• Population: 14,206,000
• Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $714.60
• Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $964.04
• Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $47.20
• Cost of a cappuccino: $3.81

• Population: 7,617,000
• Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $1,081
• Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $2,318.18
• Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $70.64
• Cost of a cappuccino: $5.14

• Population: 22,421,000
• Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $636.60
• Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $668.09
• Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $38.36
• Cost of a cappuccino: $2.14

• Population: 7,605,000
• Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $1,088.50
• Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $1,685.81
• Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $85.40
• Cost of a cappuccino: $3.91

• Population: 28,482,000
• Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $588.30
• Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $908.02
• Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $32.33
• Cost of a cappuccino: $3.14

• Population: 21,312,000
• Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $578.20
• Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $984.62
• Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $28.11
• Cost of a cappuccino: $2.86

• Population: 2,989,000
• Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $1,330.10
• Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $2,459.87
• Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $115.28
• Cost of a cappuccino: $4.92

• Population: 24,160,000
• Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $1,034.80
• Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $868.77
• Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $54.47
• Cost of a cappuccino: $3.61

• Population: 12,928,000
• Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $1,348.80
• Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $2,555.26
• Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $100.00
• Cost of a cappuccino: $5.74

• Population: 5,450,000
• Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $1,134.50
• Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $2,197.54
• Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $81.61
• Cost of a cappuccino: $3.52

• Population: 5,094,000
• Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $1,549.23
• Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $911.3
• Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $69.17
• Cost of a cappuccino: $2.96

• Population: 5,106,000
• Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $1,140.7
• Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $1,420.68
• Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $72.05
• Cost of a cappuccino: $4.44

• Population: 6,000,000
• Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $2,458.65
• Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $1,128.6
• Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $81.69
• Cost of a cappuccino: $5.85

• Population: 4,306,000
• Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $1,022.6
• Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $1,447.95
• Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $80.69
• Cost of a cappuccino: $2.09

• Population: 6,038,000
• Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $1,126.1
• Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $2,967.40
• Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $68.86
• Cost of a cappuccino: $4.67

• Population: 6,983,000
• Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $929.20
• Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $1,512.80
• Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $69.17
• Cost of a cappuccino: $3.24

• Population: 36,635,000
• Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $930.3
• Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $996.97
• Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (excluding drinks): $41.95
• Cost of a cappuccino: $3.26

• Population: 13,171,000
• Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $1,206.80
• Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $1,609.17
• Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant: $74.93
• Cost of a cappuccino: $5.01

• Population: 19,940,000
• Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $1,668.60
• Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $4,142.86
• Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant: $145
• Cost of a cappuccino: $5.72

• Population: 12,451,000
• Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $1,393.7
• Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $3,112.03
• Cost of a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant: $104.58
• Cost of a cappuccino: $5.27

Mary Leona Gage won the Miss USA pageant in 1957 and was supposed to represent the United States at Miss Universe.

However, as The Baltimore Sun reported, Gage's title and crown were revoked the day after she won the pageant because the Miss Universe organization discovered that she was married, had two children, and had lied about being 18 when she was actually 21. The pageant did not allow contestants to be married or have children until 2023.

In 2005, Gage told The Baltimore Sun that she had competed in the Miss USA pageant in the hopes of escaping her husband, whom she had married at the age of 14.

Bob Barker served as host of both the Miss USA pageant and the Miss Universe pageant from 1966 to 1987.

But Barker was a staunch animal rights activist, so he took issue with the Miss Universe organization giving Miss USA and Miss Universe contestants fur coats as part of their prizes, as The Los Angeles Times reported. In 1987, he told the organization that he would not host the events in the future if the pageant continued to give contestants fur coats as part of their prize winnings.

The organization agreed to substitute the coats for faux fur options in 1987, so Barker hosted both pageants.

However, in 1988, Miss Universe planned to offer contestants fur coats again, so Barker resigned as host for good, The New York Times reported.

As the Orlando Sentinel reported, Brenda Robles was secretly pregnant when she competed at the Miss Universe pageant, and the organization revoked her Miss Puerto Rico title and crown when they discovered she was with child.

The outgoing Miss Universe, Dayanara Torres, was also from Puerto Rico. She crowned Miss India Sushmita Sen during the 1994 pageant.

Machado was crowned Miss Venezuela in 1995 before going on to win the 1996 Miss Universe pageant. She was just 18 years old at the time.

As The New York Times reported in 2016, Machado gained weight after she was crowned queen. She said she requested emotional and medical support from the pageant and was then made to exercise in front of the press by the Miss Universe Organization and Donald Trump, who was an executive producer for the pageant at the time.

"This is somebody who likes to eat," he told reporters of Machado during the incident.

