14,250,000

• Square miles: 525 miles

Employment opportunities and a high standard of living are among the factors causing people from across Indonesia to migrate to the capital city of Jakarta. About half of the population is thought to have actually been born in the city. The growth, which is predicted to continue, has brought problems, including the worst air pollution in Southeast Asia. Auto emissions and coal-fired power plants are among the main sources of the hazardous air quality.

16. Tehran, Iran

• Population density: 27,372 per square mile

• Population: 7,250,000

• Square miles: 265 miles

Migrants are behind the population growth in Tehran. Most of the newcomers to the capital of Iran come from other cities within the country. However, reverse migration could be on the upswing, with residents becoming concerned about environmental problems and fewer economic opportunities. Though Tehran is an old and interesting city, Iran ranks high on the list of countries the U.S. government doesn't want you to visit, citing a high risk of kidnapping, arrest and detention.

15. Manila, Philippines

• Population density: 27,307 per square mile

• Population: 14,750,000

• Square miles: 540 miles

Based on employment growth and gross domestic production per capita growth between 2014 and 2016, Manila has a solid place on the list of top-performing metro areas, according to a study published in 2018. The densely populated city had employment growth of 5.7%, and GDP per capita of 5.5%, landing it among the 10 top performers on Earth. While the solid financial outlook may contribute to growth, Manila could become a destination for dedicated shoppers: The Philippine capital is the site of the biggest Ikea store in the world, which is set to open in 2020.

14. Kinshasa, DRC

• Population density: 27,612 per square mile

• Population: 5,000,000

• Square miles: 181 miles

Migration from rural areas, high fertility rates, and widening of the city's boundaries have contributed to the burgeoning population in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. With a life expectancy of just over 50 years, millions of people facing food insecurity, and 85% of the population believing their government is corrupt, the DRC is considered one of the world's most miserable places to life.

13. New Delhi, India

• Population density: 28,600 per square mile

• Population: 14,300,000

• Square miles: 500 miles

There's always a trade-off: New Delhi is one of the least expensive cities in the world, but it also has some of the worst air quality. Improved infrastructure, education and standard of living have attracted people from all over the country to India's capital. Technology, banking, transportation and government are the biggest employers in this densely populated metro area.

12. Beijing, China

• Population density: 29,827 per square mile

• Population: 8,614,000

• Square miles: 289 miles

Population growth in the Beijing megalopolis comes from a variety of sources, including migrants moving to the nation's capital in search of opportunity, and the easing of restrictions limiting families to only one child. One of the oldest capital cities in the world, Beijing's urban problems include air pollution, dealing with domestic waste, and traffic congestion.

11. Lima, Peru

• Population density: 30,419 per square mile

• Population: 7,000,000

• Square miles: 230 miles

The densely populated Lima is the financial and industrial hub and capital city of Peru. Fishing and mining (gold, copper, zinc and lead) are among the region's main businesses. Manufacturing and tourism are other revenue generators. Lima will be in the spotlight this summer as it hosts the 2019 Pan American Games.

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10. Shanghai, China

• Population density: 34,718 per square mile

• Population: 10,000,000

• Square miles: 288 miles

For more than two decades, Shanghai has been among the fastest growing urban areas in the world. Migration is behind much of the population expansion, with people from other regions of China flocking to the area. Shanghai is the world's busiest container port; major industries include financial services, tech, wholesale and retail, real estate, transportation, construction, and manufacturing.

9. Bogota, Colombia

• Population density: 35,000 per square mile

• Population: 7,000,000

• Square miles: 200 miles

Located at more than 8,000 feet above sea level, Bogota is among the highest capital cities on Earth. The country's center of government and industry, Bogota is aiming to become one of the greenest cities on the continent. A member of the World Green Building Council for the past decade, Bogota has tightened its building codes, made a priority of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and improving sustainability.

8. Chennai, India

• Population density: 37,223 per square mile

• Population: 5,950,000

• Square miles: 160 miles

The capital of Tamil Nadu state, Chennai is a governmental, industrial and cultural center in southern India. Much of the growth in the megalopolis is from migrants moving from rural areas in the state in search of jobs, though Chennai is also a destination for people from throughout the nation. In recent weeks the region has faced a water shortage, as four of the largest reservoirs are virtually dry from lack of rain.

7. Taipei, Taiwan

• Population density: 39,263 per square mile

• Population: 5,700,000

• Square miles: 145 miles

Though there's no doubt that Taipei is among the most densely populated places on Earth, there's some concern that the headcount may actually begin to drop. A low birth rate and aging population are fueling fears of a future dwindling workforce and decline in productivity that could slow technical innovation and take a toll on the economy.

