World's most expensive cities

 

Survey: Tokyo and Osaka take top spots, followed by London, Moscow and Seoul.

June 22, 2005: 2:40 PM EDT

 

 

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) – It's hard to make New Yorkers feel good about the absurd amounts of money required to live comfortably in Gotham. But a survey out this week might at least make them feel a little better.

 

That's because Tokyo continues to earn the dubious distinction of being the world's most expensive city to live in, according to a survey released this week by Mercer Human Resources Consulting.

 

No. 2 on the list is Osaka, another major Japanese city, which moved up from its fourth place ranking last year.

 

Osaka's ascent pushed London to No. 3, and Moscow to No. 4.

 

Coming in fifth is Seoul, which ascended two spots from its position in last year's survey.

 

As for New York, it fell one spot in the rankings to No. 13 on a worldwide basis, tying it with Dublin.

 

But New York still ranks No. 1 in North America, followed by Los Angeles, which ranks No. 44 on a worldwide basis, White Plains, N.Y. which ranks No. 45, and San Francisco which ranks No. 50.

 

Mercer conducts the survey to help multinational companies and governments determine how much to pay their expatriate employees. The survey includes 144 cities across the world, and measures costs including housing, food, clothing, transportation and entertainment.

 

So, if your company is shipping you off to Tokyo and you're negotiating compensation, you might remind them that a luxury two-bedroom apartment unfurnished might cost you $4,595 a month.

 

And you also might remind them that with coffee running at over $4 a cup, there is some risk you'll be less productive due to loss of caffeine unless you're adequately paid.

 

If you're making a move domestically, and you're interested in finding the place where your dollar will go the farthest, try Winston Salem, N.C., which is the least expensive U.S. city surveyed and ranks No. 119 on a worldwide basis. Heading north, Ottawa will provide you with the most bang for your buck in North America.

 

If you head south to South America, you'll encounter some of the world's least expensive cities due to the lingering effects of the devaluation of the Argentine currency in 2002 and subsequent financial crisis, Mercer said. Asuncion, Paraguay, again ranks as the world's least expensive city, according to the survey. It is closely preceded by Buenos Aires, Montevideo and Caracas.

 

http://money.cnn.com/2005/06/21/pf/costliest_cities/

 

click hereto see the entire list...

 

final thought.. I live in the 13 costliest city in the WORLD!! I need to move.. :cry:

So London's fallen behind Osaka again? It had moved up to number two last time!! Oh well, perhaps it'll regain its "rightful" place once the congestion charge goes up to eight quid a time!! :P

82 Toronto, Canada

Only 82?? Then Toronto must be dirt cheap! :P

Rent is high in some areas, depends where you are. But compared to the other places on that list it's cheap I guess. Rent isn't $4000 a month, that's for sure.

And is there a "congestion charge" for driving into the city?? And are the traffic wardens like vultures??

congestion charge? No, you can drive into the city for sure. Parking is pricey (like in any downtown I am sure) and the smog is really bad. Public transit is really good in Toronto, you can get anywhere quickly, but not enough people use it.

Completely the opposite from London, then. There, the public transport sucks and it's overcrowded!! :lol:

ahh NYC transit is ace... it'll get you anywhere in the 5 boroughs.. and an easy connection to a major station such as Grand Central or Penn Station...and you can hop on the Long Island Railroad.... and it runs 24hrs a day.

And is it all safe nowadays?? Don't you have lots of those "guardian angels" riding around?

oh dear, is that what you guys think.. lol NY isnt like the movies you know.. :rolleyes: :P

 

its all perfectly fine...

Oh come on - everyone KNOWS it's exactly as it was depicted on Kojak and Hill Street Blues!! :P

:dozey:

 

 

more like NYPDBlue... thats close enough..

Seoul? dayum :stunned:

:dozey:

 

 

more like NYPDBlue... thats close enough..

 

Was Cagney & Lacey set in New York?

Dublin is as pricey as NY?! :o But we're like 1/8 in size!! :stunned:

Damn the government! Greedy b******s :rolleyes:

Not as greedy as Ken Livingstone in London!!

Very very true but at least london is amazing shopping-wise! :rolleyes:

If you can afford the extortionate prices, and if you can fight your way through the crowds!!

And if you can avoid falling down the big shiney stairs of new look on oxford street :idea2: :dizzy2:

 

No your arguements were better.... :P

woohoo! sydney comes 20th!

Probably because of Bondi!! :P

Pfft, so much for me moving to London.. :embarrased: :cry:

Manchester is one cool City... Home of a King.... ! Watch this space !

Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaht!! :P