Singapore remains the world’s most expensive city for luxury living in 2026, followed by Zurich and Monaco, as premium lifestyle costs continue to shift across global wealth hubs.
Where does it cost the most to live exceptionally well in 2026? For the fourth consecutive year, the answer is Singapore.
The latest Julius Baer Global Wealth and Lifestyle Report ranks Singapore as the world’s most expensive city for high-net-worth individuals, followed by Zurich in second place and Monaco in third. Hong Kong ranks fourth, while London completes the global top five.
The ranking tracks the cost of goods and services associated with a premium lifestyle across major cities, providing a snapshot of how purchasing power and luxury consumption differ between global wealth centres.
The Top Five in 2026
| Rank | City |
| 1 | Singapore |
| 2 | Zurich |
| 3 | Monaco |
| 4 | Hong Kong |
| 5 | London |
What makes this year’s ranking particularly interesting is the pace at which premium living costs have shifted. Across the index, the average cost of maintaining a high-end lifestyle increased by 10.2% in US-dollar terms, highlighting how currency movements and changing prices can reshape the relative cost of luxury between cities.
Dubai, meanwhile, ranks 14th globally. Its movement down the ranking does not necessarily signal that premium living in the emirate has become significantly less expensive. Rather, the report indicates that changes elsewhere, including stronger price increases in other cities, altered Dubai’s relative position.
That distinction matters. These rankings measure cities against one another, meaning a city can move down even as its own premium lifestyle costs remain elevated or continue to change.
For globally mobile executives, entrepreneurs and investors, the findings offer more than a luxury price comparison. The cost of premium housing, travel, hospitality and lifestyle services increasingly forms part of decisions around where wealth is lived, managed and deployed.
Singapore’s fourth consecutive year at the top demonstrates the consistency of its position. Yet with Zurich and Monaco immediately behind it and costs shifting across the index; the 2026 rankings also show how quickly the geography of global luxury can evolve.
Source: Julius Baer Global Wealth and Lifestyle Report 2026
