Top 100 Cities by Rent-to-Income Ratio, 2026
Cities · Housing affordability · 2026 snapshot
Where rent absorbs the biggest share of city incomes in 2026
Rent-to-income ratio shows how much of a typical monthly income is needed to rent a one-bedroom apartment in a central part of the city. A high ratio does not simply mean rent is expensive; it means rent is expensive relative to local earnings. This ranking is a city-level comparison of rental pressure based on central one-bedroom rent and monthly net income. It is not an official household housing-cost-overburden rate.
The 30% affordability rule is the clearest starting point for interpreting the table. Official housing-burden frameworks usually evaluate household income and broader housing costs; this ranking uses a simpler city rent divided by net salary measure. As a practical guide, below 30% is broadly manageable, 30–40% indicates pressure, 40–50% signals serious pressure, and anything above 50% suggests that one average local income is unlikely to cover a central one-bedroom rental without savings, shared housing, family support or an above-average salary.
The upper part of the ranking is dominated by cities where tourism, limited housing supply, international demand or fast migration push central rents ahead of local salaries.
What the top of the ranking shows
The most pressured cities are not always the most expensive in absolute rent. Several high-income financial centres have very high rents, but higher salaries partly soften the ratio. The hardest cases appear where international rental demand collides with local wage levels: tourist hubs, fast-growing expat markets, smaller capitals and cities with limited central housing supply often rank above global megacities.
A city such as Zurich or Geneva can have high monthly rent but still rank lower than Lisbon, Tbilisi, Bangkok or Panama City because average net incomes are much higher. That makes the ratio more useful than rent alone for comparing relocation costs, student housing pressure, digital-nomad budgets or local affordability.
Top 100 cities by rent-to-income ratio, 2026
The table compares monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre with average monthly net salary. Formula: rent-to-income ratio = monthly city-centre rent / monthly net salary × 100. Rent and income are rounded to whole dollars; the ratio is rounded to one decimal place.
| Rank | City / Country | Rent-to-income ratio | Monthly rent / income context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | 239.2% Extreme | $957 rent / $400 income |
| 2 | Phuket, Thailand | 146.3% Extreme | $700 rent / $479 income |
| 3 | Bangkok, Thailand | 145.5% Extreme | $697 rent / $479 income |
| 4 | Panama City, Panama | 139.4% Extreme | $1,345 rent / $965 income |
| 5 | Puerto Vallarta, Mexico | 138.9% Extreme | $1,406 rent / $1,012 income |
| 6 | Accra, Ghana | 117.7% Extreme | $534 rent / $454 income |
| 7 | Funchal, Portugal | 113.8% Extreme | $1,566 rent / $1,376 income |
| 8 | Tbilisi, Georgia | 106.6% Extreme | $681 rent / $638 income |
| 9 | Nairobi, Kenya | 104.0% Extreme | $422 rent / $406 income |
| 10 | Tashkent, Uzbekistan | 103.5% Extreme | $613 rent / $592 income |
| 11 | Cape Town, South Africa | 102.6% Extreme | $1,016 rent / $990 income |
| 12 | Lisbon, Portugal | 101.4% Extreme | $1,596 rent / $1,574 income |
| 13 | Tirana, Albania | 97.0% Extreme | $861 rent / $888 income |
| 14 | Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia | 96.5% Extreme | $570 rent / $590 income |
| 15 | Pattaya, Thailand | 95.8% Extreme | $459 rent / $479 income |
| 16 | Mumbai, India | 95.3% Extreme | $698 rent / $732 income |
| 17 | Almaty, Kazakhstan | 95.2% Extreme | $767 rent / $806 income |
| 18 | Antalya, Turkey | 88.0% Extreme | $813 rent / $923 income |
| 19 | Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam | 86.6% Extreme | $552 rent / $638 income |
| 20 | Porto, Portugal | 83.7% Extreme | $1,289 rent / $1,540 income |
| 21 | Batumi, Georgia | 82.8% Extreme | $461 rent / $557 income |
| 22 | Beijing, China | 80.6% Extreme | $1,096 rent / $1,360 income |
| 23 | Budva, Montenegro | 78.6% Extreme | $821 rent / $1,044 income |
| 24 | Astana, Kazakhstan | 77.1% Extreme | $577 rent / $749 income |