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6. Seoul/Incheon, South Korea

• Population density: 43,208 per square mile

• Population: 17,500,000

• Square miles: 405 miles

Low birth rates have caused Seoul's population growth to level off somewhat. But there's not likely to be much room to roam in South Korea's capital for the foreseeable future. The city's population density is about twice that of New York City and four times higher than that of Los Angeles. The region has the distinction of having one of the best-run airports in the world, Incheon International.

5. Shenzhen, China

• Population density: 44,464 per square mile

• Population: 8,000,000

• Square miles: 180 miles

There are a lot of "mosts" associated with Shenzhen. Though not a capital city, it is the most densely populated region in China. It is also the location of four of the world's tallest buildings. As of 2017, Shenzhen ranked 6th among cities with the most electric cars on the road. And as of 2017, Shenzhen-based Huawei was 49th on the list of the most valuable brands in the world.

4. Lagos, Nigeria

• Population density: 47,027 per square mile

• Population: 13,400,000

• Square miles: 285 miles

The one-time capital of Nigeria, Lagos is the most densely populated region in Africa. Among the reasons for the overcrowding is the influx of job seekers from rural areas, and refugees from countries like Togo and Cameroon fleeing to the mega-city. The cost of living in Lagos is among the lowest in the world, but the country as a whole has some of the poorest health statistics, including a life expectancy of just over 53 years of age and an infant mortality rate of almost 67 per 1,000 live births.

3. Karachi, Pakistan

• Population density: 49,000 per square mile

• Population: 9,800,000

• Square miles: 200 miles

The former capital of Pakistan, Karachi is the most crowded city in the Muslim world. Migrants and refugees from Bangladesh, Burma, Uganda, Iran and Afghanistan have moved into the area. Migrant workers from other regions of Pakistan add to the density. Though Karachi ranks among the least expensive cities for expatriates, it's also rated one of the least livable, with a drop in standard of living likely, according to a 2018 study.

2. Kolkata, India

• Population density: 61,945 per square mile

• Population: 12,700,000

• Square miles: 205 miles

There's a lot going on in the planet's second most crowded megalopolis. In addition to being a financial and manufacturing center, Kolkata has a major port and thriving tech sector. Nevertheless, problems with severe air pollution, poverty and infrastructure need to be addressed in the capital city of West Bengal state.

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1. Mumbai, India

• Population density: 76,790 per square mile

• Population: 14,350,000

• Square miles: 187 miles

Tens of thousands of people find themselves packed into each square mile of the most crowded urban area on Earth. Regardless of the overall dearth of space, the good life is alive and well in Mumbai, which has one of the greatest populations of mega-millionaires. From traffic congestion to huge landfills to breathtaking architecture, Bollywood movies and urban parkland, Mumbai is a city of contrasts and surprises.

24/7 Wall Street is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news and commentary. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

The most expensive cities for business travel

Jelisa Castrodale

Special for USA TODAY

If you'll be traveling to San Francisco for your next business trip, you might want to tell your corporate accountants to brace themselves. For the third year in a row, San Francisco is the priciest destination in America – and the third most expensive city in the world, according to the 32nd annual Corporate Travel Index, ranking the most (and least) expensive cities for corporate travelers.

The average per-diem for the California city was a whopping $547.34, which includes the cost of a hotel, rental car and food, an increase of 7% over last year's already expensive total. The other cities in the top five were New York ($523.05), Boston ($502.69), Seattle ($418.88) and Washington, D.C. ($411.10).

The national average for a hotel, transportation and three square meals was $318.80 per day, or about what it would cost you to spend a night in St. Louis ($318.71), the 26th most expensive city on the list. Across the United States, the average costs were up 3.9% in 2015, compared with the average in 2014, which added up to $306.91 per day. Hotel costs have increased 5.6% in the past year, up to a nightly average of $172.80.

Although the average cost of food has only increased 1.9% across the country, the cost of three meals in Santa Barbara, California – the most expensive city for business travelers to eat in – has increased by an appetite-killing 27%, to a daily average of $131.77.

On the opposite side of the rankings, the five least costly cities were less than half of the price of a night in San Francisco. The 100th ranked city on the list was Norfolk, Va. ($248.15), preceded by Jackson, Miss. ($250.76), Bakersfield, Calif. ($251.28), Shreveport, La. ($251.31) and Tucson, Ariz. ($252.79).

