Zurich

Switzerland's financial capital regularly appears in the top three of every major cost of living index. A restaurant meal for two costs CHF 150-200, and a monthly transit pass runs CHF 100. However, salaries are correspondingly high — average Swiss wages of CHF 85,000/year compensate for prices that shock visitors from elsewhere in Europe. Compared to #3 Hong Kong, Zurich's restaurant meal is 25% cheaper, yet its average salary is 15% higher than Hong Kong's median income, offsetting living costs effectively.