A city can rank among the world’s most expensive and still be affordable to a particular person. Another can look cheap in a global table and become impossible once childcare, commuting or private health insurance enter the budget. Personal affordability starts with your basket, not the city’s reputation.
Price the neighborhood you would actually live in
Use realistic rent, deposits, utilities, internet and building fees. Do not compare your current suburban apartment with a premium central-city listing unless that is genuinely the move you plan to make.
Car-free and car-dependent versions of the same city can cost very differently
Add monthly transit, taxis, fuel, parking, insurance and vehicle payments according to the lifestyle you expect. A high-rent walkable neighborhood may reduce transport enough to change the calculation.
Build the basket around your household
Food
Separate groceries from restaurants instead of using one generic “food” figure.
Health
Include insurance premiums, deductibles, prescriptions and employer coverage where relevant.
Children
School, nursery and childcare can dwarf other categories for families.
Lifestyle
Gym, entertainment, travel home and hobbies belong in the real budget too.
Compare recurring cost with spendable income
International rankings often compare prices, not your salary. Estimate after-tax income, savings goals and emergency capacity. A city with high prices may also offer higher compensation; the useful number is what remains after both sides are counted.
Your cheapest city is not necessarily the one with the lowest index
The best comparison is the monthly life you would actually buy there. Build that first, then use global rankings as context.