Top Ten Most Expensive Citiies to Live in the USA
Determining which are the top ten most expensive cities to live in USA regions is done by taking a sampling of cities from across the nation and comparing the price of basic goods and services, which is called a basket in the field of economics. With this most recent study, a group of more than 200 items and services were compared in selected cities from around the world. Items included such things as a gallon of milk and fast food hamburgers as well as home and rental prices. Interestingly, even the most expensive American city is only about midway in the overall listing and is the only American city to be included in the top fifty most expensive cities in the world. What is this most expensive American city? New York, New York.
- New York, New York
- Los Angeles, California
- White Plains, New York
- San Francisco, California
- Honolulu, Hawaii
- Miami, Florida
- Chicago, Illinois
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Houston, Texas
- Washington, D.C.
Interestingly, most of the cities that made the most expensive list for the most recent list have actually gone up in rank since the previous year. Boston, for example moved from a world rank of 99th to a world rank of 60th. It’s rank within the USA is 8th. This trend can be seen throughout the top ten list in part because the struggling economy.
Are they worth it?
The question that naturally comes to mind when looking at such a list and realizing that the housing cost ranges from $1,700 in the least expensive city to $4,300 a month in the most expensive city is, are these cities really worth the extreme cost? The answer is yes for a surprising number of people and for a variety of reasons. New York is the financial hub of the country and draws business people from around the world. Because of this, it has a diverse and eclectic cultural atmosphere that is thriving. Honolulu and Miami both offer exotic beauty. Boston is the home of some of the most famous learning institutions in the country. Each city has some aspect that has drawn people to it and allowed the cost of goods and services to skyrocket as the tug of war between supply and demand creates higher living costs for the residents.
Ultimately this list of the top ten most expensive cities to live in the USA shows not only the tangible financial cost of living in one of these cities but it also hints at the intangible experience, the beauty, and the opportunities of living in one of these areas as well. The list changes from year to year because the desires and demands of consumers is fluid and ever changing.
Photo Credit: Mark Veraart
