The Price of Happiness: NYC vs. Other US Cities

New York City ranks third as one of the most expensive cities to be happy in the US, with an annual income of $145,028 required for happiness. Santa Barbara, California takes the top spot with a cost of $162,721 per year, followed by Honolulu, Hawaii at $148,943. Other costly cities include San Francisco, California ($144,448) and Seattle, Washington ($134,721). The study also reveals that Iran has the highest price of happiness among countries, with an annual income of $239,700 required, while Sierra Leone has the lowest income point needed for happiness at $8,658 per year.