The Cheapest Places to Live in the World in 2026, Ranked by Real Monthly Costs

The short answer

The cheapest places to live in the world in 2026, once you drop cities with weak safety scores, are Kathmandu, Nepal at about $431 a month and Luxor, Egypt at $440 a month. Those figures are for one person and include a one-bedroom apartment outside the centre, per Voyica's city data. All 10 cities below cost $671 a month or less with rent included, so the priciest pick costs just $240 a month more than the cheapest.

Here's how we built the list. We took Voyica's monthly cost figure for each city (rent plus everyday spending, drawn from the Numbeo Cost of Living Index and Expatistan), sorted from cheapest upward, and then removed every city scoring below 55/100 on Voyica's safety score. That score combines the Global Peace Index, US State Department advisories and the Numbeo Crime Index. The cut took out Jaipur ($391) and Cairo ($569), both at 50/100 for safety, and Mendoza at 52/100. They're cheap, but they're harder to recommend as a place to settle. If you're looking for the cheapest and safest places to live in the world, go straight to Dalat at #5. It's the safest city on this list.

The 10 cheapest liveable cities at a glance: monthly cost, rent, safety and internet

Source: Voyica city data (June 2026 snapshot). Monthly cost is Numbeo single-person living costs plus a one-bedroom rent outside the city centre; safety is Voyica's 0–100 score from Global Peace Index, Numbeo crime and US State Department data. See the Voyica Cost of Living Index for the full methodology.

The 10 cheapest places to live in the world, ranked

1. Kathmandu, Nepal

   Kathmandu is the cheapest city on our list that passes the safety filter, at $431 a month all-in. Rent outside the centre is about $87, tied with Jaipur for the lowest of any city we looked at. Its safety score is 58/100 and internet runs at about 59 Mbps. A family of four spends about $1,255 a month before rent. Voyica's data lists 30 days visa-free for US passports (Henley Passport Index), so plan on extending if you stay longer. For a longer stay, try Patan (Lalitpur) rather than Thamel. It's calmer and less touristy, and the Pathao app gets you around cheaply. The best months are October and November, when the skies are clear. Winter brings cold nights, so you'll pay for heating.

2. Luxor, Egypt

   Luxor costs $440 a month, only $9 more than Kathmandu. That's despite rent being much higher, at about $316, because everyday spending is very low. Its safety score is 58/100 and US passports get 30 days visa-free per Voyica's data. Many long-stayers live on the quieter West Bank and take the local ferry across the Nile for errands. Come between October and April. Summers are fiercely hot, and air conditioning will push up your power bill.

3. Kampot, Cambodia

   Kampot is $480 a month, with rent around $164 and a safety score of 62/100. It's a slow riverside town known for Kampot pepper and day trips up Bokor Mountain. Most residents rent a motorbike instead of relying on tuk-tuks. The catch is internet: 20 Mbps, the slowest on this list, so remote workers should rent places with fibre and keep a local SIM as backup. The dry season runs roughly November to April.

4. Goa, India

   Goa costs $487 a month, with rent around $178. It ties Nha Trang for the best beach score here (88/100) and has the highest English score on the list (40/100). A family of four spends about $1,135 a month before rent, the lowest family figure in our top 10. Safety scores 58/100. Voyica hasn't confirmed US entry rules for India, so check the current e-visa requirements before you book. Visit November to March and avoid the June to September monsoon. North Goa is busier and South Goa is quieter. Either way you'll want a scooter.

5. Dalat, Vietnam

   Dalat is where cheap stops meaning compromise. It costs $520 a month, rent is about $254, and its safety score of 78/100 is the highest in this ranking. It also ties Nha Trang for the fastest internet here (164 Mbps), and its food score of 82/100 ties Yogyakarta for the best on the list. Voyica's data lists 90 days visa-free for US passports. Dalat sits in the Central Highlands, so it's mild most of the year, and you rarely need air conditioning. That helps keep bills down. Grab handles taxis and food delivery.

6. Nha Trang, Vietnam

   Nha Trang is the beach version of Dalat. It costs $580 a month, with rent about $282, a safety score of 72/100, a beach score of 88/100 and 164 Mbps internet. Like Dalat, it has 90 days visa-free on a US passport per Voyica's data. The weather is best from roughly January to August. October through December brings heavy rain. Rent a few streets back from Tran Phu, the beachfront road, to get the lower prices.

7. Fes, Morocco

   Fes costs $583 a month, with rent around $150 and a safety score of 60/100. A family of four spends about $1,535 a month before rent. US passports get 90 days visa-free per Voyica's data. Living inside the medina is atmospheric but noisy and hard to navigate. Most expats prefer the Ville Nouvelle and take a red petit taxi into the old city. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons. English scores just 10/100, so basic French or Darija goes a long way.

8. Cuenca, Ecuador

   Cuenca costs $649 a month, with rent about $357, a safety score of 55/100 and 94 Mbps internet. It's the only Latin American city in our top 10. Ecuador uses the US dollar, so there's no exchange-rate risk, and the city's tram line makes car-free life easy. The high-altitude climate is mild year-round. Voyica lists 90 days visa-free for US passports. Of all the cities here, Cuenca is the closest to the US for anyone who wants to fly home often.

9. Yogyakarta, Indonesia

   Yogyakarta costs $671 a month, with rent around $168, a safety score of 72/100 and a food score of 82/100. Indonesia also offers a digital nomad visa, which helps if 30 days visa-free isn't enough. It's Java's university and arts city, with Borobudur and Prambanan within day-trip range. Gojek and Grab cover most of your transport. Internet is slow at 24 Mbps, so check speeds before you sign a lease. Avoid living right on Malioboro Street, which is crowded and pricier.

10. Luang Prabang, Laos

    Luang Prabang ties Yogyakarta (and Guilin, China) at $671 a month. We picked it for its safety score of 74/100, second only to Dalat on this list. The town is small enough to cycle everywhere. The best season is November to February. In March and April, smoke from regional crop burning can be heavy, so many residents leave. US passports get 30 days visa-free per Voyica's data, and internet runs about 34 Mbps.

So what's the cheapest country to live in?

If you judge each country by its cheapest liveable city, Nepal comes out as the cheapest country to live in by Voyica's figures, with Egypt close behind. India would rank higher if you counted Jaipur, but its safety score of 50/100 kept it off our list. Vietnam is the strongest all-rounder among the most affordable countries to live in, because Dalat and Nha Trang both combine low costs with 72+ safety scores and fast internet. If you'd rather stay in Latin America, Ecuador (Cuenca) is the cheapest option in this data.

Practical tips before you move

• Budget for the first month, not the average. Deposits, a short-term rental while you look around, and setup costs usually make month one the most expensive. Book two to four weeks somewhere temporary, then negotiate a longer lease in person.
• Check visas against how long you'll stay. Voyica's visa-free figures range from 30 days (Kathmandu, Luxor, Kampot, Yogyakarta, Luang Prabang) to 90 days (Dalat, Nha Trang, Fes, Cuenca). Our passport tool shows the rules for your passport.
• Treat safety scores as a starting point. A 55–62 score usually means petty theft and traffic are the real risks, not violent crime. Use registered ride-hail apps at night and keep your phone out of reach on scooters.
• Pay for health insurance. Low living costs don't mean healthcare is cheap in an emergency, and medical evacuation from places like Luang Prabang or Kampot is expensive.