Business Travel News also calculated the average per diem cost for cities outside the United States and its priciest destination for 2015 might be a surprise. Caracas, Venezuela, took the top spot with an average per diem of $1,702.44, the result of an inflationary spiral that makes San Francisco – and the rest of the world – look like bargains by comparison. See the slideshow above for complete rankings.

25 Most Expensive Cities to Move – 24/7 Wall St.

Grant Suneson

24/7 Wall Street

Each year, hundreds of thousands of Americans leave their hometowns and move to a new place. Some go for education and others for career opportunities. Some elderly Americans head to warmer climates to enjoy their retirement. No matter the reason, moving is rarely easy, and often can be rather expensive.

Packing up all of one’s belongings and relocating to a different part of the state or the country is not an option for everyone. Moving is challenging, time consuming, and costly. The average cost of moving to a large city is at least $1,200. In one case the average is more than $1,500.

And that figure only includes direct moving expenses such as truck rental, hired help, and fuel for the journey. That figure does not take into account the largest single expense when moving to a new place -- the price of place being moved into. The average price of the security deposit and one month’s rent in the largest U.S. cities is at least $1,500 dollars -- and more than double that amount in many cases.

24/7 Wall Street reviewed average moving costs and average first month’s rents and security deposits in America’s 100 largest metro areas to determine the 25 most expensive cities to move to.

More:These are the 25 worst cities in the U.S. to raise children

More:Employment stagnation: Which city in your state is weakest for job growth?

25. Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida

Avg. total moving cost: $3,741

$3,741 1st month's rent and deposit: $2,482

$2,482 Median household income: $44,007

$44,007 Population change from migration (2010-2017): 11.9%

24. Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, Nevada

Avg. total moving cost: $3,750

$3,750 1st month's rent and deposit: $2,492

$2,492 Median household income: $50,882

$50,882 Population change from migration (2010-2017): 7.7%

23. Colorado Springs, Colorado

Avg. total moving cost: $3,837

$3,837 1st month's rent and deposit: $2,572

$2,572 Median household income: $56,227

$56,227 Population change from migration (2010-2017): 5.6%

22. Bakersfield, California

Avg. total moving cost: $3,853

$3,853 1st month's rent and deposit: $2,522

$2,522 Median household income: $58,669

$58,669 Population change from migration (2010-2017): -0.8%

21. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, Minnesota

Avg. total moving cost: $3,888

$3,888 1st month's rent and deposit: $2,586

$2,586 Median household income: $52,611

$52,611 Population change from migration (2010-2017): 2.4%

20. Madison, Wisconsin

Avg. total moving cost: $3,891

$3,891 1st month's rent and deposit: $2,626

$2,626 Median household income: $56,464

$56,464 Population change from migration (2010-2017): 3.9%

19. New Haven-Milford, Connecticut

Avg. total moving cost: $3,898

$3,898 1st month's rent and deposit: $2,614

$2,614 Median household income: $38,126

$38,126 Population change from migration (2010-2017): -1.3%

18. Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, California

Avg. total moving cost: $3,938

$3,938 1st month's rent and deposit: $2,650

$2,650 Median household income: $52,071

$52,071 Population change from migration (2010-2017): 4.3%

17. Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, Connecticut

Avg. total moving cost: $4,069

$4,069 1st month's rent and deposit: $2,632

$2,632 Median household income: $43,137

$43,137 Population change from migration (2010-2017): 0.8%

More:US cities where incomes are growing at the fastest pace

More:US cities where incomes are shrinking at the fastest pace

16. Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, Colorado

Avg. total moving cost: $4,074

$4,074 1st month's rent and deposit: $2,776

$2,776 Median household income: $56,258

$56,258 Population change from migration (2010-2017): 7.3%

15. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, Florida

Avg. total moving cost: $4,074

$4,074 1st month's rent and deposit: $2,792

$2,792 Median household income: $31,642

$31,642 Population change from migration (2010-2017): 7.4%

14. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, Oregon

Avg. total moving cost: $4,087

$4,087 1st month's rent and deposit: $2,768

$2,768 Median household income: $58,423

$58,423 Population change from migration (2010-2017): 6.0%

13. Charleston-North Charleston, South Carolina

Avg. total moving cost: $4,106

$4,106 1st month's rent and deposit: $2,854

$2,854 Median household income: $57,603

$57,603 Population change from migration (2010-2017): 10.6%

12. Austin-Round Rock, Texas

Avg. total moving cost: $4,154

$4,154 1st month's rent and deposit: $2,890

$2,890 Median household income: $60,939

$60,939 Population change from migration (2010-2017): 13.3%

11. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Massachusetts

Avg. total moving cost: $4,185

$4,185 1st month's rent and deposit: $2,854

$2,854 Median household income: $58,516

$58,516 Population change from migration (2010-2017): 3.6%

More:Infrastructure spending: Which state is falling apart the worst?

10. Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, Virginia

Avg. total moving cost: $4,247

$4,247 1st month's rent and deposit: $2,988

$2,988 Median household income: $67,719

$67,719 Population change from migration (2010-2017): -1.0%

9. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, California

Avg. total moving cost: $4,392

$4,392 1st month's rent and deposit: $3,118

$3,118 Median household income: $58,979

$58,979 Population change from migration (2010-2017): 2.7%

8. New York-Newark-Jersey City, New York

Avg. total moving cost: $4,515

$4,515 1st month's rent and deposit: $2,988

$2,988 Median household income: $55,191

$55,191 Population change from migration (2010-2017): -0.1%

7. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, District of Columbia

Avg. total moving cost: $4,602

$4,602 1st month's rent and deposit: $3,286

$3,286 Median household income: $72,935

$72,935 Population change from migration (2010-2017): 3.8%

6. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Washington

Avg. total moving cost: $4,873

$4,873 1st month's rent and deposit: $3,562

$3,562 Median household income: $74,458

$74,458 Population change from migration (2010-2017): 7.0%

More:What city is adding the most jobs in your state? A look at who's hiring

5. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, California

Avg. total moving cost: $4,904

$4,904 1st month's rent and deposit: $3,574

$3,574 Median household income: $51,538

$51,538 Population change from migration (2010-2017): -0.7%

4. Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, California

Avg. total moving cost: $4,927

$4,927 1st month's rent and deposit: $3,596

$3,596 Median household income: $61,709

$61,709 Population change from migration (2010-2017): -0.6%

3. San Diego-Carlsbad, California

Avg. total moving cost: $5,174

$5,174 1st month's rent and deposit: $3,828

$3,828 Median household income: $68,117

$68,117 Population change from migration (2010-2017): 2.3%

2. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California

Avg. total moving cost: $5,523

$5,523 1st month's rent and deposit: $4,192

$4,192 Median household income: $90,303

$90,303 Population change from migration (2010-2017): 3.0%

1. San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, California

Avg. total moving cost: $5,661

$5,661 1st month's rent and deposit: $4,330

$4,330 Median household income: $87,701

$87,701 Population change from migration (2010-2017): 4.9%

Detailed findings and methodology

Moving can be very expensive anywhere in the country, but prices are the highest for those moving to the West Coast. Of the 25 metro areas with the highest moving costs, 10 are in West Coast states, with eight in California. In fact, all the top five most expensive places to move to are in the Golden State.

More:Priced out of the market? Cities where the middle class can no longer afford a home

Outside of California, Connecticut, Colorado, and Florida are the only states with more than one metro area among the 25 most expensive cities to move to -- each with two cities. The other metro areas are scattered across the country in states like Texas, South Carolina, Minnesota, New York and Nevada.

While moving costs to these 25 places are very high, they may offer incentives other cities with cheaper moving costs do not. For one, the median household income in most of the cities on the list is well above the national median of $55,322 a year. The higher incomes may be one of the reasons that people are flocking to these areas -- despite the high cost of getting there. Across the country, the average population change due to migration over the past seven years was 2.2 percent. Among these 25 metro areas, 18 have a greater rate of net migration.

24/7 Wall Street determined the 25 cities with the highest moving costs by combining the median price of one month’s rent plus a security deposit and the estimated moving cost to the 100 largest U.S. metropolitan areas. The rent is for a three-bedroom housing unit, and the security deposit is equivalent to one month’s rent. The estimated moving cost is within the most populated zip code in the principal city of each metro area.

The median price of rent comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2015 American Community Survey. The moving cost was determined using data from real estate data company Moving Inc. The 2016 median household income data and 2010-2017 population change from migration came from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. The Urban Honolulu metro area in Hawaii is the only place that lacked data on moving costs, so it was omitted from the list.

24/7 Wall Street is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news and commentary. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

These were the world's drunkest countries in 2021, according to a ...

Americans were among the heaviest drinkers in the world in early 2021, with participants reporting to being drunk a little under twice a month, or 23 times a year, a new international study has shown.

Among the 22 countries involved in the 2021 Global Drug Survey, the United States ranked No. 4 and respondents from Australia reported getting drunk more than any other country, with an average of 26 times a year, or about twice a month.

