Asia: The world’s most, and least, affordable cities

SINGAPORE – No other region in the world is as diverse as Asia. Its regimes range from autocratic to democratic. Some Asian countries have populations that are among the world’s oldest, but in others they are relatively young. To such contrasts, add differences in affordability. Asia is home to some of the world’s most expensive cities and also some of cheapest, according to the latest Worldwide Cost of Living Survey, a twice-yearly tally by eiu, our sister company. At the top end of the index is Singapore, which was the world’s joint most expensive city in 2022, along with New York. At the other end, five of the 12 least expensive cities in the world are in South Asia. Living costs in Karachi are about a third of those in Singapore—although it is also Asia’s hardest place to live, according to a separate eiu index. (Source: Economist)