A frontrunner has been declared for the world's most expensive city

Overall rating (out of 100): 94.2
Stability: 100.0
Healthcare: 100.0
Culture and environment: 83.1
Education: 91.7
Infrastructure: 96.4

Japan’s third-largest city (after Tokyo and Yokohama) is often overshadowed by the nation's capital, but there are plenty of reasons it’s become a destination in its own right. For starters, Osaka is one of the best food cities in all of Japan—must-eat regional specialities include takoyaki (battered, fried octopus balls) and okonomiyaki (grilled savory pancakes with a variety of additions). We also love the city for its baseball culture, neon-lit neighborhoods, and beautiful Osaka Castle.

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  1. Auckland, New Zealand
  
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  Overall rating (out of 100): 96.0
  Stability: 95.0
  Healthcare: 95.8
  Culture and environment: 97.9
  Education: 100.0
  Infrastructure: 92.9
  
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  That's right, folks—Auckland is officially the best place to live in 2021. While the city is often (mistakenly) used as little more than a transit stop en route to Queenstown, a slew of new urban renewal projects are making us all consider a permanent relocation. Once-neglected sections of the city's waterfront are being transformed into buzzing areas filled with green spaces and notable shopping addresses. Even before all of these changes, Auckland has long held a reputation for being a popular spot for expats—in fact, some 40 percent of its population was born overseas. Beyond having beautiful places to hike, sail, and surf within easy reach, the city has a diverse culinary scene to match its worldly population.