| 25 | Sliema, Malta | 76.8% Extreme | $1,798 rent / $2,340 income |
| 26 | Da Nang, Vietnam | 76.7% Extreme | $489 rent / $638 income |
| 27 | Istanbul, Turkey | 74.2% Extreme | $878 rent / $1,183 income |
| 28 | Braga, Portugal | 73.0% Extreme | $950 rent / $1,301 income |
| 29 | Miami, FL, United States | 72.4% Extreme | $2,840 rent / $3,923 income |
| 30 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | 71.3% Extreme | $1,913 rent / $2,682 income |
| 31 | Belgrade, Serbia | 70.9% Extreme | $897 rent / $1,266 income |
| 32 | Palma de Mallorca, Spain | 70.6% Extreme | $1,482 rent / $2,099 income |
| 33 | New York City, NY, United States | 70.6% Extreme | $4,050 rent / $5,736 income |
| 34 | Hanoi, Vietnam | 70.1% Extreme | $447 rent / $638 income |
| 35 | Barcelona, Spain | 69.6% Extreme | $1,687 rent / $2,424 income |
| 36 | Valencia, Spain | 69.1% Extreme | $1,420 rent / $2,057 income |
| 37 | Sharjah, United Arab Emirates | 68.0% Extreme | $1,536 rent / $2,259 income |
| 38 | Doha, Qatar | 66.4% Extreme | $1,974 rent / $2,972 income |
| 39 | Shanghai, China | 66.3% Extreme | $902 rent / $1,360 income |
| 40 | Malaga, Spain | 66.0% Extreme | $1,223 rent / $1,853 income |
| 41 | San Juan, Puerto Rico | 65.1% Extreme | $1,704 rent / $2,617 income |
| 42 | Yerevan, Armenia | 65.0% Extreme | $620 rent / $954 income |
| 43 | Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR | 64.8% Extreme | $2,188 rent / $3,379 income |
| 44 | Coimbra, Portugal | 64.0% Extreme | $909 rent / $1,421 income |
| 45 | Baku, Azerbaijan | 62.0% Extreme | $690 rent / $1,113 income |
| 46 | Warsaw, Poland | 61.3% Extreme | $1,221 rent / $1,995 income |
| 47 | Athens, Greece | 61.0% Extreme | $850 rent / $1,393 income |
| 48 | Bratislava, Slovakia | 60.0% Severe | $1,039 rent / $1,732 income |
| 49 | Split, Croatia | 59.6% Severe | $999 rent / $1,677 income |
| 50 | Amsterdam, Netherlands | 59.2% Severe | $2,603 rent / $4,398 income |
| 51 | Madrid, Spain | 58.7% Severe | $1,510 rent / $2,572 income |
| 52 | Thessaloniki, Greece | 58.4% Severe | $693 rent / $1,186 income |
| 53 | Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel | 58.1% Severe | $2,266 rent / $3,899 income |
| 54 | Heraklion, Greece | 57.9% Severe | $675 rent / $1,167 income |
| 55 | London, United Kingdom | 57.5% Severe | $2,890 rent / $5,026 income |
| 56 | Podgorica, Montenegro | 56.7% Severe | $673 rent / $1,187 income |
| 57 | Paris, France | 56.4% Severe | $2,218 rent / $3,935 income |
| 58 | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | 56.2% Severe | $2,288 rent / $4,073 income |
| 59 | Los Angeles, CA, United States | 56.0% Severe | $2,920 rent / $5,214 income |
| 60 | Tokyo, Japan | 55.2% Severe | $1,449 rent / $2,623 income |
| 61 | Limassol, Cyprus | 55.0% Severe | $1,574 rent / $2,861 income |
| 62 | Shenzhen, China | 54.6% Severe | $742 rent / $1,360 income |
| 63 | Budapest, Hungary | 54.5% Severe | $1,000 rent / $1,835 income |
| 64 | Ankara, Turkey | 54.0% Severe | $564 rent / $1,045 income |
| 65 | Novi Sad, Serbia | 52.2% Severe | $558 rent / $1,069 income |
| 66 | Singapore, Singapore | 52.0% Severe | $4,150 rent / $7,981 income |
| 67 | Alicante, Spain | 51.7% Severe | $1,036 rent / $2,005 income |
| 68 | Taipei, Taiwan | 51.6% Severe | $718 rent / $1,390 income |
| 69 | Cluj-Napoca, Romania | 51.3% Severe | $725 rent / $1,412 income |
| 70 | Prague, Czech Republic | 51.1% Severe | $1,206 rent / $2,359 income |
| 71 | New Taipei City, Taiwan | 49.3% Severe | $685 rent / $1,390 income |
| 72 | Krakow, Poland | 48.9% Severe | $975 rent / $1,995 income |
| 73 | Delhi, India | 48.6% Severe | $257 rent / $529 income |
| 74 | Luxembourg, Luxembourg | 48.0% Severe | $2,244 rent / $4,675 income |
| 75 | Wroclaw, Poland | 47.4% Severe | $920 rent / $1,940 income |
| 76 | Seoul, South Korea | 47.0% Severe | $1,620 rent / $3,447 income |
| 77 | Innsbruck, Austria | 46.9% Severe | $1,402 rent / $2,990 income |
| 78 | Sofia, Bulgaria | 46.7% Severe | $785 rent / $1,681 income |
| 79 | Zagreb, Croatia | 46.2% Severe | $891 rent / $1,928 income |
| 80 | Reykjavik, Iceland | 45.6% Severe | $1,980 rent / $4,340 income |
| 81 | Bucharest, Romania | 45.4% Severe | $680 rent / $1,498 income |
| 82 | Stockholm, Sweden | 45.1% Severe | $1,753 rent / $3,886 income |
