If you could live anywhere in the world…

…where would it be?

If you could live and work in any location around the world, which factors would you consider when making your choice? How would you balance a location’s financial opportunities against its quality of life? AIRINC’s 2024 Global 150 Cities Index highlights the cities that have the ideal combination of high salaries, low taxes, costs, and quality of life. Browse the map and lists below to see how the locations in your region fall in the global rankings.

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Where does your city rank?

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Use the filters to: see locations ranked by Lifestyle, Finance, or an Overall ranking that combines the two; view the whole list or just the top or bottom 20 locations for each list; search the whole globe or focus on a region.

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REGION

City, Country	Region	SubRegion	Overall Rank	Financial Rank	Lifestyle Rank
Zurich, Switzerland	Europe	Western Europe	1	3	3
Geneva, Switzerland	Europe	Western Europe	2	6	10
Munich, Germany	Europe	Western Europe	3	27	6
Luxembourg	Europe	Western Europe	4	15	19
Vienna, Austria	Europe	Western Europe	5	32	10
Berlin, Germany	Europe	Western Europe	6	33	10
Singapore	Maritime SE Asia/Pacific	Maritime SE Asia	7	42	6
Calgary AB, Canada	North America	Canada	8	41	10
New York NY, U.S.A.	North America	USA	9	29	22
San Francisco CA, U.S.A.	North America	USA	10	16	29
Houston TX, U.S.A.	North America	USA	11	11	41
Toronto ON, Canada	North America	Canada	12	58	3
Chicago IL, U.S.A.	North America	USA	13	14	34
Copenhagen, Denmark	Europe	Western Europe	14	51	6
Dubai, U.A.E.	Middle East/Africa	Middle East	15	17	34
Prague, Czechia	Europe	Eastern Europe	16	85	1
Los Angeles CA, U.S.A.	North America	USA	17	20	34
Seattle WA, U.S.A.	North America	USA	18	12	45
Boston MA, U.S.A.	North America	USA	19	18	41
Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.	Middle East/Africa	Middle East	20	10	48
Denver CO, U.S.A.	North America	USA	21	13	45
Montreal QC, Canada	North America	Canada	22	66	6
Vancouver BC, Canada	North America	Canada	23	59	10
Melbourne, Australia	Maritime SE Asia/Pacific	Asia Pacific	24	47	22
Amsterdam, Netherlands	Europe	Western Europe	25	69	10
Paris, France	Europe	Western Europe	26	70	10
Auckland, N.Z.	Maritime SE Asia/Pacific	Asia Pacific	27	52	22
Macau	Far East	East Asia	28	4	55
Hong Kong	Far East	East Asia	29	40	41
Madrid, Spain	Europe	Western Europe	30	76	19
Oslo, Norway	Europe	Western Europe	31	80	19
Brisbane, Australia	Maritime SE Asia/Pacific	Asia Pacific	32	55	29
Hamilton, Bermuda	Latin America	Caribbean	33	30	48
George Town, Cayman Islands	Latin America	Caribbean	34	2	65
Dublin, Ireland	Europe	Western Europe	35	98	10
Brussels, Belgium	Europe	Western Europe	36	56	34
Helsinki, Finland	Europe	Western Europe	37	111	3
Doha, Qatar	Middle East/Africa	Middle East	38	19	58
Barcelona, Spain	Europe	Western Europe	39	67	34
Warsaw, Poland	Europe	Eastern Europe	40	79	29
Sydney, Australia	Maritime SE Asia/Pacific	Asia Pacific	41	64	41
Seoul, Korea	Far East	East Asia	42	110	10
London, U.K.	Europe	Western Europe	43	92	26
Ljubljana, Slovenia	Europe	Eastern Europe	44	95	26
Agana, Guam	Far East	Asia Pacific	45	23	65
Tallinn, Estonia	Europe	Eastern Europe	46	99	29
Curacao	Latin America	Caribbean	47	25	65
Nassau, Bahamas	Latin America	Caribbean	48	22	70
Lisbon, Portugal	Europe	Western Europe	49	109	26
Bratislava, Slovakia	Europe	Eastern Europe	50	103	29
Aruba	Latin America	Caribbean	51	28	70
Panama City, Panama	Latin America	Central America	52	34	65
Edinburgh, U.K.	Europe	Western Europe	53	75	51
Amman, Jordan	Middle East/Africa	Middle East	54	8	87
Santiago, Chile	Latin America	South America	55	53	58
Lima, Peru	Latin America	South America	56	44	62
Zagreb, Croatia	Europe	Eastern Europe	57	93	48
Muscat, Oman	Middle East/Africa	Middle East	58	21	81
Manama, Bahrain	Middle East/Africa	Middle East	59	1	99
Tokyo, Japan	Far East	East Asia	60	135	2
Stockholm, Sweden	Europe	Western Europe	61	117	34
Athens, Greece	Europe	Western Europe	62	118	34
Tbilisi, Georgia	Europe	Eastern Europe	63	88	52
Osaka, Japan	Far East	East Asia	64	126	22
St. Denis, Reunion	Middle East/Africa	East Africa	65	37	77
Bridgetown, Barbados	Latin America	Caribbean	66	43	74
Rome, Italy	Europe	Western Europe	67	114	45
Montevideo, Uruguay	Latin America	South America	68	89	58
Bangkok, Thailand	Far East	Mainland SE Asia	69	57	74
Kuwait City, Kuwait	Middle East/Africa	Middle East	70	7	102
Noumea, New Caledonia	Maritime SE Asia/Pacific	Asia Pacific	71	26	92
Shanghai, China	Far East	East Asia	72	77	65
