The rank of the overall international cost of living indexes is reported as at April 2010 using New York as the base city. The indexes are calculated using the prices for specific quantities of the same goods and services in each location, based on expatriate spending patterns across 13 broad categories (Basket Groups).
The cost of living studied is the cost of maintaining an expatriate standard of living. When comparing the cost of living between different locations the objective is to calculate the difference in the cost of living and express this as a cost of living index by dividing the cost of living in Location A by the cost of living in Location B.
The cost of living index reports the difference in the cost of living between the 2 locations for the same items purchased. For example an index of 140 means that the Location is 40% more expensive than the comparator Location. This would mean that a person who moves between the two locations would need to earn 40% more, to have the same standard of living as they have currently.
Tokyo is the overall most expensive place in the world for expats. Tokyo is also the most expensive place in the world for accommodation, while it is the fourth most expensive place in the world for groceries. Brasilia has moved up 9 places from 12th in October 2009 to be the third most expensive place in the world to live for expatriates. Sydney has rocketed up the rankings to 10th having been ranked 15th in January this year. Dubai has dropped another 8 places after dropping 9 places in the previous quarter to fall out of the top 10 and is now ranked 26th, but interestingly is still the most expensive place for restaurants, meals out and hotel costs.
The fastest mover upwards is Ashgabat in Turkmenistan having moved up 94 places from 257rd to 163. The relative cost of living for expatriates in Gibraltar has also increased considerably having moved up 94 places to 92. South Africa has experienced a significant increase in global cost of living terms mainly due to the strengthening of the Rand. Cape Town has moved up 53 places to be ranked 193rd.
Alcohol & Tobacco is most expensive in South Tarawa in Kiribati, followed by Moroni in the Comores, and Oslo in Norway. Clothing is most expensive in Manama, Bahrain followed by Moscow, Russia. Education is most expensive in Caracas, Venezuela and Brasilia in Brazil. Groceries are most expensive in Kiribati. Oslo, Norway is most expensive for Transport.
The full list of the January 2010 overall international cost of living rankings, together with the previous Quarter’s rank, and the change in rank is as follows:
April 2010 Rank Country, City (January 2010 Rank)[Change in Rank]
1 Japan, Tokyo (1) [0]
2 Switzerland, Geneva (2) [0]
3 Brazil, Brasilia (3) [0]
4 Switzerland, Zurich (4) [0]
5 Norway, Oslo (6) [-1]
6 Denmark, Copenhagen (7) [-1]
7 Venezuela, Caracas (8) [-1]
8 China, Hong Kong (5) [3]
9 Liechtenstein, Vaduz (9) [0]
10 Australia, Sydney (15) [-5]
11 Central African Republic, Bangui (10) [1]
12 Kiribati, South Tarawa (24) [-12]
