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The most affordable cities for grads' first job

When you graduate from college, where should you move to look for a job? Lots of people either stay where they went to school or move back "home," wherever that may be. Sure, mom and dad charge less rent and you might be able to get your laundry done, but is that really the best place for someone just starting out?

Or is Paris a better bet?

It is, at least according to the Youthful Cities index, which arrived at this conclusion after looking at the things that matter to people just starting out.

Beyond the expected metrics like minimum wage, housing expenses and transportation costs, it added in things that especially appeal to the younger crowd. For instance, the cost of movies or concerts, fast food and the ease of travel all played a role in determining the best place to call home if you're just beginning.

The resulting list may surprise you. Here are the top 25 cities for young people:

  1. Paris
  2. Toronto
  3. Los Angeles
  4. Chicago
  5. Berlin
  6. Dallas
  7. Rome
  8. New York
  9. Tokyo
  10. London
  11. Seoul
  12. Buenos Aires
  13. Istanbul
  14. Cairo
  15. Johannesburg
  16. Bogota
  17. Lima
  18. Mumbai
  19. Lagos
  20. Sao Paulo
  21. Manila
  22. Shanghai
  23. Mexico City
  24. Nairobi
  25. Kinshasa

You'll notice that this is a global list, and English isn't the official language of many of these cities. Is this a problem?

Well, if you already speak French or German fluently, your chances of landing a job in Paris or Berlin go up, but plenty of companies operate in English regardless of where they're located. Getting permission to immigrate can be tricky, but it's possible. Still, to chase your dream job, start studying the local language now.

And keep in mind that affordability doesn't necessarily mean jobs are available. In January, French unemployment hit an all-time high of 11 percent, but that's far better than the 46 percent jobless rate reported in 2013 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where No. 25 Kinshasa is located.

If continuing your education is important to you, you might try Berlin, where secondary education is free, even if you're not a German citizen. Many programs are offered in English, and getting around Berlin without being able to speak German is no problem.

If you don't like driving (or aren't able to), consider the No. 1 city for public transportation: Buenos Aries (and No. 12 overall).

If you want to travel a lot, check out Istanbul, ranked tops for getaways and 13th overall. Istanbul's Ataturk airport is among the world's busiest, making it easy to get to wherever you want to go.

Remember, we live in a global society. Just because you were born and raised in one country doesn't mean you're bound to stay there forever. So, when you're ready for that first job, a list like this can help guide you.

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