Denmark and Finland followed with an average of 23 incidents per year of getting drunk, nearly twice higher than the global average of 14.6 times per year.

How much is too much?:Here's how much alcohol is too much - and how to avoid holiday binging

The study also looked at the number of days per year participants drank alcohol, where rankings changed significantly.

France took the top spot with 132 days of alcohol consumption per year, or around three drinks a week. New Zealand followed with 120 days, and the Netherlands with 112 days.

On average, respondents from the United States drank 83 days of the year, around two times a week. This was slightly lower than the global average of 101 drinks a year.

This may seem like a lot, but respondents in most countries got drunk about 30% less than last year, said the survey's CEO, Adam Winstock.

"I just think the longer the pandemic went on, the novelty of lunchtime drinking and getting drunk wore off, and then the reality just kind of stepped in," Winstock said. "I think most people realize they cope better without getting drunk or drinking all the time and using lots of drugs."

Pandemic drinking:Alcohol trends in graphics

The Global Drug Survey, which is based in London, was established in 2012. The 2021 version of the survey collected data from 32,022 people across 22 countries and was published in 11 languages. Data was collected between Dec. 2020 and March 2021 and collected data on the usage of alcohol, cannabis and other drugs internationally.

Cis men accounted for 62% of the global sample, while cis women accounted for 34%. People identifying as transgender, non-binary or intersex made up 3.5% of respondents. More than 60% of respondents were under the age of 34.

The data was collected exclusively from anonymous online users with rates of drug usage higher than the general population, according to the report.

Here's the top ten countries ranked by the number of times respondents from each country said they got drunk per year:

These are the 10 most expensive city hotels in the U.S.

Karina Martinez-Carter

special for USA TODAY

Luxury-Hotels.com recently released a ranking of the most expensive urban hotels in the United States, and surprise, surprise: New York City hotels occupy all but two of the top 10 spots.

The numbers are based on "the cheapest available rate" for a double room in the month of October 2015, as October is the priciest month at most hotels, according to Luxury-Hotels.com. Only urban accommodations were surveyed, so no far-flung resorts are included.

The most expensive starting rate came in at a whopping $995 per night, with Mandarin Oriental, New York and The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park tying for No. 1. That's still a good $894 below a night at the world's most expensive hotel, though. That property — Amangiri, a resort in Canyon Point, Utah — also happens to be the U.S.

Click through the slideshow to see the full list.

[sigallery id="KtmuzhDWoQeGtkYmbWmbTZ" title="Most expensive urban hotels" type="sigallery"]

World's most expensive countries are islands: Bermuda, Cayman ...

Colman Andrews

24/7 Wall Street

The most expensive countries in the world, according to new cost-of-living indices, are both places where the (expensive) living is easy: The Cayman Islands in the Caribbean and the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda, off the coast of North Carolina. That’s according to midyear cost-of-living data collected by Numbeo, a Serbian-based website that describes itself as maintaining “the world’s largest database of user contributed data about cities and countries worldwide.”

The site includes the cost of groceries, restaurants, transportation, utilities and rent (including mortgage payments) in its index of cost of living plus rent. Indices are broken out separately for cost of living without rent and for groceries and restaurants. The indices are computed relative to costs in New York City, which are counted at 100%. An index of 120% indicates costs that are 20% higher than those in the city, while one of 80% means costs are 20% lower.

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Bermuda has the highest cost of living index, including rent, at 114.03%, followed by the Cayman Islands at 109.49%. Their positions flip if rent is factored out, with the Caymans at 141.64% and Bermuda at 138.22%. (Switzerland is in third place by both measures.)

Island countries are often among the places where the most garbage is accumulated. This is mostly because their economies are dependent on tourism.

Bermuda is also the place where restaurant meals cost the most (150.40%), while groceries are more expensive in the Caymans (157.93%).

The most expensive American territory is the U.S. Virgin Islands, in fifth place for cost of living both with rent (73.81%) and without (97.23%). The U.S. as a whole ranks 15th for the combined figure (56.39%) and 25th if rent if factored out (70.95%).

The 1%:The 5 most ridiculous myths about the rich

You might be surprised at how much money you need to live comfortably in some cities. While it is true that the nation’s most highly populous cities tend to be more expensive, this is not the case for all major cities – this is how much it will cost you to live in America’s major cities.

The cheapest place in the world to live? Pakistan, in 136th place, with a cost-of-living plus rent index of 11.62% and an index without rent of 18.58%.

24/7 Wall Street is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news and commentary. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

Room service: A club sandwich can set you back $24

Barbara DeLollis, USA TODAY

For many travelers, the price of ordering a basic sandwich from the hotel's room service department is a major pet peeve.