13 New Caledonia, Noumea (13) [0]
14 Greenland, Nuuk (14) [0]
15 Germany, Munich (16) [-1]
16 France, Paris (17) [-1]
17 Solomon Islands, Honiara (20) [-3]
18 Cameroon, Douala (12) [6]
19 Bermuda, Hamilton (25) [-6]
20 Monaco, Monaco (23) [-3]
21 San Marino, San Marino (22) [-1]
22 Italy, Milan (21) [1]
23 Vanuatu, Port Vila (28) [-5]
24 Chad, N’Djamena (11) [13]
25 Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby (27) [-2]
26 United Arab Emirates, Dubai (18) [8]
27 Germany, Frankfurt (29) [-2]
28 Korea Republic of, Seoul (26) [2]
29 Gabon, Libreville (33) [-4]
30 United Kingdom, London (37) [-7]
31 Austria, Vienna (30) [1]
32 Finland, Helsinki (31) [1]
33 Italy, Rome (35) [-2]
34 Germany, Cologne (36) [-2]
35 Russia, Moscow (38) [-3]
36 Croatia, Zagreb (32) [4]
37 Australia, Melbourne (43) [-6]
38 Australia, Canberra (44) [-6]
39 Ireland, Dublin (39) [0]
40 Comores, Moroni (42) [-2]
41 Qatar, Doha (34) [7]
42 Angola, Luanda (19) [23]
43 Isle of Man, Douglas (52) [-9]
44 Belgium, Brussels (45) [-1]
45 Netherlands, Amsterdam (50) [-5]
46 Australia, Perth (59) [-13]
47 Micronesia, Palikir (49) [-2]
48 Mali, Bamako (40) [8]
49 Germany, Hamburg (47) [2]
50 Germany, Bonn (48) [2]
51 Slovakia, Bratislava (53) [-2]
52 Cameroon, Yaounde (46) [6]
53 Taiwan, Taipei (41) [12]
54 Guernsey, St Peter Port (61) [-7]
55 Spain, Madrid (62) [-7]
56 Congo, Brazzaville (214) [-158]
57 Canada, Toronto (60) [-3]
58 Iceland, Reykjavik (64) [-6]
59 Togo, Lome (51) [8]
60 Singapore, Singapore (65) [-5]
61 Turkey, Ankara (56) [5]
62 Germany, Berlin (66) [-4]
63 USA, New York NY (54) [9]
64 Nigeria, Lagos (58) [6]
65 Bahamas, Nassau (55) [10]
66 Bahrain, Manama (57) [9]
67 Tuvalu, Funafuti (72) [-5]
68 Jersey, Saint Helier (74) [-6]
69 USA, Boston Mass (67) [2]
70 Vatican City, Vatican City (73) [-3]
71 Spain, Barcelona (76) [-5]
72 USA, San Jose Calif (70) [2]
73 Nauru, Yaren (75) [-2]
74 United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi (71) [3]
75 Senegal, Dakar (80) [-5]
76 Canada, Vancouver (78) [-2]
77 USA, San Francisco Calif (68) [9]
78 Luxembourg, Luxembourg (79) [-1]
79 Czech Republic, Prague (69) [10]
80 Hungary, Budapest (83) [-3]
81 United Kingdom, Glasgow (89) [-8]
82 Estonia, Tallinn (82) [0]
83 Palau, Melekeok (81) [2]
84 Falkland Islands, Stanley (93) [-9]
85 Sweden, Stockholm (84) [1]
86 Australia, Brisbane (102) [-16]
87 Portugal, Lisbon (91) [-4]
88 Canada, Calgary (95) [-7]
89 Guinea-Bissau, Bissau (85) [4]
90 Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou (96) [-6]
91 Colombia, Bogota (77) [14]
92 Gibraltar, Gibraltar (186) [-94]
93 Malta, Velletta (90) [3]
94 USA, Anchorage AK (94) [0]
95 Djibouti, Djibouti (86) [9]
96 Cote D’Ivoire, Abidjan (97) [-1]
97 United Kingdom, Birmingham (108) [-11]
98 New Zealand, Auckland (113) [-15]
99 Azerbaijan, Baku (99) [0]
100 Haiti, Port-au-Prince (92) [8]
101 USA, Philadelphia Pa (103) [-2]
102 USA, Los Angeles Calif (101) [1]
103 Andorra, Andorra la Vella (109) [-6]
104 Benin, Cotonou (104) [0]
105 United Kingdom, Leeds (117) [-12]
106 Greece, Athens (115) [-9]
