Here’s an excerpt from our upcoming book THE VERY BEST AND VERY WORST: CITIES.

Add your comments below. We might even put them in the book.

• THE VERY WORST CITIES TO SAVE YOUR MONEY

So you wanna kick off those little town blues and move to the big city? Before you kiss mom and dad goodbye, you make sure your bank account has more padding than a Victoria’s Secret photo shoot. Get ready for $6 cups of coffee, $50 average cab rides, and bar tabs that would give Mel Gibson a reason to quit drinking.

Tokyo, Japan
Osaka, Japan
London, England
Moscow, Russia
Seoul, South Korea
Geneva, Switzerland
Zurich, Switzerland
Copenhagen, Denmark
Hong Kong, China
Oslo, Norway
Milan, Italy
Paris, France
New York City, New York

• THE VERY BEST CITIES TO SAVE YOUR MONEY

On the other hand, if you want that big city ambience without having to sell yourself into slavery, there are alternatives. Of course, you forego some of the excitement and glamour of, say, Paris when you opt for a cheaper and more earthy city like, say, Bangalore, India. But hey, they have public transportation there, a cup of coffee is almost free, and the odds you’ll get dysentery are only about 50-50. And think of the stories you’ll be able to tell back home. If you survive.

Blantyre, Malawi
Tianjin, China
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Bogotá, Colombia
Harare, Zimbabwe
San José, Costa Rica
Karachi, Pakistan
Quito, Ecuador
Chennai, India
Caracas, Venezuela
Montevideo, Uruguay
Bangalore, India
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Manila, Philippines
Asunción, Paraguay