Cost of Living in the 7 Most Beautiful Cities in the World

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Have you ever thought about moving to another country? By the age of 44, the average American has only moved around 3 times in his or her lifetime. When most people move, they stay close by and that’s why we often see people moving to a few different places within the same city.

According to the Census Bureau, about 36.5 million people — or about 12 percent of the population — moved in the year 2012. However, almost 65 percent of these movers stayed within the same small area — their home county. Even those who moved to a different zip code still stayed pretty close by. Of those who relocated to a different county, upwards of 40 percent of them stayed within 50 miles of their previous location.

There are a handful of people, however, who enjoy traveling, experiencing different places, and are willing (or should we say able) to up and move to a new city, no matter how far away it may be. Even if we are unable to actually move to a city on the other side of the world, thinking about the possibility can be an experience in itself.

Using publications by Fabulous Traveling and U City Guides, coupled with traveler reviews and a bit of personal experience, we ranked some of the most beautiful cities in the world. Then, we used cost of living data (all pricing data comes from Expatistan.com) to calculate how much of a salary someone would need to live in each of these cities. Which ones can you afford to live in?

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7. Amsterdam

Cost of a fast-food combo meal: $9
Dinner for two at a neighborhood pub: $54
Cost of a 2-liter of cola: $2.77
A dozen eggs: $3.43
Monthly rent for a furnished home in an upscale area: $2,453
Utilities for 2 people in a small place: Around $210
1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas: $2.34
40-inch flat screen TV: $682
A new car (Volkswagen Golf 2.0 TDI or similar): $37,950
Two tickets to the movies: $28
Estimated salary (household income) needed to live here comfortably: $70,000 to $100,000 per year

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6. Lisbon

Cost of a fast-food combo meal: $7
Dinner for two at a neighborhood pub: $40
Cost of a 2-liter of cola: $2.22
A dozen eggs: $2.73
Monthly rent for a furnished home in an upscale area: $1,359
Utilities for 2 people in a small place: Around $134
1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas: $2.12
40-inch flat screen TV: $490
A new car (Volkswagen Golf 2.0 TDI or similar): $37,738
Two tickets to the movies: $16
Estimated salary (household income) needed to live here comfortably: $40,000 to $70,000 per year

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5. Budapest

Cost of a fast-food combo meal: $5.90
Dinner for two at a neighborhood pub: $27
Cost of a 2-liter of cola: $1.75
A dozen eggs: $2.13
Monthly rent for a furnished home in an upscale area: $670
Utilities for 2 people in a small place: Around $230
1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas: $1.79
40-inch flat screen TV: $5.91
A new car (Volkswagen Golf 2.0 TDI or similar): $28,343
Two tickets to the movies: $14
Estimated salary (household income) needed to live here comfortably: $27,000 to $47,000

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4. Rio De Janeiro

Cost of a fast-food combo meal: $9
Dinner for two at a neighborhood pub: $36
Cost of a 2-liter of cola: $2.08
A dozen eggs: $1.94
Monthly rent for a furnished home in an upscale area: $2,413
Utilities for 2 people in a small place: Around $151
1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas: $1.34
40-inch flat screen TV: $811
A new car (Volkswagen Golf 2.0 TDI or similar): $23,611
Two tickets to the movies: $19
Estimated salary (household income) needed to live here comfortably: $65,000 to $95,000 per year

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Source: Thinkstock

3. Paris

Cost of a fast-food combo meal: $10
Dinner for two at a neighborhood pub: $51
Cost of a 2-liter of cola: $3.17
A dozen eggs: $4.68
Monthly rent for a furnished home in an upscale area: $3,617
Utilities for 2 people in a small place: Around $167
1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas: $2.08
40-inch flat screen TV: $594
A new car (Volkswagen Golf 2.0 TDI or similar): $32,398
Two tickets to the movies: $26
Estimated salary (household income) needed to live here comfortably: $80,000 to $150,000 per year

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2. Prague

Cost of a fast-food combo meal: $6
Dinner for two at a neighborhood pub: $19
Cost of a 2-liter of cola: $1.73
A dozen eggs: $2.22
Monthly rent for a furnished home in an upscale area: $1,020
Utilities for 2 people in a small place: Around $179
1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas: $1.75
40-inch flat screen TV: $590
A new car (Volkswagen Golf 2.0 TDI or similar): $22,189
Two tickets to the movies: $15
Estimated salary (household income) needed to live here comfortably: $40,000 to $60,000 per year

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1. Venice

Cost of a fast-food combo meal: $9
Dinner for two at a neighborhood pub: $41
Cost of a 2-liter of cola: $2.68
A dozen eggs: $2.50 to $4.04
Monthly rent for a furnished home in an upscale area: $1,670
Utilities for 2 people in a small place: Around $358
1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas: $2.34
40-inch flat screen TV: $749
A new car (Volkswagen Golf 2.0 TDI or similar): $28,729
Two tickets to the movies: $22
Estimated salary (household income) needed to live here comfortably: $50,000 to $75,000 per year

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