The most expensive cities in the world.

This assessment is based on criteria related to the cost of goods and services – including food, transportation, and rent – and was conducted in 133 different cities around the world.

This is the first time in the history of the EIU's rankings that three cities have shared the top spot. The survey's editor, Roxana Slavcheva, stated that this is "a testament to globalization and the similarity of tastes and shopping patterns in cities around the world."

No Australian cities made it into the top 10. Sydney dropped 6 places to 16th in the survey. Melbourne dropped 8 places to 22nd, Brisbane was 41st (-15), Adelaide (51st, -21) and Perth (64th, -18). Despite high rents and a relatively expensive cost of living, London did not make it into the top 20, ranking 22nd, behind Dublin (19), but well ahead of the UK's second most expensive city, Manchester (51).

According to the EIU, in the list of cities with the lowest cost of living, a combination of high inflation, currency devaluation, and political instability has made Caracus, Damascus, and Tashkent the cheapest cities in the world. However, EIU experts also advise travelers against going to Venezuela and Syria for cheap goods due to the unstable situation in those countries. Instead, travelers can consider Istanbul, Buenos Aires, and Sao Paulo, where prices are more affordable and the city is safer. Other tourist destinations such as Sofia, Casablanca, and Muscat have seen slight increases compared to last year's ranking.

Singapore, the host of the summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un in 2018, is the only city in the top 10 to retain its ranking.