A new study by TripAdvisor, however, reveals that prices of room service items vary greatly by location. In fact, in some cities, they're not all that bad.

Perhaps most surprisingly, New York, the USA's most expensive city in terms of hotel rates, doesn't top the list of being the most expensive for room service, according to the new study by the online review giant.

That honor goes to Honolulu, the popular tourist destination where hotel rates have been soaring since last year. Las Vegas, where revelers tend to make impulse purchases, ranks No. 2.

How did TripAdvisor measure room service costs?

The company recently priced out six often-ordered items in four-star hotels in 60 destinations around the world to get an apples-to-apples comparison for its newly launched "TripIndex" of room service prices. The six items include a club sandwich ordered from room service; a bottle of water, mini bottle of vodka, peanuts and a can of soda purchased from the minibar, and dry cleaning for one shirt.

Here is how the Top 10 U.S. cities stacked up, based on the price for those six items, according to the index:

Denver — $40.46

Dallas — $42.49

Seattle — $44.19

Minneapolis — $48.09

Boston — $50.43

Los Angeles — $50.60

Orlando — $51.19

Chicago — $51.37

New Orleans — $51.74

San Francisco — $52.24

The same six items will cost you about $65 in Honolulu, and just more than $64 in Las Vegas, according to TripAdvisor.

Still, those prices pale in comparison to Moscow, the most expensive city in the survey, where the items will set you back about $83. Behind Moscow is Paris, at about $69.

$24 for a club sandwich?

When it comes to ranking the U.S. cities solely on the price of a club sandwich delivered to your room, the ranking changes.

Honolulu still ranks as the most expensive city ($23.65) and New York came in second ($21.75) followed by Washington, D.C. ($17.35).

Boutique hotel icon Ian Schrager has been trying to change consumers' perception about ridiculous room services prices at his Public Hotel in Chicago, where the best available rate for tonight on its website costs $195.

The hotel's room service program, called "Public Express," is served in brown paper bags instead of on white-clothed carts delivered by dedicated staffers.

HotelChatter.com's editor Juliana Shallcross tried out the service two years ago and proclaimed it a success.

She praised the modern delivery process, which does away from the stodgy formality of chain hotels.

"I remember a knock on the door, a stylish young man handing me a brown paper bag with my breakfast in it and then disappearing quickly," she says. "I didn't have to sign anything either."

Best of all, the young man didn't linger for a tip, she says.

So far, however, the newfangled system hasn't caught on.

A can of Coke: Nearly $6 in Honolulu hotels

A can of Coca-Cola also varies depending on your hotel's location. You can pay as much as $5.92 in Honolulu to a low of $2.81 in Seattle, according to the study.

But that's only if your hotel room has a minibar.

Over the last few years, a growing number of hotels have been removing them from guest rooms partly to cut costs involved with the laborious process of replenishing stock, and also because consumers simply aren't using them as much.

The 1,900-room Marriott Marquis in Manhattan is one of the hotels that removed guestroom minibars a few years ago after seeing reduced purchases, says spokeswoman Kathleen Duffy.

Today, the hotel maintains a gift-shop-turned-market on its eighth-floor lobby that sells everything from fresh pastries to ice cream. Yet while variety is better, prices are still high. A plastic bottle of Coke still costs around $3.50, more than you'd pay in a convenience store on the street.

What it Actually Costs to Live in America's Most Expensive Cities

Thomas C. Frohlich

24/7 Wall Street

With unemployment at over a decade low, wages at all-time highs, and poverty on the decline, the U.S. economy is flourishing -- or so it would seem. For Americans struggling financially it can be difficult to feel encouraged by such optimistic reports. It is a common complaint among ordinary Americans and economists alike: economic measures might be indicative of overall economic performance but rarely connect to the lived experiences of Americans.

For example, while the federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, most agree this is not a livable wage. The Economic Policy Institute, a non profit think tank, calculated the income families need to secure a modest, yet adequate standard of living in counties and metro areas across the United States. Americans entering the workforce or starting a family have thousands of cities to choose from -- and some are more expensive places than others.

In order to illustrate what it looks like to live in the most and least expensive places, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed monthly living expenses from EPI's family budget calculator in the most expensive metro areas based on the Bureau of Economic Analysis’ regional price parities. According to the EPI, compared with federal measures of poverty, its family budgets provide a more accurate and complete measure of economic security in America.

