Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Report: NYC Now The Most Expensive City In The World
By
Lauren Evans
Published Sep 24, 2015
Modified Sep 24, 2015
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Douglas Elliman
By
Lauren Evans
Published Sep 24, 2015
Modified Sep 24, 2015
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
But just chill for a second while we break this down.
It's important to keep every bloated metric and sky-written superlative in perspective, because rankings are probably cooked up using weight-loss pill pseudo science. This most recent declaration that NYC is the most expensive city in the world comes from the Swiss bank UBS, which, if there's any hope for determining a victor in something as nuanced as "most expensive," I'd trust a Swiss bank to get it right.
UBS took into account factors like the cost of goods and services, as well as real estate. But also, Zurich and Geneva are more expensive this year thanks to Swiss National Bank’s decision to end its minimum exchange rate. Additionally, prices in Japanese and European cities fell as the euro and yen weakened against the dollar, the WSJ reports.
But keep in mind: Along with Zurich and Geneva, NYC also earns the highest wages net of taxes. Purchasing power however, is highest in Luxembourg, Zurich and Geneva, and in the U.S., Miami and Los Angeles. A New Yorker needs to work around 24 hours to earn enough to buy an iPhone 6, which is up from 20.6 hours for residents of Geneva.
The paper helps us visualize what that means:
Tagged
rankings
real estate
ubs
Lauren Evans
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
NJ early voting begins Saturday. Here's everything you need to know.
Our 2026 New Jersey voter’s guide for this year’s midterm elections.
By
Mike Hayes
Published Oct 23, 2026 at 11:01 a.m. ET
Countdown clocks are coming to an NYC bus stop near you
New York City bus service isn't exactly reliable, but new digital countdown clocks will give riders a better sense of how long they have to wait.
By
Stephen Nessen
News
Countdown clocks are coming to an NYC bus stop near you
New York City bus service isn't exactly reliable, but new digital countdown clocks will give riders a better sense of how long they have to wait.
By
Stephen Nessen
Are NJ schools unconstitutionally segregated? It's back to the courts to decide.
By
Colleen O'Dea
Early Addition: New Jersey considering a ban on chewing gum because of microplastics
By
James Ramsay
Queens mother charged with murdering her son after failed suicide attempt, NYPD says
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .