Thursday, September 30, 2010

Grocery International Cost of Living Ranking 2010

This report provides you with the rank of Grocery cost of living indexes as at September 2010 for each of our 300 global locations. 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). Our calculators make use of the cost of living indexes, based on your input and Xpatulator's data, to create reports online which you can save, e-mail or convert to a pdf file.

 

Grocery costs include food, non-alcoholic beverages and cleaning material items such as baby consumables, baked goods, baking, canned foods, cheese, cleaning products, dairy, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, fruit juices, meat, oil & vinegars, pet food, pre-prepared meals, sauces, seafood, snacks, soft drinks, spices and herbs.

 

The September 2010 grocery international cost of living top 100 rank is as follows:

 

September 2010 Rank Country, City


1 Japan, Tokyo
2 Venezuela, Caracas
3 Russia, Moscow
4 Trinidad and Tobago, Port-of-Spain
5 Denmark, Copenhagen
6 Japan, Osaka
7 Congo, Brazzaville
8 Sudan, Khartoum
9 Bahrain, Manama
10 Kiribati, South Tarawa
11 Norway, Oslo
12 Japan, Nagoya
13 Korea Republic of, Seoul
14 Central African Republic, Bangui
15 Switzerland, Geneva
16 Gabon, Libreville
17 China, Hong Kong
18 Japan, Yokohama
19 Solomon Islands, Honiara
20 Switzerland, Zurich
21 Indonesia, Jakarta
22 USA, Anchorage AK
23 Sierra Leone, Freetown
24 Angola, Luanda
25 Egypt, Cairo
26 Canada, Toronto
27 Russia, St. Petersburg
28 USA, San Jose Calif
29 Congo Democratic Rep, Kinshasa
30 Canada, Vancouver
31 Azerbaijan, Baku
32 Qatar, Doha
33 Liberia, Monrovia
34 Nigeria, Lagos
35 Liechtenstein, Vaduz
36 Canada, Calgary
37 Philippines, Manila
38 USA, Philadelphia Pa
39 Canada, Montreal
40 Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby
41 USA, Boston Mass
42 Sao Tome and Principe, Sao Tome
43 USA, New York NY
44 USA, San Francisco Calif
45 Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou
46 USA, Washington DC
47 New Caledonia, Noumea
48 Afghanistan, Kabul
49 Bahamas, Nassau
50 Bermuda, Hamilton
51 Micronesia, Palikir
52 Australia, Sydney
53 Brazil, Sao Paulo
54 Timor-Leste, Dili
55 Canada, Ottawa
56 Australia, Canberra
57 United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi
58 Samoa, Apia
59 Cayman Islands, George Town
60 Guam, Hagatna
61 France, Paris
62 Monaco, Monaco
63 Lebanon, Beirut
64 China, Shanghai
65 Vanuatu, Port Vila
66 Korea Democratic Republic of, Pyongyang
67 Haiti, Port-au-Prince
68 USA, Seattle Wash
69 Mali, Bamako
70 Austria, Vienna
71 Brazil, Rio de Janeiro
72 Comores, Moroni
73 Australia, Melbourne
74 Cote DIvoire, Abidjan
75 Jamaica, Kingston
76 Djibouti, Djibouti
77 Chad, NDjamena
78 Australia, Perth
79 United Arab Emirates, Dubai
80 Martinique, Fort-de-France
81 USA, Baltimore Md
82 Barbados, Bridgetown
83 USA, Chicago Ill
84 Jersey, Saint Helier
85 Brunei, Bandar Seri Begawan
86 Singapore, Singapore
87 USA, San Diego Calif
88 Puerto Rico, San Juan
89 Brazil, Brasilia
90 Malawi, Lilongwe
91 United Kingdom, London
92 USA, Cleveland Ohio
93 Taiwan, Taipei
94 Iraq, Baghdad
95 USA, Miami Fla
96 Burundi, Bujumbura
97 USA, Los Angeles Calif
98 China, Macao
99 Italy, Milan
100 Sweden, Stockholm

Europe Cost of Living - 2010

Europe's most expensive cities are those that are not on the Euro. The most expensive city in Europe is Geneva (ranked 8 in the world), while Zurich is Europe's third most expensive city (ranked 10 in the world), making Switzerland the most expensive country in Europe. The Swiss Franc has strengthened by 8% in the past year and by 16% over the past 2 years. Geneva is followed by Moscow (ranked 9 in the world), which had fallen in the cost of living rankings last year and shot back up to 6th most expensive city in Europe earlier this year. The Russian Rouble has strengthened 14% against the Euro in the past year. Oslo is the fourth most expensive city in Europe (ranked 12 in the world), followed by Copenhagen (ranked 16 in the world). The cheapest city in Europe is Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina (ranked 292 in the world) with a cost of living index of 57.15 (New York = 100).

 

Tokyo is the most expensive city in the world in which to live, out of 300 global locations, surveyed in September 2010. While Tokyo is relatively cheap for items such as alcohol & tobacco (ranked 145), it is the most expensive for groceries and healthcare, and household accommodation costs. Tokyo has always been relatively expensive. This trend has strengthened again recently, as a result of the Japanese Yen having gained in value by about 18% against the United States Dollar in the past two years.

As the most expensive city in the world, Tokyo has an overall cost of living index of 155.4 (New York = 100), while Dubai (ranked 60 in the world) has a cost of living index of 88.84. Therefore Tokyo's cost of living is 75% higher than Dubai. That means that an expatriate earning USD$5,000 per month in Dubai would need to earn USD$8,750 per month in Tokyo to enable them to have the same purchasing power, and therefore a similar standard of living as they had in Dubai. The cost of living for an expatriate is affected by both the availability and prices, of goods and services representative of an expatriate lifestyle, local inflation, and the exchange rate between the home and host country. As a result the cost of living has a significant impact of an expatriate's salary package.

Caracas has moved up the rankings to become the second most expensive city to live in. Caracas is most expensive place in the world for furniture and appliances, recreation and culture as well as for hotels restaurants and meals out. Caracas is the second most expensive place for alcohol and tobacco, groceries, and healthcare.

Hong Kong is the third most expensive city in the world for expatriates to live in. The high overall cost of living rank for Hong Kong is primarily a result of two expensive basket groups. Hong Kong is the third most expensive city in the world for healthcare, and is the second most expensive city in the world for household accommodation, which typically comprises 30% of an expatriate's expenses. Hong Kong is a good example of why many international organizations compensate separately for healthcare as well as household related costs such as housing rental, water, electricity, household gas, household fuels, local rates and residential taxes. Items that are provided by the employer should be excluded from a cost of living index calculation. The cost of living index for Hong Kong excluding healthcare and household related costs is substantially lower than it's overall cost of living index of 128.9 (New York = 100). Hong Kong is relatively cheap for recreation & culture (ranked 241 in the world), education (ranked 259 in the world), as well as furniture & appliances (ranked 268 in the world).

Osaka, ranked fourth, is a new addition to the rankings. Osaka is most expensive for household accommodation (ranked 3 in the world), healthcare (ranked 5 in the world) and groceries (ranked 6 in the world).

Sao Paulo, another new addition to the rankings, is the fifth most expensive city in the world. Sao Paulo is the most expensive place in the world for education, and is ranked second most expensive for clothing. The Brazilian Real has strengthened by 11% against the United States Dollar in the past year, although it is still weaker than it was two years ago. Sao Paulo is ranked in the top 55 most expensive cities in the world for each of the 13 basket groups.

 

Most expensive cities in Europe (Global rank in brackets)
1. Switzerland, Geneva (8)
2. Russia, Moscow (9)
3. Switzerland, Zurich (10)
4. Norway, Oslo (12)
5. Denmark, Copenhagen (16)
6. Liechtenstein, Vaduz (17)
7. United Kingdom, London (23)
8. France, Paris (26)
9. Monaco, Monaco (29)
10. Jersey, Saint Helier (34)

 

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Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Education International Cost of Living Ranking 2010

This report provides you with the rank of Education cost of living indexes as at September 2010 for each of our 300 global locations. 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). Our calculators make use of the cost of living indexes, based on your input and Xpatulator's data, to create reports online which you can save, e-mail or convert to a pdf file.


Education costs include creche / pre-school fees, high school / college fees, primary school fees, and tertiary study fees.


The September 2010 education international cost of living top 100 rank is as follows:

September 2010 Rank Country, City


1 Brazil, Sao Paulo
2 Angola, Luanda
3 Brazil, Rio de Janeiro
4 Russia, Moscow
5 Brazil, Brasilia
6 Bahamas, Nassau
7 Singapore, Singapore
8 Russia, St. Petersburg
9 USA, New York NY
10 Liberia, Monrovia
11 Nigeria, Lagos
12 Bermuda, Hamilton
13 Gabon, Libreville
14 Belgium, Brussels
15 Solomon Islands, Honiara
16 United Kingdom, London
17 Congo Democratic Rep, Kinshasa
18 Sierra Leone, Freetown
19 Vanuatu, Port Vila
20 Australia, Sydney
21 USA, Anchorage AK
22 Cuba, Havana
23 Australia, Canberra
24 USA, Boston Mass
25 United Kingdom, Glasgow
26 USA, Philadelphia Pa
27 Croatia, Zagreb
28 Australia, Melbourne
29 Uruguay, Montevideo
30 USA, Seattle Wash
31 Jersey, Saint Helier
32 Kazakhstan, Almaty
33 Barbados, Bridgetown
34 United Kingdom, Birmingham
35 Australia, Perth
36 United Kingdom, Leeds
37 USA, San Francisco Calif
38 Cote DIvoire, Abidjan
39 New Caledonia, Noumea
40 USA, Chicago Ill
41 USA, Washington DC
42 Central African Republic, Bangui
43 Sao Tome and Principe, Sao Tome
44 Saudi Arabia, Riyadh
45 USA, San Jose Calif
46 Djibouti, Djibouti
47 USA, Los Angeles Calif
48 Chad, NDjamena
49 Guyana, Georgetown
50 Guernsey, St Peter Port
51 USA, San Diego Calif
52 Guinea, Conakry
53 Australia, Brisbane
54 Congo, Brazzaville
55 USA, Portland Ore
56 United Kingdom, Belfast
57 Colombia, Bogota
58 South Africa, Johannesburg
59 Afghanistan, Kabul
60 Kiribati, South Tarawa
61 Israel, Jerusalem
62 USA, Miami Fla
63 New Zealand, Auckland
64 Saint Helena, Jamestown
65 Samoa, Apia
66 USA, Baltimore Md
67 Estonia, Tallinn
68 USA, Denver Colo
69 USA, Atlanta GA
70 Australia, Adelaide
71 Iran, Tehran
72 Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou
73 Lithuania, Vilnius
74 Zambia, Lusaka
75 USA, Milwaukee Wis
76 USA, St Louis MO
77 Iraq, Baghdad
78 USA, Cleveland Ohio
79 USA, Phoenix Ariz
80 Maldives, Male
81 USA, Dallas Tex
82 USA, Las Vegas Nev
83 Comores, Moroni
84 USA, Detroit Mich
85 USA, Pittsburgh Penn
86 South Africa, Pretoria
87 USA, San Antonio Tex
88 Haiti, Port-au-Prince
89 Falkland Islands, Stanley
90 Saudi Arabia, Jeddah
91 Malawi, Lilongwe
92 South Africa, Cape Town
93 Serbia, Belgrade
94 USA, Charlotte NC
95 USA, Jacksonville Fla
96 USA, Fort Worth Tex
97 Seychelles, Victoria
98 USA, Columbus Ohio
99 South Africa, Durban
100 USA, Tampa Fla

Why are Expatriates paid differently to local people?


Most countries have a two tier Pay Market. The two distinct pay markets are typically an Expatriate Market and a Local Market.


 


The Expatriate Market is largely determined by the origin of each Expatriate. It is quite normal to have considerable differences between Expatriates doing exactly the same job, in the same country. These differences are largely caused by three factors:



  • The Cost of Living difference between the Home Country (country of origin) and Host Country (where they work)

  • The Relative Hardship difference between Home and Host Country. For example, ,moving to a country where more day to day hardship will be experienced, would normally result in more pay to compensate for the hardship

  • The Exchange Rate difference between the Home and Host Country


 


On the other hand the Local Market is largely determined by local supply and demand for skills.


 


Depending on a number of factors, such as the availability of skills, rate of economic growth, and the type of economy, the percentage of expatriates versus locally employed people will vary.


 


Expatriate Pay is typically calculated by using the Expatriates salary in their Home Country as the start point and by calculating an appropriate salary in the Host Country using the Cost of Living difference, relative hardship, and exchange rate. This is either done using a company in-house policy or using an international relocation calculator.


 


Local Pay is typically determined by the prevailing market salary levels. These salary levels are typically reported in salary surveys run by independent Remuneration Consultancies.


 


We can conclude therefore that Expatriate Pay is primarily determined by factors outside the host country as well as differences between the host country and the Expatriate's home country.  Local Pay is primarily determined by factors within the country, such as strength of the economy and the supply and demand for skills.


South Asia Cost of Living - 2010

South Asia is the least expensive region in the world for expatriates to live in. The most expensive city surveyed is Mumbai (ranked 94 in the world), followed by New Delhi (ranked 127 in the world), and Chennai (ranked 129 in the world). The Indian Rupee has weakened by 7% against the United States Dollar over the past two years. The cheapest city in South Asia is Thimphu in Bhutan (ranked 298 in the world).

 

Tokyo is the most expensive city in the world in which to live, out of 300 global locations, surveyed in September 2010. While Tokyo is relatively cheap for items such as alcohol & tobacco (ranked 145), it is the most expensive for groceries and healthcare, and household accommodation costs. Tokyo has always been relatively expensive. This trend has strengthened again recently, as a result of the Japanese Yen having gained in value by about 18% against the United States Dollar in the past two years.

As the most expensive city in the world, Tokyo has an overall cost of living index of 155.4 (New York = 100), while Dubai (ranked 60 in the world) has a cost of living index of 88.84. Therefore Tokyo's cost of living is 75% higher than Dubai. That means that an expatriate earning USD$5,000 per month in Dubai would need to earn USD$8,750 per month in Tokyo to enable them to have the same purchasing power, and therefore a similar standard of living as they had in Dubai. The cost of living for an expatriate is affected by both the availability and prices, of goods and services representative of an expatriate lifestyle, local inflation, and the exchange rate between the home and host country. As a result the cost of living has a significant impact of an expatriate's salary package.

 

Most expensive cities in South Asia (Global rank in brackets)
1. India, Mumbai (94)
2. India, New Delhi (127)
3. India, Chennai (129)
4. India, Calcutta (130)
5. Maldives, Male (135)
6. India, Hyderabad (142)
7. India, Bangalore (160)
8. Afghanistan, Kabul (194)
9. Bangladesh, Dhaka (263)
10. Pakistan, Lahore 276)

 

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International Cost of Living Rankings - September 2010

Xpatulator.com’s cost of living data is based on prices for the same quantity and quality of goods and services, representative of expatriate lifestyle, in each city. The data is collected and updated on a quarterly basis. The cost of living data is used by Xpatulator.com clients to calculate salary purchasing power parity, cost of living allowances, and customized (i.e. clients can select their own base city) cost of living indexes for expatriate assignments online, using Xpatulator.com’s 3 premium content calculators.


The 13 basket groups do not count equally and are weighted according to expatriate expenditure norms as follows (weighting percentage is in brackets):


1. Alcohol & Tobacco (2%): Alcoholic beverages and tobacco products.
2. Clothing (2.5%): Clothing and footwear products.
3. Communication (2%): Telephone, Internet, Mobile Contract and Calls.
4. Education (5%): Creche Fees, School Fees, College Fees, and Tertiary Study Fees.
5. Furniture & Appliances (5%): Furniture, household equipment and appliances.
6. Groceries (16.5%): Food, non-alcoholic beverages and cleaning materials.
7. Healthcare (5%): Doctor Consultation rates, Private Ward Rate, Prescription Medicine, and Private Medical Insurance Contributions.
8. Household (30%): Housing rental, utilities, local rates and residential taxes.
9. Miscellaneous (3%): Stationary, Linen and general goods and services.
10. Personal Care (3%): Personal Care products and services.
11. Recreation & Culture (6%): Books, Camera Film, Cinema Ticket, DVD and CD’s, Sports goods, Theatre Tickets.
12. Restaurants Meals Out and Hotels (2%): Dinner at Restaurant (non fast food), Hotel Rates, Take Away, Drinks & Snacks (fast Food).
13. Transport (18%): Public Transport, Vehicle Costs, Vehicle Fuel, Vehicle Insurance and Vehicle Maintenance.


Figures used in this report were taken from Xpatulator.com’s cost of living database as at 1 September 2010. The above ranks are based on the overall cost of living index using all 13 basket groups with New York as the base city (Cost of living index = 100).


The full September 2010 list of all 300 international locations using all 13 basket groups is as follows:


September 2010 Rank Country, City


1 Japan, Tokyo
2 Venezuela, Caracas
3 China, Hong Kong
4 Japan, Osaka
5 Brazil, Sao Paulo
6 Japan, Nagoya
7 Brazil, Rio de Janeiro
8 Switzerland, Geneva
9 Russia, Moscow
10 Switzerland, Zurich
11 Japan, Yokohama
12 Norway, Oslo
13 Brazil, Brasilia
14 Angola, Luanda
15 China, Shanghai
16 Denmark, Copenhagen
17 Liechtenstein, Vaduz
18 Bahamas, Nassau
19 United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi
20 Singapore, Singapore
21 USA, New York NY
22 Australia, Sydney
23 United Kingdom, London
24 Korea Republic of, Seoul
25 Australia, Canberra
26 France, Paris
27 Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby
28 Qatar, Doha
29 Monaco, Monaco
30 Vanuatu, Port Vila
31 Canada, Toronto
32 Trinidad and Tobago, Port-of-Spain
33 Nigeria, Lagos
34 Jersey, Saint Helier
35 Russia, St. Petersburg
36 Bermuda, Hamilton
37 Solomon Islands, Honiara
38 Taiwan, Taipei
39 Australia, Melbourne
40 Australia, Perth
41 Azerbaijan, Baku
42 Canada, Vancouver
43 Guernsey, St Peter Port
44 Austria, Vienna
45 Germany, Munich
46 Kiribati, South Tarawa
47 Bahrain, Manama
48 Isle of Man, Douglas
49 Italy, Milan
50 United Kingdom, Glasgow
51 Gabon, Libreville
52 Finland, Helsinki
53 Canada, Calgary
54 Falkland Islands, Stanley
55 Sudan, Khartoum
56 Germany, Frankfurt
57 Italy, Rome
58 Micronesia, Palikir
59 Congo Democratic Rep, Kinshasa
60 United Arab Emirates, Dubai
61 Cayman Islands, George Town
62 Chad, NDjamena
63 USA, San Francisco Calif
64 Saint Helena, Jamestown
65 Croatia, Zagreb
66 USA, Boston Mass
67 Germany, Cologne
68 Turkey, Istanbul
69 Canada, Montreal
70 United Kingdom, Birmingham
71 Belgium, Brussels
72 New Caledonia, Noumea
73 Mali, Bamako
74 Netherlands, Amsterdam
75 United Kingdom, Leeds
76 Slovakia, Bratislava
77 USA, Washington DC
78 Indonesia, Jakarta
79 San Marino, San Marino
80 Central African Republic, Bangui
81 Germany, Hamburg
82 Israel, Jerusalem
83 Australia, Brisbane
84 USA, San Jose Calif
85 Estonia, Tallinn
86 Ireland, Dublin
87 Luxembourg, Luxembourg
88 Kazakhstan, Almaty
89 Sierra Leone, Freetown
90 Iceland, Reykjavik
91 Sao Tome and Principe, Sao Tome
92 Germany, Berlin
93 Germany, Bonn
94 India, Mumbai
95 Jamaica, Kingston
96 Djibouti, Djibouti
97 United Kingdom, Belfast
98 Congo, Brazzaville
99 USA, Anchorage AK
100 USA, Philadelphia Pa
101 Uruguay, Montevideo
102 New Zealand, Auckland
103 Liberia, Monrovia
104 Canada, Ottawa
105 Spain, Madrid
106 France, Lyon
107 Colombia, Bogota
108 Barbados, Bridgetown
109 Sweden, Stockholm
110 Martinique, Fort-de-France
111 Czech Republic, Prague
112 Cameroon, Douala
113 Australia, Adelaide
114 Vatican City, Vatican City
115 Turkey, Ankara
116 China, Beijing
117 Puerto Rico, San Juan
118 Nauru, Yaren
119 Lebanon, Beirut
120 Zambia, Lusaka
121 USA, Los Angeles Calif
122 France, Marseille
123 Cameroon, Yaounde
124 Cook Islands, Avarua
125 Spain, Barcelona
126 Guam, Hagatna
127 India, New Delhi
128 Samoa, Apia
129 India, Chennai
130 India, Calcutta
131 Ghana, Accra
132 Marshall Islands, Majuro
133 Cote DIvoire, Abidjan
134 Greenland, Nuuk
135 Maldives, Male
136 Hungary, Budapest
137 Malawi, Lilongwe
138 Turkmenistan, Ashgabat
139 USA, San Diego Calif
140 Rwanda, Kigali
141 Palestinian Territories, West Bank
142 India, Hyderabad
143 USA, Chicago Ill
144 Chile, Santiago
145 USA, Portland Ore
146 Syria, Damascus
147 Malta, Velletta
148 Peru, Lima
149 Tuvalu, Funafuti
150 Namibia, Windhoek
151 USA, Baltimore Md
152 Ukraine, Kiev
153 South Africa, Johannesburg
154 Portugal, Lisbon
155 USA, Seattle Wash
156 Tanzania, Dar es Salaam
157 Guadeloupe, Basse-Terre
158 Iran, Tehran
159 Togo, Lome
160 India, Bangalore
161 USA, Miami Fla
162 Guinea, Conakry
163 Kuwait, Kuwait City
164 Senegal, Dakar
165 Guinea-Bissau, Bissau
166 Comores, Moroni
167 Timor-Leste, Dili
168 Brunei, Bandar Seri Begawan
169 Cape Verde, Praia
170 Philippines, Manila
171 Madagascar, Antananarivo
172 Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou
173 Thailand, Bangkok
174 Mexico, Mexico City
175 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Kingstown
176 Saudi Arabia, Riyadh
177 Andorra, Andorra la Vella
178 Greece, Athens
179 French Polynesia, Papeete
180 Guatemala, Guatemala City
181 Lithuania, Vilnius
182 Georgia Republic of, Tbilisi
183 Somalia, Mogadishu
184 USA, Phoenix Ariz
185 Honduras, Tegucigalpa
186 Montenegro, Podgorica
187 South Africa, Pretoria
188 Egypt, Cairo
189 Guyana, Georgetown
190 USA, Las Vegas Nev
191 South Africa, Cape Town
192 Poland, Warsaw
193 Armenia, Yerevan
194 Afghanistan, Kabul
195 Haiti, Port-au-Prince
196 Gibraltar, Gibraltar
197 Cuba, Havana
198 Cyprus, Nicosia
199 Jordan, Amman
200 Fiji, Suva
201 USA, Detroit Mich
202 Benin, Cotonou
203 USA, Denver Colo
204 Grenada, Saint Georges
205 Palau, Melekeok
206 Seychelles, Victoria
207 Panama, Panama City
208 South Africa, Durban
209 USA, Cleveland Ohio
210 Costa Rica, San Jose
211 Kenya, Nairobi
212 Belarus, Minsk
213 Saint Kitts and Nevis, Basseterre
214 USA, Atlanta GA
215 Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur
216 Northern Mariana Islands, Saipan
217 USA, Charlotte NC
218 Iraq, Baghdad
219 Algeria, Algiers
220 Dominica, Roseau
221 Oman, Muscat
222 USA, Jacksonville Fla
223 Gambia, Banjul
224 Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Johns
225 USA, Milwaukee Wis
226 Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo
227 Eritrea, Asmara
228 USA, Pittsburgh Penn
229 Botswana, Gaborone
230 Mozambique, Maputo
231 French Guiana, Cayenne
232 Serbia, Belgrade
233 Niger, Niamey
234 Slovenia, Ljubljana
235 USA, Tampa Fla
236 China, Wuhan
237 China, Shenzhen
238 Latvia, Riga
239 Saudi Arabia, Jeddah
240 USA, Dallas Tex
241 Vietnam, Hanoi
242 USA, Fort Worth Tex
243 Laos, Vientiane
244 USA, San Antonio Tex
245 Moldova, Chisinau
246 USA, Houston Tex
247 China, Dalian
248 Nicaragua, Managua
249 Burundi, Bujumbura
250 Belize, Belmopan
251 USA, Columbus Ohio
252 USA, St Louis MO
253 Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar
254 China, Macao
255 Romania, Bucharest
256 Equatorial Guinea, Malabo
257 USA, Austin Tex
258 Ethiopia, Addis Ababa
259 Macedonia, Skopje
260 El Salvador, San Salvador
261 Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City
262 Mauritania, Nouakchott
263 Bangladesh, Dhaka
264 USA, El Paso Tex
265 Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek
266 Mauritius, Port Louis
267 Saint Lucia, Castries
268 USA, Memphis Tenn
269 Argentina, Buenos Aires
270 Paraguay, Asuncion
271 Kosovo, Pristina
272 Ecuador, Quito
273 Myanmar, Yangon
274 China, Guangzhou
275 Lesotho, Maseru
276 Pakistan, Lahore
277 Morocco, Rabat
278 Bulgaria, Sofia
279 USA, Indianapolis Ind
280 Swaziland, Mbabane
281 China, Tianjin
282 Zimbabwe, Harare
283 Pakistan, Islamabad
284 Nepal, Kathmandu
285 Suriname, Paramaribo
286 Albania, Tirana
287 Uzbekistan, Tashkent
288 Pakistan, Karachi
289 Uganda, Kampala
290 Korea Democratic Republic of, Pyongyang
291 Tajikistan, Dushanbe
292 Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo
293 Libya, Tripoli
294 Bolivia, La Paz
295 Cambodia, Phnom Penh
296 Sri Lanka, Colombo
297 Tunisia, Tunis
298 Bhutan, Thimphu
299 Tonga, NukuAlofa
300 Yemen, Sanaa

Moving to a new Country, How to cope


Having experienced a couple of country moves I can give you a few tips.


