30 Cheapest Cities in the World To Live In

Everyone loves a vacation to a new and exciting locale, but have you ever thought of living there? Some of the world's cheapest cities are also some of the most beautiful, serving up charming cafes, stunning scenery and top-notch technology along with budget-friendly living.

See: Most Affordable Places To Retire in the US
By Contrast: The World's Most Expensive Countries To Live In

GOBankingRates found the 30 cheapest cities in the world by sourcing the largest cities in the world by population from World Atlas. This list was then cross-referenced with Numbeo's cost-of-living index by city. They were ranked by cost of living, rent prices and grocery costs.

Check out the cheapest places in the world to live in.

30. Buenos Aires, Argentina

• Cost-of-Living Index: 37.1
• Rent Index: 12.31
• Groceries Index: 29.45

Discover: How Much You Need To Earn To Be 'Rich' in 23 Major Countries Around the World

29. Nanjing, China

• Cost-of-Living Index: 43.38
• Rent Index: 17.05
• Groceries Index: 44.53

Read: Best Cities To Retire on a Budget of $1,500 a Month

28. Dhaka, Bangladesh

• Cost-of-Living Index: 35.27
• Rent Index: 6.26
• Groceries Index: 31.87

Read: The Cost To Retire in America’s Sunniest Cities

27. St. Petersburg, Russia

• Cost-of-Living Index: 37.86
• Rent Index: 17.27
• Groceries Index: 31.49

26. Baghdad, Iraq

• Cost-of-Living Index: 36.99
• Rent Index: 13.95
• Groceries Index: 31.42

25. Johannesburg, South Africa

• Cost-of-Living Index: 47.32
• Rent Index: 18.38
• Groceries Index: 37.92

24. Guangzhou, China

• Cost-of-Living Index:41.34
• Rent Index: 19.92
• Groceries Index: 45.05

23. Brasilia, Brazil

• Cost-of-Living Index: 39.97
• Rent Index: 11.45
• Groceries Index: 32.48

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22. Jiddah, Saudi Arabia

• Cost-of-Living Index: 51.07
• Rent Index: 11.62
• Groceries Index: 43.32

21. Chittagong, Bangladesh

• Cost-of-Living Index: 32.39
• Rent Index: 4.35
• Groceries Index: 30.57

20. Istanbul, Turkey

• Cost-of-Living Index: 34.03
• Rent Index: 10.06
• Groceries Index: 30.57

19. Cairo, Egypt

• Cost-of-Living Index: 31.37
• Rent Index: 8.02
• Groceries Index: 26.66

Also See: These Southern Hidden Gem Cities Are Perfect for Retirees

18. Bogotá, Colombia

• Cost-of-Living Index: 30.03
• Rent Index: 12.94
• Groceries Index: 25.08

17. Alexandria, Egypt

• Cost-of-Living Index: 28.06
• Rent Index: 6.65
• Groceries Index: 26.88

16. Mumbai, India

• Cost-of-Living Index: 30.07
• Rent Index: 21.93
• Groceries Index: 30.42

15. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

• Cost-of-Living Index: 40.06
• Rent Index: 14.48
• Groceries Index: 40.79

14. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

• Cost-of-Living Index: 52.65
• Rent Index: 15.53
• Groceries Index: 42.73

13. Cape Town, South Africa

• Cost-of-Living Index: 43.52
• Rent Index: 24.5
• Groceries Index: 37.48

Check Out: 50 Best and Worst Retirement Towns

12. Ankara, Turkey

• Cost-of-Living Index: 31.85
• Rent Index: 6.31
• Groceries Index: 27.53

11. Kabul, Afghanistan

• Cost-of-Living Index: 28.78
• Rent Index: 4.36
• Groceries Index: 19.55

10. Ahmedabad, India

• Cost-of-Living Index: 26.12
• Rent Index: 6
• Groceries Index: 28.36

9. Delhi, India

• Cost-of-Living Index: 27.68
• Rent Index: 8.98
• Groceries Index: 26.61

8. Kolkata, India

• Cost-of-Living Index: 26.15
• Rent Index: 6
• Groceries Index: 28.72

7. Lahore, Pakistan

• Cost-of-Living Index: 23.42
• Rent Index: 5.07
• Groceries Index: 20.53

Read: These 10 Countries Pay Less in Taxes Than Americans

6. Chennai, India

• Cost-of-Living Index: 26.58
• Rent Index: 7.07
• Groceries Index: 29.25

5. Karachi, Pakistan

• Cost-of-Living Index: 22.99
• Rent Index: 5.02
• Groceries Index: 20.6

4. Surat, India

• Cost-of-Living Index: 25.35
• Rent Index: 4.74
• Groceries Index: 27.14

3. Hyderabad, India

• Cost-of-Living Index: 26.38
• Rent Index: 6.73
• Groceries Index: 28.75

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2. Pune, India

• Cost-of-Living Index: 27.16
• Rent Index: 7.89
• Groceries Index: 28.05

1. Bangalore, India

• Cost-of-Living Index: 27.37
• Rent Index: 8.61
• Groceries Index: 29.54

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Jordan Rosenfeld contributed to the reporting for this article.

Photo Disclaimer: Please note photos are for representational purposes only and may not reflect the exact city listed.

Methodology: GOBankingRates sourced a list of the largest cities in the world by population from World Atlas. This list was then cross-referenced with Numbeo's cost-of-living index by city. The following factors from Numbeo were analyzed to give each city a score and produce a final ranking: 1) Local purchasing power index: Measures the relative purchasing power of a typical salary in the country. A lower purchasing power buys fewer goods, while a higher purchasing power buys more; 2) Rent index: Includes typical home rental prices in the country; 3) Groceries index: Includes typical grocery prices in the country; and 4) Cost-of-living index: Includes costs of local goods and services, such as restaurants, transportation and utilities. All data was collected and is up to date as of Sept. 13, 2021.

About the Author

Jodi Thornton-O'Connell

Jodi O’Connell is a freelance wordsmith based in Sedona, Arizona, who writes about everything from vacation vagary and adventure sports to real estate and pets. She spent more than a decade in Arizona’s real estate industry advising first-time homebuyers and commercial investors before indulging her passion for the written word on a full-time basis. Her articles appear on websites as diverse as U.S. News and World Report, USA Today, Hipmunk, Roots Rated, and Travelocity.

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