In an email to 24/7 Wall St., EPI research assistant Zane Mokhiber explained, “Wherever housing and childcare is expensive, cities are expensive, and vice versa.” By contrast, food, transportation, and health care costs tend to be relatively uniform across the the nation’s major cities.

In all of the 25 cities where goods and services are most expensive -- with the exception of the Riverside, California, metro area -- average monthly housing costs for a family of four are $1,200 or higher. Childcare costs for families living in these cities average between $1,000 and nearly $3,000 per month. In 10 of the cities on this list, monthly childcare costs exceed housing expenses.

As Mokhiber noted, a high cost of living is not the same as low affordability, and it is important to measure living costs against income. While not universally the case, residents of the most expensive cities tend to have higher incomes.

Click here to see what it actually costs to live in America's most expensive cities.

Click here to see our methodology.

25. Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD

> BEA cost of living: 7.2% more expensive than national average

> Monthly living costs, family of 4: $7,378

> Monthly housing costs, family of 4: $1,325

> Monthly food costs, family of 4: $799

> Adults with at least a bachelor's degree: 39.5%

> Poverty rate: 10.4%

24. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA

> BEA cost of living: 7.4% more expensive than national average

> Monthly living costs, family of 4: $6,528

> Monthly housing costs, family of 4: $1,156

> Monthly food costs, family of 4: $757

> Adults with at least a bachelor's degree: 21.0%

> Poverty rate: 16.4%

23. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL

> BEA cost of living: 7.6% more expensive than national average

> Monthly living costs, family of 4: $7,081

> Monthly housing costs, family of 4: $1,351

> Monthly food costs, family of 4: $853

> Adults with at least a bachelor's degree: 30.5%

> Poverty rate: 15.4%

22. Salinas, CA

> BEA cost of living: 8.1% more expensive than national average

> Monthly living costs, family of 4: $8,083

> Monthly housing costs, family of 4: $1,433

> Monthly food costs, family of 4: $802

> Adults with at least a bachelor's degree: 24.8%

> Poverty rate: 12.5%

21. Manchester-Nashua, NH

> BEA cost of living: 8.5% more expensive than national average

> Monthly living costs, family of 4: $6,977

> Monthly housing costs, family of 4: $1,218

> Monthly food costs, family of 4: $817

> Adults with at least a bachelor's degree: 37.3%

> Poverty rate: 8.2%

20. Boulder, CO

> BEA cost of living: 8.9% more expensive than national average

> Monthly living costs, family of 4: $8,465

> Monthly housing costs, family of 4: $1,461

> Monthly food costs, family of 4: $893

> Adults with at least a bachelor's degree: 60.6%

> Poverty rate: 11.0%

19. Anchorage, AK

> BEA cost of living: 9.2% more expensive than national average

> Monthly living costs, family of 4: $9,587

> Monthly housing costs, family of 4: $1,337

> Monthly food costs, family of 4: $644

> Adults with at least a bachelor's degree: 32.2%

> Poverty rate: 7.2%

18. Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA

> BEA cost of living: 9.5% more expensive than national average

> Monthly living costs, family of 4: $8,034

> Monthly housing costs, family of 4: $1,520

> Monthly food costs, family of 4: $817

> Adults with at least a bachelor's degree: 32.4%

> Poverty rate: 13.9%

17. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA

> BEA cost of living: 10.5% more expensive than national average

> Monthly living costs, family of 4: $8,095

> Monthly housing costs, family of 4: $1,527

> Monthly food costs, family of 4: $854

> Adults with at least a bachelor's degree: 42.0%

> Poverty rate: 9.6%

16. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

> BEA cost of living: 11.1% more expensive than national average

> Monthly living costs, family of 4: $9,463

> Monthly housing costs, family of 4: $1,740

> Monthly food costs, family of 4: $877

> Adults with at least a bachelor's degree: 46.9%

> Poverty rate: 9.6%

15. Trenton, NJ

> BEA cost of living: 11.3% more expensive than national average

> Monthly living costs, family of 4: $7,848

> Monthly housing costs, family of 4: $1,329

> Monthly food costs, family of 4: $797

> Adults with at least a bachelor's degree: 42.7%

> Poverty rate: 11.1%

14. New Haven-Milford, CT

> BEA cost of living: 11.4% more expensive than national average

> Monthly living costs, family of 4: $7,818

> Monthly housing costs, family of 4: $1,299

> Monthly food costs, family of 4: $787

> Adults with at least a bachelor's degree: 35.1%

> Poverty rate: 11.2%

13. San Diego-Carlsbad, CA

> BEA cost of living: 16.3% more expensive than national average

> Monthly living costs, family of 4: $8,129

> Monthly housing costs, family of 4: $1,682

> Monthly food costs, family of 4: $847