Everything I wrote before on researching the country on websites, joining blogs and finding out whether your salary is going to cover your cost of living, are all relevant.


What I want to do is take you through the process of moving. If you are being hired by a company who are going to help you move, life is going to be a lot easier. If however, you are going to be doing this on your own you need to prepare yourself for a little work.


 


Firstly, find out what you need from a documentation point of view to get into the new country.


1. Do you need a visa, which type of visa will you need (working, spousal, minor children, etc) for each member of the family and start preparing the documentation for them.


2. Documents could include Unabridged birth certificates, ID documents, Passports, Passport Photos, Marriage Certificate, each country has its own requirements. Some countries require a police / criminal clearance. Find out either from the government website or the embassy in your country as to what you need, or alternatively find an agency that can do it all for you. An agency will let you know what you need to get and can assist you in obtaining the relevant documents.


 


Secondly, what will you need to do when you get to the new country.


1. You will need to find a place to stay in the interim, open a bank account, organise a post box, transport, etc, so you need to find out what you need to have to do these. Do you need to keep certified copies of your passport or bank statements, etc?


2. Will you need to go through medicals for any reason, do you need to take any medical records with you?


3. How do you set up your medical aid, life insurance, buy or rent a property, get a phone installed??? Once again if you are moving with a company all of this will be a lot easier, as you will always have someone to facilitate you with the processes, but moving to a foreign country where everything is different could take its toll. Sometimes the best advice is just to ask.


 


Thirdly, prepare yourself for the move.


1. Start planning, make a list of everything you need to do.


2. Our list consisted of the following:


a. Plan the day you are going to fly out and book the tickets, this date will determine all the below dates. First ensure that you have all documentation required before booking your tickets.


b. List all accounts that need to be paid or cancelled and the dates that this needs to be completed by e.g. Medical Aid, Security company, Car insurance, Telephone account, Internet account, Post box, Clothing accounts, etc.


c. Decide what to do with your bank account, and all the cards attached to it. Do you want to keep your account open and keep all the cards, or just keep 1 card? Remember the bank charges that you will need to pay monthly and that you will have 2 sets of bank accounts if you do keep it open. However, it could be worthwhile so that you have money available and cards that you can use.


d. What are you going to do with your car/s, house, other assets, furniture, even down to your clothes - if you are going to sell them start planning what to sell, how much for and how you need to go about doing this, with deadline dates. Alternatively you can store your belongings.


e. If you require to give someone power of attorney to sell anything or do any other legal work for you, decide on who you would want to do this for you and how to go about doing it. Your bank can normally assist you in this process.


f. Decide what you want to do with your Life policies, Retirement annuities, or any other policy or investment you have made, your broker can help you with these decisions.


g. When are you going to tell everyone about this decision you have made, do you have to resign from a job before you go and when do you need to let them know, plan your decision carefully as you don't want to leave with any problems.


h. Do you employ anyone, start planning how to tell them you are leaving, what they need to be paid, is there a retrenchment package attached, write referral letters, do you need to write letters to any government departments to inform them of the change in status of your employee and leave with everyone happy.


i. If you are taking any personal belongings with you start getting quotes from removal companies and make a decision on who to go with. Get at least 5 quotes to be objective and ensure you are comfortable with the service, and get referrals.


j. Are you taking animals with you? If so do the same as above. Find out whether there are any special requirements you need to take into account when taking your animals with you. Do you need to keep them in quarantine and if so for how long, what documentation do you need to get for them and vaccinations?


k. Organise someone to take you to the airport.


l. Check on how you are all feeling, how are the kids doing and how do they feel about the move. Talk about it and let the kids know what is happening.


m. Have a farewell party for all of you, the kids and their friends and you and your friends. There needs to be some form of closure, and it will make you feel just how special all the people in your life are and how special you are to them.


n. Remember to keep contact details close at hand of everyone that is important to you.


o. See if you can find a personal relocator in the country you are moving too, they can be of great help too.


 


I hope this helps in the process required to relocate. It can be daunting and unsettling, or an adventure, you need to decide how to perceive the move. In my next article, I will write about settling in and the processes you need to go through to do this.


Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Communication International Cost of Living Ranking 2010

This report provides you with the rank of Communication cost of living indexes as at September 2010 for each of our 300 global locations. 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). Our calculators make use of the cost of living indexes, based on your input and Xpatulator's data, to create reports online which you can save, e-mail or convert to a pdf file.

 

Communication costs include various communication costs such as home telephone rental and call charges, internet connection and service provider fees, mobile / cellular phone contract and calls.

 

Xpatulator.com is the most comprehensive source of international cost of living index information.

 

The September 2010 communication international cost of living rank is as follows:

 

September 2010 Rank Country, City


1 Swaziland, Mbabane
2 Peru, Lima
3 Thailand, Bangkok
4 Kiribati, South Tarawa
5 Solomon Islands, Honiara
6 New Caledonia, Noumea
7 Kenya, Nairobi
8 Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou
9 Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby
10 Saint Lucia, Castries
11 Colombia, Bogota
12 Latvia, Riga
13 Germany, Munich
14 Gabon, Libreville
15 Bolivia, La Paz
16 Germany, Frankfurt
17 Germany, Cologne
18 Germany, Berlin
19 Norway, Oslo
20 Botswana, Gaborone
21 Germany, Bonn
22 Belarus, Minsk
23 Germany, Hamburg
24 Cameroon, Douala
25 Malawi, Lilongwe
26 Cameroon, Yaounde
27 Togo, Lome
28 Slovakia, Bratislava
29 Madagascar, Antananarivo
30 Burundi, Bujumbura
31 Brazil, Sao Paulo
32 Dominica, Roseau
33 USA, Boston Mass
34 Bahamas, Nassau
35 Italy, Milan
36 Djibouti, Djibouti
37 Italy, Rome
38 China, Beijing
39 Somalia, Mogadishu
40 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Kingstown
41 Brazil, Rio de Janeiro
42 Nicaragua, Managua
43 Nepal, Kathmandu
44 Cape Verde, Praia
45 Honduras, Tegucigalpa
46 USA, Philadelphia Pa
47 French Polynesia, Papeete
48 Armenia, Yerevan
49 Oman, Muscat
50 Sierra Leone, Freetown
51 Brazil, Brasilia
52 Vatican City, Vatican City
53 Turkmenistan, Ashgabat
54 Japan, Tokyo
55 Tunisia, Tunis
56 Kazakhstan, Almaty
57 Azerbaijan, Baku
58 Estonia, Tallinn
59 Croatia, Zagreb
60 Cote DIvoire, Abidjan
61 Costa Rica, San Jose
62 San Marino, San Marino
63 Greece, Athens
64 Chile, Santiago
65 Moldova, Chisinau
66 Marshall Islands, Majuro
67 Saint Kitts and Nevis, Basseterre
68 Russia, Moscow
69 Uruguay, Montevideo
70 Mauritania, Nouakchott
71 Liechtenstein, Vaduz
72 Micronesia, Palikir
73 Bangladesh, Dhaka
74 Eritrea, Asmara
75 Mexico, Mexico City
76 Nauru, Yaren
77 Monaco, Monaco
78 Spain, Madrid
79 Morocco, Rabat
80 Mozambique, Maputo
81 Pakistan, Lahore
82 Guinea-Bissau, Bissau
83 Ethiopia, Addis Ababa
84 USA, Detroit Mich
85 Tuvalu, Funafuti
86 Spain, Barcelona
87 China, Wuhan
88 Mali, Bamako
89 Bermuda, Hamilton
90 China, Shenzhen
91 Austria, Vienna
92 Palau, Melekeok
93 Pakistan, Islamabad
94 Angola, Luanda
95 Guadeloupe, Basse-Terre
96 Grenada, Saint Georges
97 China, Shanghai
98 Pakistan, Karachi
99 China, Dalian
100 Vanuatu, Port Vila

Asia-Pacific Cost of Living - 2010

Tokyo is the costliest city in the world in which to live.

Tokyo is the most expensive city in the world in which to live, out of 300 global locations, surveyed in September 2010. While Tokyo is relatively cheap for items such as alcohol & tobacco (ranked 145), it is the most expensive for groceries and healthcare, and household accommodation costs. Tokyo has always been relatively expensive. This trend has strengthened again recently, as a result of the Japanese Yen having gained in value by about 18% against the United States Dollar in the past two years.

As the most expensive city in the world, Tokyo has an overall cost of living index of 155.4 (New York = 100), while Dubai (ranked 60 in the world) has a cost of living index of 88.84. Therefore Tokyo's cost of living is 75% higher than Dubai. That means that an expatriate earning USD$5,000 per month in Dubai would need to earn USD$8,750 per month in Tokyo to enable them to have the same purchasing power, and therefore a similar standard of living as they had in Dubai. The cost of living for an expatriate is affected by both the availability and prices, of goods and services representative of an expatriate lifestyle, local inflation, and the exchange rate between the home and host country. As a result the cost of living has a significant impact of an expatriate's salary package.

Asia-Pacific has 4 of the 10 most expensive cities in the world. Tokyo is first and Hong Kong the third most expensive location in the world (and most expensive in greater China), whilst Osaka is the third most expensive city in Asia-Pacific (ranked 4 in the world), followed by Nagoya (ranked 6 in the world).

Cities in mainland China remain relatively cheap, mainly due to the pegging of the Chinese Yuan to the US Dollar which has kept costs down. Within mainland China, Shanghai (ranked 15 in the world), and Beijing (ranked 116 in the world) are the most expensive locations. The cheapest city surveyed in China is Tianjin (ranked 281 in the world) with a cost of living index of 60.34 (New York = 100). The cheapest city in Asia-Pacific is NukuAlofa in Tonga (ranked 299 in the world) with a cost of living index of 54.45 (New York = 100).

Most expensive cities in Asia-Pacific (Global rank in brackets)
1. Japan, Tokyo (1)
2. China, Hong Kong (3)
3. Japan, Osaka (4)
4. Japan, Nagoya (6)
5. Japan, Yokohama (11)
6. China, Shanghai (15)
7. Singapore (20)
8. Australia, Sydney (22)
9. Korea Republic of, Seoul (24)
10. Australia, Canberra (25)

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Monday, September 27, 2010

Clothing International Cost of Living Rank 2010

This report provides you with the rank of Clothing cost of living indexes as at September 2010 for each of our 300 global locations. 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). Our calculators make use of the cost of living indexes, based on your input and Xpatulator's data, to create reports online which you can save, e-mail or convert to a pdf file.

 

Clothing costs include clothing and footwear products such as business suits, casual clothing, children’s clothing and footwear, coats and hats, evening wear, shoe repairs, and underwear.

 

The September 2010 clothing international cost of living rank is as follows:


September 2010 Rank Country, City


1 Bahrain, Manama
2 Brazil, Sao Paulo
3 Ukraine, Kiev
4 United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi
5 Brazil, Rio de Janeiro
6 Brazil, Brasilia
7 USA, San Jose Calif
8 USA, Boston Mass
9 Angola, Luanda
10 Russia, Moscow
11 United Arab Emirates, Dubai
12 USA, San Francisco Calif
13 Croatia, Zagreb
14 Lebanon, Beirut
15 Mexico, Mexico City
16 Slovakia, Bratislava
17 Slovenia, Ljubljana
18 Japan, Tokyo
19 Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby
20 USA, Philadelphia Pa
21 Samoa, Apia
22 Qatar, Doha
23 Austria, Vienna
24 China, Beijing
25 Venezuela, Caracas
26 Denmark, Copenhagen
27 Philippines, Manila
28 New Caledonia, Noumea
29 USA, San Antonio Tex
30 Sudan, Khartoum
31 Russia, St. Petersburg
32 Belgium, Brussels
33 France, Paris
34 Liechtenstein, Vaduz
35 Switzerland, Geneva
36 Iran, Tehran
37 Switzerland, Zurich
38 Chad, NDjamena
39 Kuwait, Kuwait City
40 Netherlands, Amsterdam
41 Peru, Lima
42 USA, Detroit Mich
43 Micronesia, Palikir
44 China, Shanghai
45 Czech Republic, Prague
46 China, Hong Kong
47 Monaco, Monaco
48 Luxembourg, Luxembourg
49 Canada, Toronto
50 Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur
51 Greece, Athens
52 Colombia, Bogota
53 USA, New York NY
54 Belize, Belmopan
55 Canada, Vancouver
56 Jordan, Amman
57 Spain, Madrid
58 Georgia Republic of, Tbilisi
59 Germany, Munich
60 Korea Republic of, Seoul
61 Brunei, Bandar Seri Begawan
62 USA, Houston Tex
63 Sweden, Stockholm
64 Canada, Calgary
65 Germany, Frankfurt
66 China, Shenzhen
67 China, Wuhan
68 Germany, Berlin
69 Germany, Cologne
70 Germany, Bonn
71 France, Lyon
72 Kazakhstan, Almaty
73 Cote DIvoire, Abidjan
74 Spain, Barcelona
75 China, Dalian
76 Canada, Montreal
77 Turkey, Istanbul
78 Germany, Hamburg
79 Azerbaijan, Baku
80 USA, Columbus Ohio
81 Portugal, Lisbon
82 USA, Anchorage AK
83 Japan, Nagoya
84 Italy, Milan
85 Solomon Islands, Honiara
86 Japan, Osaka
87 Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo
88 Italy, Rome
89 Ethiopia, Addis Ababa
90 Mauritius, Port Louis
91 USA, Cleveland Ohio
92 San Marino, San Marino
93 Romania, Bucharest
94 Guinea-Bissau, Bissau
95 Hungary, Budapest
96 USA, San Diego Calif
97 Japan, Yokohama
98 USA, Washington DC
99 USA, Phoenix Ariz
100 China, Guangzhou