| 83 | Guangzhou, China | 43.9% High | $598 rent / $1,360 income |
| 84 | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 43.5% High | $688 rent / $1,581 income |
| 85 | Munich, Germany | 42.8% High | $2,050 rent / $4,790 income |
| 86 | Kuwait City, Kuwait | 41.0% High | $926 rent / $2,259 income |
| 87 | Oslo, Norway | 39.3% High | $1,978 rent / $5,034 income |
| 88 | Copenhagen, Denmark | 39.0% High | $1,958 rent / $5,019 income |
| 89 | Geneva, Switzerland | 37.2% High | $2,884 rent / $7,757 income |
| 90 | Osaka, Japan | 37.1% High | $742 rent / $1,999 income |
| 91 | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | 36.0% High | $870 rent / $2,416 income |
| 92 | Bangalore, India | 35.3% High | $324 rent / $920 income |
| 93 | Helsinki, Finland | 35.0% High | $1,115 rent / $3,184 income |
| 94 | Berlin, Germany | 32.4% Moderate | $1,172 rent / $3,620 income |
| 95 | Zurich, Switzerland | 32.0% Moderate | $2,740 rent / $8,568 income |
| 96 | Dusseldorf, Germany | 30.5% Moderate | $1,253 rent / $4,102 income |
| 97 | Linz, Austria | 28.7% Moderate | $854 rent / $2,973 income |
| 98 | Basel, Switzerland | 26.4% Moderate | $2,092 rent / $7,925 income |
| 99 | Vienna, Austria | 25.6% Moderate | $900 rent / $3,516 income |
| 100 | Graz, Austria | 24.3% Moderate | $761 rent / $3,134 income |
Source note: city-level rent and salary values are rounded from comparable cost-of-living observations for one-bedroom city-centre rent and average monthly net salary. USD values are used for presentation; the ratio is a cross-city rent-pressure measure.
Chart 1. Top 20 cities where rent takes the largest share of income
The bar chart shows where a central one-bedroom rent takes the largest share of monthly net income. Very high ratios usually point to a rental market shaped by tourism, international demand, remote workers, limited central supply or higher-income tenants rather than by the average local earner.
- Addis Ababa — 239.2%
- Phuket — 146.3%
- Bangkok — 145.5%
- Panama City — 139.4%
- Puerto Vallarta — 138.9%
- Accra — 117.7%
- Funchal — 113.8%
- Tbilisi — 106.6%
- Nairobi — 104.0%
- Tashkent — 103.5%
- Cape Town — 102.6%
- Lisbon — 101.4%
- Tirana — 97.0%
- Ulaanbaatar — 96.5%
- Pattaya — 95.8%
- Mumbai — 95.3%
- Almaty — 95.2%
- Antalya — 88.0%
- Ho Chi Minh City — 86.6%
- Porto — 83.7%
Chart 2. Monthly rent vs monthly income
The scatter chart separates expensive cities from cities where rent is heavy relative to income. High-income cities can sit far to the right with high rents but a lower ratio, while lower-income cities can show severe pressure even when monthly rent looks moderate in dollar terms.
- High rent and high income: New York, Singapore, Geneva, Zurich and London.
- High rent and medium income: Lisbon, Barcelona, Panama City and Funchal.
- Moderate rent and low income: Bangkok, Tbilisi, Tashkent, Nairobi and Accra.
- Lower ratio despite high rent: Swiss and Nordic cities, where salaries reduce the burden.
Methodology
Rent-to-income ratio is calculated as typical monthly rent divided by monthly net income, multiplied by 100. The rent benchmark is a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre or a comparable central urban rental market. The income benchmark is average monthly salary after tax. The result is a single-earner central-rental pressure indicator, not a full household affordability model and not a substitute for official housing-cost-overburden statistics.
The ranking uses the latest city-level observations available by April 25, 2026. City rent and salary datasets update at different speeds, so 2025–early 2026 observations are treated as a 2026 affordability snapshot. Rent and income are rounded to whole dollars; the rent-to-income ratio is rounded to one decimal place.
City names, regions and country labels were standardised before ranking. Values reported in local currencies were converted into USD for presentation. Because no single official source publishes a global city-by-city rent-to-income table, the ranking uses comparable city-level cost-of-living observations and treats official housing-burden definitions as methodological context. Cities were included only when both rent and income observations were available.
The main limitation is comparability. City-centre rent does not represent all neighbourhoods, shared flats, subsidised housing, student housing or family-sized units. Average net salary can differ materially from median income, household income, informal income or expat income. In tourist cities and international finance hubs, non-local purchasing power can push rents beyond what local salaries alone can support.
Key insights from the rent burden ranking
The highest ratios are concentrated in cities where central housing is priced for a broader demand base than local wages can support. Tourism-heavy places, international relocation markets and cities with limited central supply are especially exposed. The pattern points to a widening gap between the housing market and the labour market.
European cities appear frequently, but the pattern is not uniform. Lisbon, Funchal, Porto, Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca rank high because international demand and short-term rental pressure have moved faster than local salaries. By contrast, Vienna, Basel and Zurich show that high nominal rent does not automatically create the worst ratio when wages are also high.
Asian and emerging-market cities show a different affordability problem. In Bangkok, Phuket, Tashkent, Almaty, Mumbai and Ulaanbaatar, rent may look moderate in USD terms, but it can absorb most of an average local net salary. This makes the ratio useful for comparing renter pressure rather than only international price levels.
North American cities are represented by markets such as New York, Miami and Los Angeles. Their ratios are driven by high absolute rent, constrained supply in desirable areas and strong professional demand. They are expensive for local renters, but some global tourist and emerging-market cities look even more pressured because the local income base is lower.
What this means for readers
For relocation, the ratio is a warning against comparing salaries without rent. A higher salary in a global city can still leave less disposable income if the rental market is disconnected from local earnings. For digital nomads, a city with affordable restaurants and transport can still be expensive if short-term or central rentals are priced for foreign incomes.
For students and early-career workers, ratios above 40% often mean shared housing, longer commutes or family support become part of the real budget. For employers, high ratios can make recruitment harder unless compensation reflects housing costs. For city governments, persistent ratios above 40–50% point to structural housing stress: supply, zoning, tourism regulation, wage growth and rental-market transparency all matter.
For property investors, a high ratio can indicate strong rental demand, but it also increases policy risk. Cities where rent becomes politically unaffordable are more likely to debate rent controls, short-term rental limits, vacancy taxes, social housing expansion or zoning reform. A high ratio is therefore both a demand signal and a stress signal.
FAQ
What is a rent-to-income ratio?
It is the share of monthly income required to pay rent. In this ranking, the ratio compares estimated one-bedroom city-centre rent with estimated average monthly net salary. A 50% ratio means rent absorbs half of estimated monthly net income before other living costs such as food, transport, utilities, insurance or debt payments.
What ratio is usually considered affordable?
The common benchmark is 30%. Below that level, rent is usually considered manageable. Between 30% and 40% indicates pressure, while 40% or more is normally treated as a serious affordability burden. Official frameworks may use household income and broader housing costs, so this table should be read as a rent-pressure measure rather than an official burden rate.
Why can a cheaper city rank worse than an expensive city?
Because the ranking compares rent with income. A city with $700 monthly rent can be less affordable than a city with $2,000 rent if typical local income is much lower.
Does this ranking use gross or net income?
The preferred benchmark is monthly net income after tax. That makes the ratio closer to a real renter budget than gross income, although it still does not include household size, benefits, informal earnings or wealth.
Does the ranking represent families?
No. The table uses a one-bedroom central rental benchmark and average net salary. Family-sized apartments, suburban rents, student housing, subsidised units and shared flats can produce very different affordability outcomes.
Why do tourist cities often rank high?
Tourist cities can have a rental market shaped by short-term stays, seasonal demand, foreign buyers and digital nomads. Local wages often do not move at the same speed, so the rent-to-income ratio rises.
Is rent-to-income ratio enough to judge quality of life?
No. It should be read with transport costs, taxes, healthcare, safety, job availability, commuting time and local purchasing power. It is a housing-pressure metric, not a complete quality-of-life score.
Sources and technical references
Ranking data source
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Numbeo city-level rent and salary data. Main comparable city-level source for one-bedroom city-centre rent and average monthly net salary where official city-level data are not available at global scale.
https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/prices_by_city.jsp?itemId=26
https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/prices_by_city.jsp?itemId=105
Housing affordability methodology references
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OECD Affordable Housing Database. Used for housing-cost burden concepts and cross-country affordability context.
https://www.oecd.org/en/data/datasets/oecd-affordable-housing-database.html -
Eurostat housing statistics. Used for European housing cost, rent and affordability context.
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/interactive-publications/housing-2025 -
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Reference source for U.S. rent and income concepts.
https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs -
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Reference source for Canadian rental market methodology.
https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/professionals/housing-markets-data-and-research -
UK Office for National Statistics. Reference source for private rent and earnings concepts in the United Kingdom.
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/housing
