According to an analysis by the British "Economist" magazine, the Israeli coastal metropolis Tel Aviv is now the most expensive of the cities covered.
It replaces the French capital Paris, which now ranks second with Singapore.
This is followed by the data published on Wednesday by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), according to the Swiss financial center Zurich, ahead of Hong Kong and New York.
Compared to the ranking a year ago, Berlin slipped eight places down to 50th place, making it the cheapest of the six German cities included in the index. The most expensive is Frankfurt, which ranks 19th in an international comparison. The last place in the study with the title “Worldwide Cost of Living (WCOL)” takes the Syrian capital Damascus.
Supply chain problems and the coronavirus measures that restricted production and trade have contributed to the cost of living increased for many city dwellers, according to a release on the index.
There have been strong increases in the cost of traffic due to the sharp rise in oil prices.
According to the index, German drivers have a hard time in Hamburg in particular: The Hanseatic city ranks fifth among the cities with the highest gasoline prices of all cities worldwide.
Consumers worldwide also had to spend significantly more money in the leisure, tobacco and personal care categories.
Overall, the study records and compares the cost of living in 173 cities around the world.
The focus is on the prices for 200 goods and services.