City vs city

How we compare them

1. Costs. Rent, a coworking desk, weekday lunches and transport, from the budget calculator. One city only counts as cheaper when its whole range sits below the other's. If a city is missing a figure, we only call it when that city already costs more without it.
2. Visas. The income bar from the visa checker, converted at today's rate. A city only wins if the other's bar is at least 10 per cent higher (where a country has two figures, comparing its higher one), or if it has no bar at all.
3. Working hours. A London and a New York 9 to 5, in local time today, judged the same way as the time-zone planner: normal hours, early or late, or a night shift. Between two night shifts, the one with at least two hours less of it between 11pm and 6am wins.
4. Weather. The comfortable months on our best-time page's rule, from national met service averages. A city wins with at least two more, unless one of them is rated on rain alone.
5. Internet and safety. The typical download speed from each guide (a city wins at 25 per cent faster), and the US State Department's level for each country.