Tel Aviv, Israel	Middle East/Africa	Middle East	73	104	55
Belgrade, Serbia	Europe	Eastern Europe	74	96	62
La Paz, Bolivia	Latin America	South America	75	31	94
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	Maritime SE Asia/Pacific	Maritime SE Asia	76	86	70
Taipei, Taiwan	Far East	East Asia	77	54	86
Beijing, China	Far East	East Asia	78	73	77
Guangzhou, China	Far East	East Asia	79	63	81
Casablanca, Morocco	Middle East/Africa	North Africa	80	38	94
San Jose, Costa Rica	Latin America	Central America	81	84	74
Sofia, Bulgaria	Europe	Eastern Europe	82	115	55
Moscow, Russia	Europe	Eastern Europe	83	107	62
Guatemala City, Guatemala	Latin America	Central America	84	5	111
Quito, Ecuador	Latin America	South America	85	62	87
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia	Middle East/Africa	Middle East	86	9	112
yerevan, armenia	Europe	Eastern Europe	87	24	104
St. John's, Antigua	Latin America	Caribbean	88	48	94
Sao Paulo, Brazil	Latin America	South America	89	106	70
St. Petersburg, Russia	Europe	Eastern Europe	90	68	87
Budapest, Hungary	Europe	Eastern Europe	91	127	52
Mexico City, Mexico	Latin America	Central America	92	91	81
Baku, Azerbaijan	Europe	Eastern Europe	93	61	94
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	Latin America	South America	94	105	77
Skopje, Macedonia	Europe	Eastern Europe	95	108	77
San Juan, Puerto Rico	Latin America	Caribbean	96	46	102
Bogota, Colombia	Latin America	South America	97	102	87
Bucharest, Romania	Europe	Eastern Europe	98	132	58
Port of Spain, Trinidad	Latin America	Caribbean	99	35	116
Asuncion, Paraguay	Latin America	South America	100	82	99
Johannesburg, S.A.	Middle East/Africa	South Africa	101	119	81
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam	Far East	Mainland SE Asia	102	83	99
Libreville, Gabon	Middle East/Africa	West Africa	103	49	111
Ulan Bator, Mongolia	Far East	East Asia	104	81	104
Cape Town, S.A.	Middle East/Africa	South Africa	105	113	92
Victoria, Seychelles	Middle East/Africa	East Africa	106	123	87
Shenzhen, China	Far East	East Asia	107	74	108
Dominica	Latin America	Caribbean	108	65	111
Windhoek, Namibia	Middle East/Africa	South Africa	109	121	94
Gaborone, Botswana	Middle East/Africa	South Africa	110	94	107
Suva, Fiji	Maritime SE Asia/Pacific	Asia Pacific	111	71	116
Almaty, Kazakhstan	Europe	Eastern Europe	112	112	104
Manila, Philippines	Maritime SE Asia/Pacific	Maritime SE Asia	113	101	116
San Salvador, El Salvador	Latin America	Central America	114	72	128
Nairobi, Kenya	Middle East/Africa	East Africa	115	45	134
Dakar, Senegal	Middle East/Africa	West Africa	116	100	123
Santo Domingo, D.R.	Latin America	Caribbean	117	124	108
Jakarta, Indonesia	Maritime SE Asia/Pacific	Maritime SE Asia	118	120	116
Tegucigalpa, Honduras	Latin America	Central America	119	60	135
Kampala, Uganda	Middle East/Africa	East Africa	120	97	128
Conakry, Guinea	Middle East/Africa	West Africa	121	39	140
Tunis, Tunisia	Middle East/Africa	North Africa	122	130	108
Banjul, Gambia	Middle East/Africa	West Africa	123	50	138
Mumbai, India	Far East	South Asia	124	129	116
Douala, Cameroon	Middle East/Africa	West Africa	125	90	135
New Delhi, India	Far East	South Asia	126	125	125
Abidjan, Ivory Coast	Middle East/Africa	West Africa	127	78	140
Managua, Nicaragua	Latin America	Central America	128	133	122
Brazzaville, Congo	Middle East/Africa	Central Africa	129	87	140
Kingston, Jamaica	Latin America	Caribbean	130	128	128
Lusaka, Zambia	Middle East/Africa	South Africa	131	136	123
Cairo, Egypt	Middle East/Africa	North Africa	132	137	111
Istanbul, Turkey	Europe	Eastern Europe	133	146	81
Lagos, Nigeria	Middle East/Africa	West Africa	134	122	140
Luanda, Angola	Middle East/Africa	Central Africa	135	116	145
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso	Middle East/Africa	West Africa	136	36	148
Beirut, Lebanon	Middle East/Africa	Middle East	137	140	125
Dhaka, Bangladesh	Far East	South Asia	138	138	131
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania	Middle East/Africa	East Africa	139	142	127
Antananarivo, Madagascar	Middle East/Africa	East Africa	140	139	135
Karachi, Pakistan	Far East	South Asia	141	134	145
Colombo, Sri Lanka	Far East	South Asia	142	144	131
Maputo, Mozambique	Middle East/Africa	South Africa	143	145	131
Accra, Ghana	Middle East/Africa	West Africa	144	147	116
Khartoum, Sudan	Middle East/Africa	East Africa	145	131	148
Kiev, Ukraine	Europe	Eastern Europe	146	141	147
Port au Prince, Haiti	Latin America	Caribbean	147	143	148
Buenos Aires, Argentina	Latin America	South America	148	150	52
Port Moresby, P.N.G.	Maritime SE Asia/Pacific	Asia Pacific	149	148	144
Blantyre, Malawi	Middle East/Africa	South Africa	150	149	138