107 USA, Washington DC (112) [-5]
108 Trinidad and Tobago, Port-of-Spain (100) [8]
109 Samoa, Apia (107) [2]
110 China, Beijing (121) [-11]
111 Sudan, Khartoum (130) [-19]
112 Cayman Islands, George Town (111) [1]
113 Serbia, Belgrade (106) [7]
114 Montenegro, Podgorica (128) [-14]
115 Canada, Montreal (120) [-5]
116 Lebanon, Beirut (105) [11]
117 Cape Verde, Praia (118) [-1]
118 Saint Helena, Jamestown (125) [-7]
119 USA, Baltimore Md (116) [3]
120 India, Mumbai (122) [-2]
121 Sao Tome and Principe, Sao Tome (87) [34]
122 Seychelles, Victoria (88) [34]
123 USA, San Diego Calif (119) [4]
124 Barbados, Bridgetown (129) [-5]
125 Marshall Islands, Majuro (131) [-6]
126 Israel, Jerusalem (110) [16]
127 Lithuania, Vilnius (126) [1]
128 Australia, Adelaide (145) [-17]
129 Poland, Warsaw (136) [-7]
130 Saudi Arabia, Riyadh (124) [6]
131 Zambia, Lusaka (123) [8]
132 Indonesia, Jakarta (127) [5]
133 USA, Seattle Wash (133) [0]
134 Kuwait, Kuwait City (140) [-6]
135 Chile, Santiago (172) [-37]
136 China, Shanghai (173) [-37]
137 Martinique, Fort-de-France (139) [-2]
138 Niger, Niamey (135) [3]
139 USA, Miami Fla (134) [5]
140 USA, Portland Ore (138) [2]
141 USA, Chicago Ill (143) [-2]
142 Kazakhstan, Almaty (137) [5]
143 Canada, Ottawa (151) [-8]
144 Mauritius, Port Louis (144) [0]
145 Guinea, Conakry (114) [31]
146 India, New Delhi (153) [-7]
147 Latvia, Riga (148) [-1]
148 Puerto Rico, San Juan (146) [2]
149 Jordan, Amman (142) [7]
150 India, Chennai (159) [-9]
151 Tanzania, Dar es Salaam (132) [19]
152 Cyprus, Nicosia (163) [-11]
153 Georgia Republic of, Tbilisi (147) [6]
154 Guam, Hagatna (152) [2]
155 Slovenia, Ljubljana (162) [-7]
156 Malawi, Lilongwe (158) [-2]
157 Ukraine, Kiev (160) [-3]
158 Uruguay, Montevideo (176) [-18]
159 Grenada, Saint George’s (161) [-2]
160 Jamaica, Kingston (149) [11]
161 Botswana, Gaborone (150) [11]
162 India, Calcutta (166) [-4]
163 Turkmenistan, Ashgabat (257) [-94]
164 India, Hyderabad (171) [-7]
165 Liberia, Monrovia (154) [11]
166 Rwanda, Kigali (156) [10]
167 Maldives, Male (155) [12]
168 USA, Jacksonville Fla (164) [4]
169 USA, Cleveland Ohio (169) [0]
170 Moldova, Chisinau (167) [3]
171 Equatorial Guinea, Malabo (174) [-3]
172 USA, Tampa Fla (168) [4]
173 USA, Dallas Tex (165) [8]
174 USA, Atlanta GA (170) [4]
175 USA, Phoenix Ariz (177) [-2]
176 Fiji, Suva (192) [-16]
177 Sierra Leone, Freetown (141) [36]
178 USA, Milwaukee Wis (181) [-3]
179 USA, Denver Colo (175) [4]
180 Ghana, Accra (98) [82]
181 South Africa, Johannesburg (217) [-36]
182 USA, Charlotte NC (182) [0]
183 Macedonia, Skopje (183) [0]
184 USA, Detroit Mich (195) [-11]
185 USA, Pittsburgh Penn (185) [0]
186 Timor-Leste, Dili (178) [8]
187 Korea Democratic Republic of, Pyongyang (205) [-18]
188 Romania, Bucharest (179) [9]
189 Somalia, Mogadishu (194) [-5]
190 Mexico, Mexico City (193) [-3]
191 USA, Austin Tex (196) [-5]
192 Algeria, Algiers (180) [12]
193 South Africa, Cape Town (246) [-53]
194 USA, Columbus Ohio (198) [-4]
195 Gambia, Banjul (184) [11]
196 Honduras, Tegucigalpa (189) [7]
197 India, Bangalore (209) [-12]
