{
  "id": 5008962,
  "title": "PICS: What it costs to live alone around the world",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/pics-what-it-costs-to-live-alone-around-the-world",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-02T03:55:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "IOL",
    "slug": "iol",
    "url": "https://iol.co.za/business/jobs/2026-09-02-pics-what-it-costs-to-live-alone-around-the-world/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Living independently in the world's most expensive capitals can come with a hefty price tag. A study by Atmos ranks London as the most financially challenging city for a young adult living alone, estimating that a salary of $4,674 a month is needed to cover expenses and leave a 10% buffer. This is largely due to the high cost of housing, with a one-bedroom apartment averaging £2,261 in central London and £1,702 outside the centre. However, Londoners benefit from a robust public transport system, with a monthly pass covering buses, the Tube, and rail services costing around £200.\n\nWashington DC comes in second, requiring $4,514 a month. While the average monthly take-home pay is about $7,120, this still leaves a gap between earnings and the required salary. Housing costs are still high, with a one-bedroom apartment averaging $2,607 in the city centre and $2,120 outside it. Washington also has a relatively affordable public transport pass at around $120 per month.\n\nReykjavik requires $4,363 a month, with a one-bedroom apartment averaging around 298,000 króna in the city centre. Everyday expenses are not particularly forgiving, with utilities costing about 10,695 króna and a public transport pass at 11,200 króna. Despite the high cost, Reykjavik has a quality-of-life score of 195.1, indicating that the expenses do not necessarily mean a poor standard of living.\n\nDubai rounds out the top five at $4,016 a month, with a one-bedroom apartment averaging €2,317 in the city centre. Amsterdam has a higher average take-home pay at about €4,136, leaving some room between earnings and the required salary. The city also has a bicycle-friendly culture, with around 32% of traffic being by bicycle and 63% of residents cycling daily, reducing the need for car ownership.\n\nIn contrast, Johannesburg, where the comparison becomes particularly interesting, requires a budget of R35,025 a month before the buffer. Rent alone accounts for R10,060, with additional costs for levies, rates, electricity, groceries, and a car and petrol. Healthcare costs are also significant at R5,500 for medical aid and R3,000 for out-of-pocket expenses.",
  "summary": "Living alone costs more than $4,000 a month in some of the world's most expensive cities, but the size of the bill tells only half the story.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}