The cost of living in America can vary widely from city to city. The coastal cities are usually the most expensive based on income and cost of living. New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco are expensive cities. Often, cities in the South and Midwest have lower living costs. Discover the most affordable big cities.
When the lens of expensive and cheap cities is opened to global metros, some US cities are near the top. On the other hand, in the poorest countries, city living costs can be remarkably low, according to a new study from The Economist. No American city is on the least expensive list, while New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco are among the ten most expensive in the world.
The Economist looked at 173 cities in its Worldwide Cost of Living study. The study examined everything from energy costs to food to transportation costs to rent. The cities with the highest scores were Zurich and Singapore, each of which got 104 points. The least expensive was Damascus, which received 13. Damascus has a population of 2.5 million people.
Damascus has been called the oldest capital in the world. It is the capital of Syria. It appeared on another list recently. It ranked last on the Global Liveability Study because, among other things, of poverty and violence.
Syria is a brutal place to live. The CIA Factbook researchers wrote, “According to a June 2022 UN estimate, the death toll resulting from the past 10 plus years of civil war is more than 306,000.” Over six million Syrians have been displaced because of the unrest.
Syria’s demographics are a sign of the terrible lives of its residents. The median age at death is 74.6, ranking 137th among the world’s nations. GDP per capita at $2,900 ranks 198th. Human trafficking is at high levels compared to most countries in the world.
Damascus is unlikely to rise on the list because of the country’s civil war and poverty. It may be inexpensive to live in the city, but who would want to?
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