 

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Do Expatriates experience hardship?


Does an Expatriate and their family experience any hardship? First impressions can be misleading. Many Expatriates accept an overseas position with high expectations of a better quality life, luxury accommodation, and the excitement of new experiences.


 


The reality is that many Expatriates are disappointed with the reality versus the expectation of their living and working experience. Once they settle in to their new environment, hardship, over which they have very little control often appear. Hardship is the relative difference in the quality of living a person and their family will experience and the relative impact on their lifestyle when moving between different locations. Factors include-:


 


Economic Differences: Such as moving from a First-World location with little poverty and high levels of service provision to a Third-World location where poverty may be prevalent and services intermittent or unavailable


 


Political Differences: Such as moving from a liberal western life style where diverse views are tolerated to a highly regulated life style where conformity is expected


 


Religious Differences: Such as moving from an environment where your religion is dominant, to a location where your religion is potentially seen with suspicion


 


Public Service Differences: Such as moving from an environment where water, electricity, sanitation, work permits etc are easily accessible, fast and efficient to one where services are not reliable, where administration requires a great deal of your time in poorly maintained offices potentially exposed to corrupt officials


 


Environment/Climate Differences: Such as moving from a mild climate to one of extreme weather such as very hot or very cold locations


 


Personal Safety Differences: Such as moving from a safe secure environment where you can walk the streets in safety to an environment where you require security (armed response, expensive insurance, high walls electric fences etc) and where it may not be safe to walk outdoors alone


 


Health Differences: Such as moving from an environment where vaccines and health standards have eradicated most disease to an environment where health standards are poor, and life threatening viral outbreaks common


 


Education Differences: Such as moving from an environment where state education standards are high, pupils are taught in their mother-tongue, and schools are close to home to an environment where state school standards are poor and in a different language requiring attendance at an international school which can be expensive and require daily travel


 


Transportation Differences: Such as moving from a location where public transport is freely available and efficient, to a location where it is unreliable and may not be safe to use.


 


In assessing how much to pay an Expatriate, it is important to take into account the relative hardship, in terms of quality of living conditions between locations, and assesses the relative level of difficulty that will be experienced in adapting to a new location.


International Cost of Living - September 2010

Tokyo is the costliest city in the world in which to live.

Tokyo is the most expensive city in the world in which to live, out of 300 global locations, surveyed in September 2010. While Tokyo is relatively cheap for items such as alcohol & tobacco (ranked 145), it is the most expensive for groceries and healthcare, and household accommodation costs. Tokyo has always been relatively expensive. This trend has strengthened again recently, as a result of the Japanese Yen having gained in value by about 18% against the United States Dollar in the past two years.

As the most expensive city in the world, Tokyo has an overall cost of living index of 155.4 (New York = 100), while Dubai (ranked 60 in the world) has a cost of living index of 88.84. Therefore Tokyo's cost of living is 75% higher than Dubai. That means that an expatriate earning USD$5,000 per month in Dubai would need to earn USD$8,750 per month in Tokyo to enable them to have the same purchasing power, and therefore a similar standard of living as they had in Dubai. The cost of living for an expatriate is affected by both the availability and prices, of goods and services representative of an expatriate lifestyle, local inflation, and the exchange rate between the home and host country. As a result the cost of living has a significant impact of an expatriate's salary package.

Caracas has moved up the rankings to become the second most expensive city to live in. Caracas is most expensive place in the world for furniture and appliances, recreation and culture as well as for hotels restaurants and meals out. Caracas is the second most expensive place for alcohol and tobacco, groceries, and healthcare.

Hong Kong is the third most expensive city in the world for expatriates to live in. The high overall cost of living rank for Hong Kong is primarily a result of two expensive basket groups. Hong Kong is the third most expensive city in the world for healthcare, and is the second most expensive city in the world for household accommodation, which typically comprises 30% of an expatriate's expenses. Hong Kong is a good example of why many international organizations compensate separately for healthcare as well as household related costs such as housing rental, water, electricity, household gas, household fuels, local rates and residential taxes. Items that are provided by the employer should be excluded from a cost of living index calculation. The cost of living index for Hong Kong excluding healthcare and household related costs is substantially lower than it's overall cost of living index of 128.9 (New York = 100). Hong Kong is relatively cheap for recreation & culture (ranked 241 in the world), education (ranked 259 in the world), as well as furniture & appliances (ranked 268 in the world).

Osaka, ranked fourth, is a new addition to the rankings. Osaka is most expensive for household accommodation (ranked 3 in the world), healthcare (ranked 5 in the world) and groceries (ranked 6 in the world).

Sao Paulo, another new addition to the rankings, is the fifth most expensive city in the world. Sao Paulo is the most expensive place in the world for education, and is ranked second most expensive for clothing. The Brazilian Real has strengthened by 11% against the United States Dollar in the past year, although it is still weaker than it was two years ago. Sao Paulo is ranked in the top 55 most expensive cities in the world for each of the 13 basket groups.

Africa's most expensive city is Luanda (ranked 14 in the world). Luanda is the second most expensive place in the world for education. Luanda is rebuilding its infrastructure after years of war, which has contributed to making goods and services purchased by expatriates expensive, as a result of lack of availability, and the cost of bringing appropriate goods and services into the country. Lagos (ranked 33 in the world) has moved up the rankings to become the second most expensive city in Africa, followed by Libreville in Gabon. The cheapest city in Africa is Tunis (ranked 297 in the world).

