★ Best places to live
Most expensive cities to live in in North America
The priciest cities in our index, ranked by overall cost of living (US average = 100). Higher is more expensive.
The Most expensive cities to live in in North America, ranked by Cost index across 29 cities we track in the region. Vancouver leads with 124, ahead of Toronto and San Francisco.
RankCost index
- 1VancouverCanada124
- 2TorontoCanada119
- 3San FranciscoUnited States118
- 4Los AngelesUnited States115
- 5New YorkUnited States113
- 6SeattleUnited States113
- 7San DiegoUnited States112
- 8MiamiUnited States112
- 9BostonUnited States111
- 10WashingtonUnited States108
- 11PortlandUnited States107
- 12DenverUnited States106
- 13PhoenixUnited States106
- 14PhiladelphiaUnited States104
- 15MinneapolisUnited States104
- 16ChicagoUnited States103
- 17DallasUnited States103
- 18AtlantaUnited States101
- 19HoustonUnited States100
- 20MontrealCanada99
- 21AustinUnited States98
- 22NashvilleUnited States98
- 23DetroitUnited States98
- 24CharlotteUnited States97
- 25Las VegasUnited States97
- 26San AntonioUnited States94
- 27ColumbusUnited States94
- 28Mexico CityMexico64
- 29GuadalajaraMexico53
? Frequently asked questions
Which cities top this ranking?
Vancouver leads at 124, followed by Toronto and San Francisco. The full ranking of 29 cities is listed above.
How is this ranking calculated?
We sort all 29 cities in our index by Cost index. Figures are calibrated estimates, refreshed as we expand coverage — a practical guide, not official statistics.
Can I compare these cities in detail?
Yes. Open any city for its cost of living, rent, taxes, visas and quality of life, or use CostTrek’s side-by-side comparison to weigh two cities against each other.