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Despite the large body of literature comparing prevailing waste management practices at different locations in the world, this article adopts a novel approach of two-level comparison: baseline and strategic plans. It analyses the state of municipal solid waste (MSW) management in six selected cities with different geographic locations and socioeconomic setups. As a first comparison, the current MSW profiles are analyzed to pinpoint the prevailing challenges. From the perspective of governmental institutions, the main obstacles in low- and middle-income cities seem to be the lack of regulations and, most noticeably, the inefficient structure of the waste management sector. Technically, the main challenges are low collection rates, land scarcity, and high transportation costs, as well as the lack of diversified management options. The latter renders the waste sector vulnerable and increases its instability. The second …