Top 20 Global Ranking

1

Zurich

Switzerland

Lifestyle rank

3

Financial rank

3

2

Geneva

Switzerland

Lifestyle rank

10

Financial rank

6

3

Munich

Germany

Lifestyle rank

6

Financial rank

27

4

Luxembourg

Lifestyle rank

19

Financial rank

15

5

Vienna

Austria

Lifestyle rank

10

Financial rank

32

6

Berlin

Germany

Lifestyle rank

10

Financial rank

33

7

Singapore

Lifestyle rank

6

Financial rank

42

8

Calgary AB

Canada

Lifestyle rank

10

Financial rank

41

9

New York NY

U.S.A.

Lifestyle rank

22

Financial rank

29

10

San Francisco CA

U.S.A.

Lifestyle rank

29

Financial rank

16

11

Houston TX

U.S.A.

Lifestyle rank

41

Financial rank

11

12

Toronto ON

Canada

Lifestyle rank

3

Financial rank

58

13

Chicago IL

U.S.A.

Lifestyle rank

34

Financial rank

14

Copenhagen

Denmark

Lifestyle rank

6

Financial rank

51

15

Dubai

U.A.E.

Lifestyle rank

34

Financial rank

17

16

Prague

Czechia

Lifestyle rank

1

Financial rank

85

17

Los Angeles CA

U.S.A.

Lifestyle rank

34

Financial rank

20

18

Seattle WA

U.S.A.

Lifestyle rank

45

Financial rank

12

19

Boston MA

U.S.A.

Lifestyle rank

41

Financial rank

18

20

Abu Dhabi

U.A.E.