198 Philippines, Manila (190) [8]
199 Antigua and Barbuda, Saint John’s (187) [12]
200 Bulgaria, Sofia (211) [-11]
201 Afghanistan, Kabul (191) [10]
202 Syria, Damascus (203) [-1]
203 Kosovo, Pristina (206) [-3]
204 Morocco, Rabat (197) [7]
205 USA, Fort Worth Tex (200) [5]
206 USA, Las Vegas Nev (204) [2]
207 Mozambique, Maputo (157) [50]
208 Myanmar, Yangon (218) [-10]
209 Iran, Tehran (188) [21]
210 South Africa, Pretoria (233) [-23]
211 Saint Kitts and Nevis, Basseterre (201) [10]
212 Kenya, Nairobi (210) [2]
213 USA, San Antonio Tex (216) [-3]
214 Belarus, Minsk (244) [-30]
215 Brunei, Bandar Seri Begawan (208) [7]
216 Egypt, Cairo (230) [-14]
217 Cuba, Havana (202) [15]
218 Namibia, Windhoek (199) [19]
219 South Africa, Durban (252) [-33]
220 Peru, Lima (207) [13]
221 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Kingstown (212) [9]
222 USA, Houston Tex (213) [9]
223 Guyana, Georgetown (221) [2]
224 Thailand, Bangkok (215) [9]
225 USA, Indianapolis Ind (219) [6]
226 Vietnam, Hanoi (222) [4]
227 Dominica, Roseau (226) [1]
228 Guatemala, Guatemala City (245) [-17]
229 Albania, Tirana (223) [6]
230 Ethiopia, Addis Ababa (231) [-1]
231 USA, St Louis MO (224) [7]
232 USA, Memphis Tenn (229) [3]
233 Lesotho, Maseru (220) [13]
234 Costa Rica, San Jose (235) [-1]
235 Madagascar, Antananarivo (227) [8]
236 USA, El Paso Tex (228) [8]
237 Armenia, Yerevan (225) [12]
238 Eritrea, Asmara (254) [-16]
239 Congo Democratic Rep, Kinshasa (63) [176]
240 Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo (232) [8]
241 Oman, Muscat (237) [4]
242 Mauritania, Nouakchott (234) [8]
243 Belize, Belmopan (236) [7]
244 Uganda, Kampala (242) [2]
245 Panama, Panama City (240) [5]
246 El Salvador, San Salvador (239) [7]
247 Nicaragua, Managua (238) [9]
248 Burundi, Bujumbura (241) [7]
249 China, Shenzhen (253) [-4]
250 China, Wuhan (260) [-10]
251 Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur (247) [4]
252 Laos, Vientiane (243) [9]
253 Bangladesh, Dhaka (248) [5]
254 China, Dalian (272) [-18]
255 Tunisia, Tunis (250) [5]
256 Saint Lucia, Castries (249) [7]
257 China, Macao (255) [2]
258 Swaziland, Mbabane (251) [7]
259 Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek (274) [-15]
260 Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo (256) [4]
261 Uzbekistan, Tashkent (275) [-14]
262 Nepal, Kathmandu (263) [-1]
263 Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar (280) [-17]
264 Paraguay, Asuncion (268) [-4]
265 Tonga, Nuku’Alofa (264) [1]
266 Iraq, Baghdad (258) [8]
267 Suriname, Paramaribo (259) [8]
268 Libya, Tripoli (265) [3]
269 Pakistan, Lahore (261) [8]
270 Bolivia, La Paz (262) [8]
271 Pakistan, Islamabad (266) [5]
272 China, Guangzhou (278) [-6]
273 Pakistan, Karachi (267) [6]
274 Ecuador, Quito (269) [5]
275 Cambodia, Phnom Penh (270) [5]
276 Sri Lanka, Colombo (271) [5]
277 Tajikistan, Dushanbe (273) [4]
278 Bhutan, Thimphu (276) [2]
279 Argentina, Buenos Aires (277) [2]
280 Yemen, Sanaa (279) [1]
281 China, Tianjin (281) [0]
282 Zimbabwe, Harare (282) [0]
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