Ranking · 76 countries · updated 2026-10-08

The cheapest countries to live in, 2026

Estimated monthly budgets in US dollars, including a city-centre 1-bedroom rent (3-bedroom for families). Built from World Bank price levels and rent estimates.

The top three are Rwanda, Bulgaria and Vietnam. Click any country for its full guide to visas, costs, safety and citizenship.

The cheapest countries to live in, 2026
#	Country	1 person / mo	Family of 4 / mo	1-bed rent	Price level (US = 100)
1	Rwanda	$850	$1,800	$450	26
2	Bulgaria	$900	$1,900	$550	24
3	Vietnam	$900	$1,950	$450	30
4	Paraguay	$950	$2,150	$400	38
5	Indonesia	$950	$2,100	$500	31
6	Malaysia	$1,000	$2,200	$500	33
7	Philippines	$1,000	$2,150	$450	36
8	Kenya	$1,000	$2,250	$500	35
9	Colombia	$1,050	$2,350	$450	41
10	Thailand	$1,050	$2,250	$550	32
11	Morocco	$1,100	$2,400	$450	42
12	Namibia	$1,100	$2,450	$500	41
13	Ecuador	$1,150	$2,600	$500	44
14	Brazil	$1,200	$2,650	$500	46
15	Georgia	$1,200	$2,600	$600	40
16	Dominican Republic	$1,250	$2,650	$650	38
17	Albania	$1,250	$2,750	$500	49
18	Mauritius	$1,250	$2,750	$600	44
19	Cape Verde	$1,250	$2,850	$450	54
20	Chile	$1,300	$2,950	$550	51
21	Peru	$1,300	$2,950	$500	54
22	Romania	$1,300	$2,850	$550	49
23	Turkey	$1,300	$2,800	$600	45
24	South Africa	$1,300	$2,850	$650	43
25	Ghana	$1,300	$2,750	$650	42
26	Serbia	$1,350	$3,000	$600	51
27	Montenegro	$1,400	$3,050	$650	50
28	Oman	$1,400	$3,050	$700	47
29	Taiwan	$1,400	$3,100	$550	55
30	Hungary	$1,500	$3,350	$650	58
31	Argentina	$1,550	$3,550	$500	70
32	Latvia	$1,550	$3,450	$600	62
33	Bahrain	$1,550	$3,300	$800	49
34	Croatia	$1,600	$3,500	$700	59
35	Mexico	$1,650	$3,600	$750	59
36	Costa Rica	$1,650	$3,650	$700	63
37	Greece	$1,650	$3,650	$650	66
38	Lithuania	$1,650	$3,600	$700	62
39	Poland	$1,700	$3,700	$900	55
40	Slovakia	$1,700	$3,800	$750	64
41	South Korea	$1,700	$3,700	$750	62
42	Uruguay	$1,750	$3,900	$650	73
43	Panama	$1,750	$3,700	$1,000	50
44	Kuwait	$1,800	$3,900	$900	60
45	Slovenia	$1,850	$4,100	$850	67
46	Saudi Arabia	$1,850	$3,900	$1,100	50
47	Czech Republic	$1,900	$4,200	$900	67
48	Estonia	$1,900	$4,250	$750	76
49	Japan	$1,900	$4,150	$850	69
50	Portugal	$2,100	$4,550	$1,150	65
51	Italy	$2,100	$4,600	$1,000	73
52	Cyprus	$2,100	$4,550	$1,100	67
53	Spain	$2,150	$4,600	$1,100	69
54	Austria	$2,250	$5,050	$1,000	85
55	Malta	$2,250	$4,800	$1,200	69
56	Finland	$2,350	$5,250	$1,000	91
57	Belgium	$2,400	$5,300	$1,100	87
58	France	$2,450	$5,350	$1,200	83
59	Germany	$2,450	$5,350	$1,250	81
60	Sweden	$2,500	$5,500	$1,150	91
61	New Zealand	$2,650	$5,750	$1,300	89
62	Norway	$2,800	$6,100	$1,350	96
63	Canada	$2,850	$6,150	$1,500	90
64	Denmark	$3,050	$6,700	$1,500	105
65	United Kingdom	$3,100	$6,600	$1,700	92
66	Netherlands	$3,100	$6,600	$1,800	87
67	Qatar	$3,150	$6,550	$2,000	76
68	Australia	$3,200	$6,850	$1,800	94
69	United Arab Emirates	$3,250	$6,650	$2,200	69
70	United States	$3,300	$7,100	$1,800	100
71	Luxembourg	$3,400	$7,200	$1,900	99
72	Hong Kong	$3,500	$7,200	$2,400	74
73	Ireland	$3,750	$7,900	$2,200	102
74	Iceland	$3,750	$8,200	$1,800	130
75	Singapore	$4,150	$8,500	$3,000	78
76	Switzerland	$4,200	$9,050	$2,300	128

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