Lifestyle rank

48

Financial rank

10

Top 20 Lifestyle Ranking

1

Prague

Czechia

Overall rank

16

Financial rank

85

2

Tokyo

Japan

Overall rank

60

Financial rank

135

3

Zurich

Switzerland

Overall rank

1

Financial rank

3

Toronto ON

Canada

Overall rank

12

Financial rank

58

3

Helsinki

Finland

Overall rank

37

Financial rank

111

6

Munich

Germany

Overall rank

3

Financial rank

27

6

Singapore

Overall rank

7

Financial rank

42

6

Copenhagen

Denmark

Overall rank

14

Financial rank

51

6

Montreal QC

Canada

Overall rank

22

Financial rank

66

10

Geneva

Switzerland

Overall rank

2

Financial rank

6

10

Vienna

Austria

Overall rank

5

Financial rank

32

10

Berlin

Germany

Overall rank

6

Financial rank

33

10

Calgary AB

Canada

Overall rank

8

Financial rank

41

10

Vancouver BC

Canada

Overall rank

23

Financial rank

59

10

Amsterdam

Netherlands

Overall rank

25

Financial rank

69

10

Paris

France

Overall rank

26

Financial rank

70

10

Dublin

Ireland

Overall rank

35

Financial rank

98

10

Seoul

Korea

Overall rank

42

Financial rank

110

19

Luxembourg

Overall rank

4

Financial rank

15

19

Madrid

Spain

Overall rank

30

Financial rank

76

Top 20 Financial Ranking

1

Manama

Bahrain

Overall rank

59

Lifestyle rank

99

2

George Town

Cayman Islands

Overall rank

34

Lifestyle rank

65

3

Zurich

Switzerland

Overall rank

1

Lifestyle rank

3

4

Macau

Overall rank

28

Lifestyle rank

55

5

Guatemala City

Guatemala

Overall rank

84

Lifestyle rank

111

6

Geneva

Switzerland

Overall rank

2

Lifestyle rank

10

7

Kuwait City

Kuwait

Overall rank

70

Lifestyle rank

102

8

Amman

Jordan

Overall rank

54

Lifestyle rank

87

9

Riyadh

Saudi Arabia

Overall rank

86

Lifestyle rank

112

10

Abu Dhabi

U.A.E.

Overall rank

20

Lifestyle rank

48

11

Houston TX

U.S.A.

Overall rank

11

Lifestyle rank

41

12

Seattle WA

U.S.A.

Overall rank

18

Lifestyle rank

45

13

Denver CO

U.S.A.

Overall rank

21

Lifestyle rank

45

14

Chicago IL

U.S.A.

Overall rank

13

Lifestyle rank

34

15

Luxembourg

Overall rank

4

Lifestyle rank

19

16

San Francisco CA

U.S.A.

Overall rank

10

Lifestyle rank

29

17

Dubai

U.A.E.

Overall rank

15

Lifestyle rank

34

18

Boston MA

U.S.A.

Overall rank

19

Lifestyle rank

41

19

Doha

Qatar

Overall rank

38

Lifestyle rank

58

20

Los Angeles CA

U.S.A.

Overall rank

17

Lifestyle rank

34

AIRINC Global 150 Cities Index

Ranking Methodology

AIRINC’s Global 150 Cities Index is a ranking of 150 of the top global locations according to the financial and lifestyle benefits they offer. It combines local salary levels, tax rates, living costs, and living conditions to assess how appealing each location is to live in. The data is collected by AIRINC’s own in-house survey team, who continuously research the costs and living conditions of many cities around the world to evaluate international mobility.

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Financial Metrics

Salary Levels

We have developed and maintain our own international salary data base that captures location-specific salary levels for professional talent.

Costs

We price a basket of more than 350 goods and services to accurately represent the cost of living in each location.

Taxes

Our internal tax team researches the applicable national and local taxes, social security payments, and family allowances to develop representative tax models.

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Lifestyle Metrics

Hardship/Quality of Living

We research and evaluate each location for over 60 hardship components, classified into 11 categories that represent Physical Threat and Safety, Discomfort, and Inconvenience

Social Benefits

We adjust for the different levels of social and lifestyle benefits inherent in each country.

The Ranking

The Financial components are aggregated to calculate the net purchasing power of a typical salary in each city, and then converted to a common currency to allow comparison between locations. The Lifestyle metrics are weighted and grouped by category to result in a score out of 100 that allows objective assessment of the living conditions between cities. Both metrics are combined to reflect the importance of each, resulting in an overall score that allows easy city-to-city comparisons and rankings.

Have any questions or want to talk?

Critical skills are in short supply in many locations around the world. For many organizations, transferring talent across borders to fill knowledge and skills gaps has become an essential prerequisite to meeting business objectives.

Get in touch! We can help by providing the data, technology, and advice to make your mobility program a success.

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