The 11 most expensive European cities to live in

Helsinki, Finland (iStock)

Europe is home to a number of countries and cities which have the highest incomes and standards of living in the world.

But it also can come at a cost.

According to Glassdoor's report entitled "Which Countries in Europe Offer The Best Standard of Living?,” Britain's capital London has the highest rent in the whole of Europe, meaning that people spend a high percentage of their wages on keeping a roof over their head.

Glassdoor's cost of living index takes into account is income versus "how much money is needed to buy a standard basket of goods and services in different countries, including groceries, restaurants, transportation, utilities, and rent."

Of course, London trails near the top but there are other cities that rank higher.

Business Insider took a look at the 11 most expensive cities to live in Europe:

11. Amsterdam — The capital of the Netherlands is one of the most sought after places in Holland to live, thanks to being a cultural, financial and educational hub for the country. However, popularity is pushing local costs higher and therefore making it more expensive to live in.


 

10. Helsinki — Helsinki has one of the highest costs for living across all categories but is balanced by high wages on average.

9. Stockholm — Sweden ranks as having one of the highest standards of living in Europe, thanks to the cost of local goods and services (including food, transportation, and rent) being relatively modest when you compare it to pay.

Boats line up on Stockholm's shoreline. The index suggests that Sweden, relative to the size of its economy, does less harm than any other country (Getty)

8. Dublin — The capital of the Republic of Ireland has some of the highest average wages in Europe. However rising costs for housing, transportation and groceries is making it more expensive to live in this year.

7. Paris — Annual wages are relatively modest and are ranked sixth from the bottom of the average nominal annual wages index provided by Glassdoor when looking at France overall. However, property costs are exceptionally high in the capital, causing Paris to be one of the most expensive places to live in Europe.

The leaves of a tree have partially changed to display its autumn colors near the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France (Reuters)

6. Copenhagen — Being the cultural, economic and governmental centre of Denmark, the city has some of the highest costs for living in the country.

5. Bergen — The Norwegian coastal city is surrounded by mountains and fjords but the cost of living is higher than people living in Los Angeles in the US.

4. Oslo — The Norwegian capital has some of the highest wages in the whole of Europe but everything from groceries to utility bills is costly. Even transportation will take a bite out of monthly salaries.

Going cheap: fly to Oslo for £10 (Getty)

3. London — Britain's capital has the highest rents in Europe and considering average income is lacklustre, it costs Londoners a huge proportion of their wages each month.

2. Zurich — The city is one of Switzerland's financial hubs but it also boasts one of the highest costs for transportation, accommodation, and utilities.

1. Geneva — The Swiss city is 3% more expensive to live in than New York City even though income is some of the highest in the whole of Europe.

(Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

This story was originally published by Glassdoor.

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