After Hillary Clinton pointed to Trump's criticism of Machado — saying he called her "Miss Piggy" and "Miss Housekeeping" because of her Venezuelan heritage — during a 2016 presidential debate, Trump stood behind his statements, as Business Insider previously reported. During a September 2016 "Fox and Friends" segment, he said Machado "gained a massive amount of weight, and it was a real problem."

Machado responded to Trump in a press conference organized by Clinton's campaign, saying she developed bulimia and anorexia because of Trump's treatment.

"He always treated me like garbage," she said.

Christina Sawaya was crowned Miss Lebanon in 2002. But unlike other champions that year, she did not go on to appear at the Miss Universe pageant.

As CNN reported, Sawaya wanted to avoid competing alongside Miss Israel amid mounting tensions between the countries.

Ingrid Marie Rivera was crowned Miss Puerto Rico in 2008.

But after she won, Rivera said someone covered her evening gown and makeup for the pageant in pepper spray, The Associated Press reported. She said she broke out in hives and had to apply ice packs all over her body after the competition.

The AP reported that an investigation found that one of Rivera's evening gowns and her swimsuit tested positive for pepper spray, and investigators believed two pageant employees were likely responsible for the incident.

Rivera went on to compete at Miss Universe, but Dayana Mendoza of Venezuela won the top prize.

Jenna Talackova wanted to compete in the 2012 Miss Canada pageant, which feeds into Miss Universe. But Talackova was initially barred from competing because she is transgender, CNN reported at the time.

Talackova hired women's rights lawyer Gloria Allred to challenge the pageant's rule, but the pageant decided to change its policy in April 2012.

Talackova ended up participating in the 2012 Miss Canada pageant, but Sahar Biniaz beat her for the crown and went on to compete at Miss Universe. Olivia Culpo won the title while representing the USA that year.

After Trump referred to Mexican immigrants as "rapists" during a June 2015 speech, NBC and Univision decided not to air the Miss USA 2015 pageant. The competition instead aired on the Reelz channel, where it drew 4 million fewer viewers than in 2014.

Trump sued NBCUniversal for breach of contract but ultimately bought out the network's share of their joint venture — which had begun in 2002 — and then sold Miss Universe to WME/IMG, which held onto the company until Anne Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip bought it in October 2022.

In a 2018 New Yorker piece titled Trump's Miss Universe Gambit, a number of contestants spoke about what it was like to compete during the Trump era. Some contestants said Trump told them he selected nine of the top 15 for every competition, and that the finalists often came from countries with which Trump was doing business — or wanted to do business.

A Miss Universe spokesperson told The New Yorker at the time that Trump and other pageant staff members were allowed to participate in naming finalists, per the pageant's rules.

From asking a contestant to meow onstage to making jokes about the cartel, Steve Harvey had plenty of gaffes during his five-year stint as the host of Miss Universe.

But no moment was bigger than when he accidentally crowned the wrong winner during the December 2015 pageant.

Harvey initially announced that Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutiérrez had won the title of Miss Universe. But after the crown was placed on Gutiérrez's head and the Miss Universe sash was draped over her shoulders, Harvey revealed there had been a mistake — the real winner was Miss Philippines Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach.

Harvey, who was hosting Miss Universe for the first time, took responsibility for the mix-up. He later told Kevin Hart in a 2021 interview that the scandal was "the worst week of my life."

Kristhielee Caride sued the Miss Universe Puerto Rico organization for $3 million after she was stripped of her title before the Miss Universe 2016 pageant.

In March 2016, it was announced that Caride would no longer represent Puerto Rico after she canceled appearances and refused to answer questions during an interview with reporters, the Daily Mail reported.

Caride shocked the national organization when she told one Puerto Rican newspaper, "I just do not like cameras."

Desiree Lowry, who was the national director of Miss Universe Puerto Rico, held a press conference to announce Caride's replacement. She said Caride informed her she was going through personal issues at the time, but that she canceled other appearances and did not apologize to the newspaper.

"Miss Puerto Rico is a public figure and part of your job is to be in front of the camera," Lowry said.

Caride sued the organization months later, and the weeklong trial gripped the country, according to the BBC. The lawsuit was dismissed after a judge ruled that Caride had violated the terms of her contract.

Miss USA Sarah Rose Summers, Miss Australia Francesca Hung, and Miss Colombia Valeria Morales were criticized for a video they made during the final day of rehearsals.

In the clips, Summers said Miss Vietnam H'Hen Niê was "so cute" and "pretends to know so much English," according to People. She also mentioned that Miss Cambodia Rern Sinat didn't speak any English and "not a single person here speaks her language."

"Can you imagine?" Summers continued. "Francesca said that it would be very isolating, and I think yes, and just confusing all the time."

Social media users accused the three pageant queens of bullying Miss Cambodia and Miss Vietnam. Summers later issued an apology on Instagram and shared a photo of herself, Morales, and Hung hugging Sinat and Niê.