> Adults with at least a bachelor's degree: 37.4%

> Poverty rate: 12.3%

12. Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA

> BEA cost of living: 17.2% more expensive than national average

> Monthly living costs, family of 4: $8,772

> Monthly housing costs, family of 4: $1,739

> Monthly food costs, family of 4: $860

> Adults with at least a bachelor's degree: 33.6%

> Poverty rate: 9.5%

11. Vallejo-Fairfield, CA

> BEA cost of living: 17.6% more expensive than national average

> Monthly living costs, family of 4: $7,453

> Monthly housing costs, family of 4: $1,341

> Monthly food costs, family of 4: $782

> Adults with at least a bachelor's degree: 25.4%

> Poverty rate: 11.6%

10. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA

> BEA cost of living: 17.7% more expensive than national average

> Monthly living costs, family of 4: $7,691

> Monthly housing costs, family of 4: $1,663

> Monthly food costs, family of 4: $830

> Adults with at least a bachelor's degree: 33.5%

> Poverty rate: 15.0%

9. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

> BEA cost of living: 19.1% more expensive than national average

> Monthly living costs, family of 4: $8,795

> Monthly housing costs, family of 4: $1,693

> Monthly food costs, family of 4: $858

> Adults with at least a bachelor's degree: 50.2%

> Poverty rate: 8.4%

8. Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT

> BEA cost of living: 20.1% more expensive than national average

> Monthly living costs, family of 4: $8,387

> Monthly housing costs, family of 4: $1,272

> Monthly food costs, family of 4: $883

> Adults with at least a bachelor's degree: 46.6%

> Poverty rate: 8.6%

7. Santa Rosa, CA

> BEA cost of living: 21.0% more expensive than national average

> Monthly living costs, family of 4: $9,165

> Monthly housing costs, family of 4: $1,843

> Monthly food costs, family of 4: $913

> Adults with at least a bachelor's degree: 33.9%

> Poverty rate: 9.2%

6. Napa, CA

> BEA cost of living: 21.9% more expensive than national average

> Monthly living costs, family of 4: $8,565

> Monthly housing costs, family of 4: $1,575

> Monthly food costs, family of 4: $982

> Adults with at least a bachelor's degree: 35.1%

> Poverty rate: 7.3%

5. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA

> BEA cost of living: 22.0% more expensive than national average

> Monthly living costs, family of 4: $10,344

> Monthly housing costs, family of 4: $1,789

> Monthly food costs, family of 4: $908

> Adults with at least a bachelor's degree: 39.0%

> Poverty rate: 13.5%

4. Urban Honolulu, HI

> BEA cost of living: 24.4% more expensive than national average

> Monthly living costs, family of 4: $9,632

> Monthly housing costs, family of 4: $1,893

> Monthly food costs, family of 4: $1,074

> Adults with at least a bachelor's degree: 34.4%

> Poverty rate: 8.5%

3. San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA

> BEA cost of living: 24.7% more expensive than national average

> Monthly living costs, family of 4: $12,370

> Monthly housing costs, family of 4: $3,121

> Monthly food costs, family of 4: $998

> Adults with at least a bachelor's degree: 48.5%

> Poverty rate: 9.2%

2. Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA

> BEA cost of living: 24.8% more expensive than national average

> Monthly living costs, family of 4: $9,283

> Monthly housing costs, family of 4: $1,764

> Monthly food costs, family of 4: $931

> Adults with at least a bachelor's degree: 40.5%

> Poverty rate: 13.7%

1. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

> BEA cost of living: 27.1% more expensive than national average

> Monthly living costs, family of 4: $10,758

> Monthly housing costs, family of 4: $2,522

> Monthly food costs, family of 4: $896

> Adults with at least a bachelor's degree: 50.1%

> Poverty rate: 9.4%

Methodology:

In order to determine what it actually costs to live in America’s most expensive cities, 24/7 Wall St. first identified the 25 cities with the highest cost of living according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) as measured by regional price parities for metro. We matched to each of these cities monthly living costs for a family of four (two parents and two children) and other cost of living data provided by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI).

The EPI data is the basis for its Family Budget Calculator, which measures the income a family needs in order to attain a modest yet adequate standard of living. The budgets estimate community-specific costs for 10 family types (one or two adults with zero to four children) in all counties and metro areas in the United States.

Poverty rates and educational attainment rates come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 1-year 2016 American Community Survey.

24/7 Wall Street is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news and commentary. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.