Cheapest Countries to Live In

Belarus ranks #1 with a composite score of 92.4.

Top 5 Ranked

Belarus

92.4

Paraguay

91.9

Ukraine

91.6

4 Egypt

5 India

Belarus

92.4

Paraguay

91.9

Ukraine

91.6

4 Egypt 91.0

5 India 90.5

Overview

The cheapest livable countries tend to be in Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, and parts of Latin America. These countries combine low costs with adequate infrastructure for a comfortable life. Some of the world's absolute cheapest countries fall lower in this ranking because they lack reliable water, electricity, or internet access.

Global Rankings

Rank	Country	Score	Cost Index (index)	Water Access (%)	Electricity Access (%)	Internet Access (%)
1	Belarus	92.4	35.8	99.9%	100.0%	85.0%
2	Paraguay	91.9	34.6	100.0%	100.0%	77.0%
3	Ukraine	91.6	40.7	99.6%	100.0%	94.5%
4	Egypt	91.0	34.9	99.7%	100.0%	72.0%
5	India	90.5	21.2	95.5%	99.2%	46.0%
6	Kazakhstan	90.3	38.2	97.4%	100.0%	86.0%
7	Brazil	90.3	39.3	99.4%	100.0%	81.0%
8	Azerbaijan	90.2	37.8	97.1%	100.0%	85.0%
9	Jordan	90.0	40.5	99.1%	100.0%	83.0%
10	Algeria	89.5	38.2	99.4%	100.0%	71.0%
11	Chile	89.4	45.6	100.0%	100.0%	90.0%
12	Oman	89.2	47.5	99.7%	100.0%	96.0%
13	Iraq	89.1	31.7	99.3%	100.0%	49.0%
14	Georgia	88.6	44.4	97.3%	100.0%	91.2%
15	Bangladesh	88.6	28.7	98.9%	99.4%	39.0%
16	Colombia	88.5	39.2	97.7%	100.0%	73.0%
17	Tunisia	88.2	43.8	99.2%	100.0%	79.0%
18	Macedonia	88.1	45.6	99.4%	100.0%	83.0%
19	Malaysia	87.8	48.7	97.5%	100.0%	97.0%
20	Vietnam	87.2	41.7	96.9%	100.0%	74.0%
21	Bosnia and Herzegovina	87.2	46.4	99.9%	100.0%	76.0%
22	China	87.0	39.4	95.1%	100.0%	73.0%
23	Thailand	86.9	50.3	100.0%	99.9%	85.0%
24	Romania	86.6	50.7	100.0%	100.0%	84.0%
25	Lebanon	86.6	51.9	100.0%	100.0%	87.0%
26	Ecuador	86.5	42.3	95.4%	100.0%	76.0%
27	Kuwait	86.3	56.9	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%
28	Hungary	86.0	54.2	100.0%	100.0%	89.3%
29	Saudi Arabia	86.0	57.7	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%
30	Russia	85.9	50.8	97.6%	100.0%	88.0%
31	Dominican Republic	85.8	47.7	97.2%	98.1%	85.0%
32	Indonesia	85.6	37.0	93.3%	100.0%	62.0%
33	Mauritius	85.5	48.4	99.9%	100.0%	68.0%
34	Sri Lanka	85.5	38.4	92.8%	100.0%	67.0%
35	Venezuela	85.2	44.9	94.2%	100.0%	78.7%
36	Bulgaria	85.0	50.6	99.0%	100.0%	75.0%
37	Iran	85.0	52.5	99.4%	100.0%	79.0%
38	Morocco	84.9	44.2	91.0%	100.0%	88.0%
39	Uzbekistan	84.8	41.3	97.8%	100.0%	50.1%
40	Serbia	84.8	53.7	99.5%	100.0%	81.0%
41	Peru	84.8	39.2	94.0%	96.2%	71.0%
42	Nepal	84.5	29.1	94.1%	91.3%	52.0%
43	Mexico	84.1	54.4	99.7%	100.0%	76.0%
44	Japan	83.9	56.2	99.1%	100.0%	83.0%
45	Pakistan	83.9	24.0	94.0%	95.0%	21.0%
46	Slovakia	83.8	60.2	100.0%	100.0%	90.0%
47	South Korea	83.6	63.2	99.9%	100.0%	98.0%
48	Latvia	83.4	60.3	99.5%	100.0%	89.8%
49	Philippines	83.3	39.9	97.0%	94.8%	53.0%
50	Estonia	83.3	62.9	99.6%	100.0%	96.1%
51	Armenia	83.2	57.3	100.0%	100.0%	77.0%
52	Kyrgyzstan	83.0	41.7	93.6%	99.7%	55.0%
53	Poland	82.4	62.0	100.0%	100.0%	85.0%
54	Turkey	82.2	60.0	99.0%	100.0%	81.0%
55	Ghana	82.0	32.5	92.4%	85.1%	68.0%
56	Albania	82.0	57.1	97.0%	100.0%	79.0%
57	Montenegro	82.0	61.3	99.4%	100.0%	82.0%
58	Bahrain	81.7	68.8	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%
59	Lithuania	81.6	65.7	98.0%	100.0%	97.8%
60	Moldova	81.5	51.0	92.1%	100.0%	76.3%