"In a moment where I intended to admire the courage of a few of my sisters, I said something that I now realize can be perceived as not respectful, and I apologize," Summers said. "I would never intend to hurt another."

Miss Peru 2019 Anyella Grados was stripped of her title in March 2019 when a video emerged that appeared to show her drunk and vomiting, the Daily Mail reported at the time.

The video was recorded by Miss Teen Peru 2018 Camila Canicoba. Yoko Chang, who had placed second runner-up in the Miss Peru 2019 competition, also appeared in the video.

Canicoba told Peruvian outlets at the time that she had accidentally uploaded the video to social media and only meant to share it privately.

The Miss Peru organization cut ties with Grados.

Grados released a statement after she was stripped of her title and said the video had been filmed without her consent and "impinged against my honor and my reputation."

Less than two months before the 71st Miss Universe competition took place in January, Miss Bolivia 2022 Maria Fernanda Pavisic posted a video on her Instagram story in which she discussed her Miss Universe competitors.

She said Miss Paraguay, Miss Brazil, and Miss El Salvador looked like "old ladies," that Miss Venezuela and Miss Peru resembled "transsexuals," and that Miss Ecuador, Miss Aruba, and Miss Curaçao belonged in the "thanks for participating" category, the Daily Mail reported.

After she was criticized for her remarks, Pavisic said that the comments were a social experiment designed to "generate change" and inspire people to share positive content on social media.

"People decide to support the negative, but I risked everything to leave a message," she wrote. "I have always said that it does not matter what people say about you, instead what you think of yourself."

But her explanation wasn't enough for the Miss Bolivia organization, which stripped Pavisic of her title and found a replacement a month before the competition.

Miss Russia 2022 Anna Linnikova told Evening Moscow in January 2023 that many contestants avoided her during the competition after "learning about my origins" and that Miss Ukraine and Miss Switzerland "simply ran from me like fire!"

Linnikova said she had tried to make contact with Miss Ukraine Viktoria Apanasenko, "but all efforts were in vain."

Apanasenko had previously told the Daily Beast that the only time Linnikova approached her was to try to take a selfie.

"Miss Russia did not say a word about the war," she said. "People told me it would be dangerous for her."

Apanasenko also told the site that she struggled to stand on the same stage with Linnikova, who wore a "Crown of Russian Empire" outfit during the national costume contest.

"I am not sure the organizers understood what it felt like for me to be standing and smiling on the same stage with Miss Russia, who was wearing a red dress, the color of blood," she added.

Anne Jakrajutatip became CEO of Miss Universe in 2022 after buying the organization with her JKN Global Group for $20 million. She promised to center women in her reign, saying in 2023, "From now on it's going to be run by women, owned by a trans woman, for all women around the world."

However, her tenure as CEO was marked by several hiccups.

In 2024, Victoria Kjær Theilvig of Denmark was crowned Miss Universe. In a press conference following her win, Jakrajutatip indicated that Theilvig represented the ultimate "evolution" of the pageant in response to a question from a reporter, as seen in a clip on Instagram.

"We have blond and blue eyes, so we're coming to the ultimate evolution already," she said. "We don't need any more evolution here. We already got the best here."

Some pageant contestants criticized Jakrajutatip, while others said they weren't offended by her remarks.

The comments followed an October 2023 video, obtained by Business Insider, in which Jakrajutatip said diverse contestants "can compete, but they can't win." She later said in a statement on Facebook that she was referring to a Miss Universe reality show, not the pageant, with her comment.

Jakrajutatip was also accused of trying to meddle with the pageant results during her tenure.

A former Miss Universe judge told Business Insider that in 2023, Jakrajutatip tried to pressure Paula Shugart, the longtime president of Miss Universe, to put Miss Thailand in the top five. Shugart resigned from the organization during the 2023 pageant.

Jakrajutatip didn't respond to a request for comment at the time and never publicly addressed the allegation.

On October 29, less than a week before the 2025 Miss Universe pageant was set to begin, the organization announced that Jakrajutatip had been replaced as CEO.

The organization said Mario Búcaro would step into the role in her place. Búcaro was previously a diplomat, and he served as vice president for international relations at Miss Universe.

"The Board of the Miss Universe Organization expresses its full confidence in Mario Búcaro's leadership to guide the organization into a new era of growth and global influence," the organization said in its announcement about Búcaro. "His vision of Miss Universe as a worldwide movement that celebrates authenticity, transformation, and empowerment will continue to unite cultures, expand opportunities for women, and elevate the values that define our brand."

The organization also said Búcaro would help Miss Universe expand its reach to over 130 countries.