Most expensive cities in Africa (Global rank in brackets)
1. Angola, Luanda (14)
2. Nigeria, Lagos (33)
3. Gabon, Libreville (51)
4. Sudan, Khartoum (55)
5. Congo Democratic Rep, Kinshasa (59)
6. Chad, N'Djamena (62)
7. Saint Helena, Jamestown (64)
8. Mali, Bamako (73)
9. Central African Republic, Bangui (80)
10. Sierra Leone, Freetown (89)

The Americas most expensive city is now Caracas, which is the world's second most expensive city to live in, largely as a result of the recent devaluation of the official exchange rate. Brazil has 3 of the 4 most expensive cities in the Americas. New additions to the rankings, Sao Paulo (ranked 5 in the world), and Rio de Janeiro (ranked 7 in the world) are followed by Brasilia (ranked 13 in the world). Nassau (ranked 18 in the world) is the fifth most expensive city, while New York (ranked 21 in the world) is the sixth most expensive city in the America's and most expensive in the United States of America. The cheapest city to live in the Americas is La Paz in Bolivia (ranked 294 in the world). The cheapest city surveyed in the United States of America is Indianapolis Ind (ranked 279 in the world).

Most expensive cities in the Americas (Global rank in brackets)
1. Venezuela, Caracas (2)
2. Brazil, Sao Paulo (5)
3. Brazil, Rio de Janeiro (7)
4. Brazil, Brasilia (13)
5. Bahamas, Nassau (18)
6. USA, New York NY (21)
7. Canada, Toronto (31)
8. Trinidad and Tobago, Port-of-Spain (32)
9. Bermuda, Hamilton (36)
10. Canada, Vancouver (42)

Asia-Pacific has 4 of the 10 most expensive cities in the world. Tokyo is first and Hong Kong the third most expensive location in the world (and most expensive in greater China), whilst Osaka is the third most expensive city in Asia-Pacific (ranked 4 in the world), followed by Nagoya (ranked 6 in the world).

Cities in mainland China remain relatively cheap, mainly due to the pegging of the Chinese Yuan to the US Dollar which has kept costs down. Within mainland China, Shanghai (ranked 15 in the world), and Beijing (ranked 116 in the world) are the most expensive locations. The cheapest city surveyed in China is Tianjin (ranked 281 in the world) with a cost of living index of 60.34 (New York = 100). The cheapest city in Asia-Pacific is NukuAlofa in Tonga (ranked 299 in the world) with a cost of living index of 54.45 (New York = 100).

Most expensive cities in Asia-Pacific (Global rank in brackets)
1. Japan, Tokyo (1)
2. China, Hong Kong (3)
3. Japan, Osaka (4)
4. Japan, Nagoya (6)
5. Japan, Yokohama (11)
6. China, Shanghai (15)
7. Singapore (20)
8. Australia, Sydney (22)
9. Korea Republic of, Seoul (24)
10. Australia, Canberra (25)

Europe's most expensive cities are those that are not on the Euro. The most expensive city in Europe is Geneva (ranked 8 in the world), while Zurich is Europe's third most expensive city (ranked 10 in the world), making Switzerland the most expensive country in Europe. The Swiss Franc has strengthened by 8% in the past year and by 16% over the past 2 years. Geneva is followed by Moscow (ranked 9 in the world), which had fallen in the cost of living rankings last year and shot back up to 6th most expensive city in Europe earlier this year. The Russian Rouble has strengthened 14% against the Euro in the past year. Oslo is the fourth most expensive city in Europe (ranked 12 in the world), followed by Copenhagen (ranked 16 in the world). The cheapest city in Europe is Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina (ranked 292 in the world) with a cost of living index of 57.15 (New York = 100).

Most expensive cities in Europe (Global rank in brackets)
1. Switzerland, Geneva (8)
2. Russia, Moscow (9)
3. Switzerland, Zurich (10)
4. Norway, Oslo (12)
5. Denmark, Copenhagen (16)
6. Liechtenstein, Vaduz (17)
7. United Kingdom, London (23)
8. France, Paris (26)
9. Monaco, Monaco (29)
10. Jersey, Saint Helier (34)

The Middle East has experienced a drop in inflation in most cities over the past two years following a few years of relatively high inflation. The strong link of most regional currencies to the United States Dollar has resulted in many regional currencies strengthening against other major currencies. The United States Dollar has strengthened against the Euro by around 21% in the past two years making imports from Europe into the region cheaper. Abu Dhabi (ranked 19 in the world) is the most expensive city in the Middle East, followed by Doha (ranked 28 in the world), and Bahrain (ranked 47 in the world). Dubai is the fourth most expensive city in the Middle East (ranked 60 in the world) with a cost of living index of 88.84 (New York = 100). Household accommodation, which comprises 30% of the 13 basket groups based on expatriate expenditure norms, has fallen dramatically in Dubai in the past year, as a result of over-supply, given the impact of the financial crises. The cheapest city surveyed in the Middle East (and cheapest in the world) is Sanaa in Yemen (ranked 300 in the world) with a cost of living index of 50.42, half that of New York which has a cost of living index of 100.

Most expensive cities in the Middle East (Global rank in brackets)
1. United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi (19)
2. Qatar, Doha (28)
3. Bahrain, Manama (47)
4. United Arab Emirates, Dubai (60)
5. Israel, Jerusalem (82)
6. Lebanon, Beirut (119)
7. Palestinian Territories, West Bank (141)
8. Syria, Damascus (146)
9. Iran, Tehran (158)
10. Kuwait, Kuwait City (163)

South Asia is the least expensive region in the world for expatriates to live in. The most expensive city surveyed is Mumbai (ranked 94 in the world), followed by New Delhi (ranked 127 in the world), and Chennai (ranked 129 in the world). The Indian Rupee has weakened by 7% against the United States Dollar over the past two years. The cheapest city in South Asia is Thimphu in Bhutan (ranked 298 in the world).

Most expensive cities in South Asia (Global rank in brackets)
1. India, Mumbai (94)
2. India, New Delhi (127)
3. India, Chennai (129)
4. India, Calcutta (130)
5. Maldives, Male (135)
6. India, Hyderabad (142)
7. India, Bangalore (160)
8. Afghanistan, Kabul (194)
9. Bangladesh, Dhaka (263)
10. Pakistan, Lahore 276)

Notes:
Figures used in this report were taken from Xpatulator.com's cost of living database as at 1 September 2010. The above ranks are based on the overall cost of living index using all 13 basket groups with New York as the base city (Cost of living index = 100).

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