61	Trinidad and Tobago	81.3	62.9	100.0%	100.0%	79.0%
62	South Africa	80.9	44.0	96.7%	86.5%	72.0%
63	Czech Republic	80.6	67.3	99.9%	100.0%	86.8%
64	Greece	80.2	65.5	100.0%	100.0%	78.0%
65	Libya	80.0	25.8	99.9%	70.0%	46.2%
66	Brunei	80.0	72.4	99.9%	100.0%	98.0%
67	Slovenia	80.0	69.0	99.5%	100.0%	89.0%
68	New Zealand	79.6	73.1	100.0%	100.0%	96.0%
69	Jamaica	79.6	63.5	96.4%	100.0%	82.0%
70	Croatia	79.5	68.2	100.0%	100.0%	81.0%
71	Costa Rica	78.8	70.8	100.0%	100.0%	83.0%
72	Spain	78.8	74.4	99.9%	100.0%	94.0%
73	Uruguay	78.4	74.0	100.0%	100.0%	90.0%
74	Portugal	78.3	71.7	99.9%	100.0%	82.0%
75	Finland	77.7	77.0	100.0%	100.0%	93.0%
76	Cyprus	77.5	76.5	99.8%	100.0%	91.0%
77	Guatemala	77.4	56.3	95.0%	99.1%	51.0%
78	Puerto Rico	76.7	74.4	100.0%	100.0%	77.7%
79	Sweden	76.6	77.8	99.8%	100.0%	88.0%
80	Panama	76.4	62.1	96.2%	95.0%	68.0%
81	Qatar	76.4	82.0	99.6%	100.0%	100.0%
82	United Arab Emirates	75.9	84.0	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%
83	Canada	75.9	80.6	99.2%	100.0%	93.0%
84	Australia	75.8	82.8	100.0%	100.0%	96.0%
85	Italy	75.7	76.0	99.9%	100.0%	75.0%
86	Germany	75.7	81.6	100.0%	100.0%	91.0%
87	Malta	75.5	80.7	100.0%	100.0%	87.0%
88	France	75.2	81.2	100.0%	100.0%	86.0%
89	Belgium	74.2	85.3	100.0%	100.0%	91.0%
90	United Kingdom	73.6	88.9	100.0%	100.0%	97.0%
91	Austria	73.1	89.0	100.0%	100.0%	93.0%
92	Norway	72.8	91.7	100.0%	100.0%	99.0%
93	Cambodia	71.8	53.7	85.1%	92.3%	60.0%
94	Nicaragua	71.2	45.9	83.2%	86.5%	57.0%
95	Denmark	70.9	96.7	100.0%	100.0%	99.0%
96	Yemen	69.7	51.5	99.6%	76.0%	26.6%
97	Netherlands	69.4	98.1	100.0%	100.0%	92.0%
98	Israel	68.9	98.8	100.0%	100.0%	90.0%
99	Ireland	68.8	97.2	97.4%	100.0%	95.0%
100	United States	68.7	100.0	99.9%	100.0%	92.0%
101	Hong Kong	64.4	111.4	100.0%	100.0%	93.0%
102	Kenya	62.7	32.0	71.2%	76.0%	29.0%
103	Nigeria	61.0	45.3	82.6%	60.5%	55.0%
104	Luxembourg	60.7	123.0	99.9%	100.0%	99.0%
105	Cameroon	60.1	49.6	78.6%	71.0%	46.0%
106	Iceland	53.3	142.6	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%
107	Switzerland	52.9	142.3	100.0%	100.0%	96.0%
108	Singapore	38.9	177.3	100.0%	100.0%	91.0%

Cheap vs. Livable: Why This Ranking Is Different

A raw cost ranking would place some of the world's least developed countries at the top. This ranking weights cost at 60% but also requires infrastructure: drinking water (15%), electricity (15%), and internet access (10%). This means a country that is very cheap but lacks running water will rank lower than a slightly more expensive country with full infrastructure. The result is a practical guide to affordable countries where you can actually live comfortably.

Metric Weights

Cost Index 60%

Water Access 15%

Electricity Access 15%

Internet Access 10%

Source: CIA World Factbook, World Bank. Rankings are based on the most recent data available. Countries must have data for all metrics to be included.

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Cheapest Countries to Live In

Top 5 Ranked

Belarus

Paraguay

Ukraine

Belarus

Paraguay

Ukraine

Overview

Global Rankings

Cheap vs. Livable: Why This Ranking Is Different

Metric Weights

Continue Reading

Best Countries for Digital Nomads

Best Countries to Retire

Best Countries for Families

Best Countries for Healthcare