The regime change occurred after Jakrajutatip and JKN Global faced financial difficulties throughout her tenure as CEO. She made headlines when JKN Global missed a payment in 2023, and in June 2025, Thailand's Securities and Exchange Commission filed a complaint against JKN Global. The complaint alleged Jakrajutatip and her sister had included misleading information on both their 2023 financial statements and paperwork for Q1 of 2024.

In its statement about Búcaro's new role, Miss Universe said Jakrajutatip had stepped down as CEO on June 20.

Jakrajutatip and the Miss Universe Organization didn't respond to requests for comment on the role changes and financial issues.

Nawat Itsaragrisil was named director of Miss Universe Thailand and host for the 2025 pageant, which took place in Bangkok.

On November 4, Itsaragrisil was captured on Miss Universe Thailand's Facebook livestream berating Miss Mexico Fátima Bosch and criticizing her team over a sponsorship event. He called security to remove Bosch, leading several other Miss Universe contestants and Miss Universe 2024 Victoria Kjær Theilvig to walk out of the room.

Pageant queens told Business Insider they weren't surprised by Itsaragrisil's behavior.

After the footage of the incident went viral, Miss Universe president Raul Rocha announced Itsaragrisil would be restricted from the pageant, and Itsaragrisil issued an apology. However, he appeared at multiple Miss Universe events — including the finals, where Bosch was crowned Miss Universe — following his confrontation with the pageant queen.

Itsaragrisil and Miss Universe did not respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.

"Cook Like a Pro," page 24

When guests arrive, I love to kick things off with a seasonal cocktail.

So many sangrias can be cloyingly sweet, but Garten's autumnal recipe is a perfectly balanced mix of cabernet sauvignon, apple cider, apple and pear brandy, and cinnamon syrup.

Even better, you can make it days ahead of time to allow the flavors to meld. Be careful, though, as the Barefoot Contessa's drinks pack a punch.

"The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook," page 158

Garten's truffle mashed potatoes are an absolute favorite of mine, but her Parmesan smashed potatoes are my go-to when I'm planning to smother my spuds in gravy.

The potatoes contain sour cream, which adds a nice tang as the Parmesan takes these to the next level. One big perk of this recipe is that it lets you skip the annoying task of peeling potatoes.

"Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics," page 109

I'd always preferred dark-meat turkey until I tried this roulade.

It's a deboned turkey breast packed with a cranberry, sausage, and fig stuffing that's rolled, baked, and sliced.

With this recipe, you don't need to carve an entire bird as your guests arrive. But if you're going with a full bird, I'd suggest Ina's Accidental Turkey — the dry-brined method is a game changer!

"Make It Ahead," page 103

I joke that I make extra of this gravy to sip on while making the rest of the Thanksgiving meal — it's that good.

It can be made days in advance and then rewarmed with the turkey drippings the day of the big meal. Even without the drippings, it's a fabulous gravy.

"Foolproof," page 188

For years, I never fully appreciated the appeal of dressing or stuffing. Sure, it was good, but with so many delicious Thanksgiving sides, I often only grabbed the smallest amount of it.

That changed when Garten introduced me to savory bread pudding — stuffing's moister, much more flavorful cousin. This mushroom-and-leek one is my favorite.

Food Network

If you grew up in the '80s or '90s, there's a good chance you hated Brussels sprouts, which were almost always boiled and never delicious.

Now, they're one of my favorite veggies, and nothing complements them better than a little bacon or pancetta and syrupy balsamic vinegar.

For this recipe, I recommend using a food processor to quickly shred your sprouts.

"Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics," page 158

I take back all the bad things I said about butternut squash when I was growing up.

It makes for a dreamy side dish when paired with pancetta, maple syrup, and sage in this recipe.

"Parties," page 189

These popovers are impressively puffy and can skew sweet or savory — serve them with jam or gravy.

The key is getting the popover pan as hot as possible before adding the batter — I usually heat the pans for 10 minutes rather than the two minutes Garten recommends.

"The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook," page 188

Pecan pie was a must at Thanksgiving until I discovered these.

Garten swaps the pie dough for a shortbread crust and tops it with a chewy, crunchy pecan mixture with a hint of orange.

Go ahead and gild the lily by dipping the squares in the optional chocolate. This recipe yields a lot of bars — I usually cut it in half and make the dessert in a 9-inch by 13-inch casserole dish.

"Barefoot Contessa at Home," page 180

Forget making pumpkin pie this year and instead prep this show-stopping, light-as-air treat.

The ethereal pumpkin mousse layered with whipped cream and spicy, crunchy crumbled ginger cookies is the perfect cap to an otherwise heavy meal.

This story was originally published on November 16, 2023, and most recently updated on November 21, 2025.