The oil rich countries of Venezuela and Brazil are the most expensive places to live for expatriates in the Americas. Caracas is the Americas most expensive place to live in July 2012, both overall and based on the cost of living excluding the housing, education, healthcare and transport baskets. Caracas is followed by Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.
The most worlds most expensive place to live, based on the overall cost of living, encompassing all cost of living baskets is Hong Kong having overtaken Tokyo to top the latest international cost of living rankings. Moscow is the most worlds most expensive place to live in July 2012 based on the cost of living excluding the housing, education, healthcare and transport baskets. Many companies cover these costs on behalf of the employee while on international assignments.
The rankings are based on data collected for 780 international locations, covering every country world-wide.
The cost of living (COL) data collected is representative of an expatriate lifestyle. The components of the COL data are local prices for fixed quantities of the same goods and services in each location, local inflation and exchange rates. Prices in each location are affected by availability (i.e. supply & demand) as well as local pricing regulations and taxes on goods and services (e.g.premiums on luxury brands). Local inflation is usually representative of local price increases which in turn impacts an expatriates purchasing power in the host country. The exchange rate impacts both the price of imports to the host country and the expatriate assignment salary calculation between the home and host country. The cost of living has a significant impact on the purchasing power of an expatriate’s salary package.
Caracas, which is the 5th most expensive place in the world to live, has an overall cost of living index of 135.70. The overall global most expensive place to live, Hong Kong has an overall cost of living index of 149.14, followed by Tokyo with 142.12, and Zurich with 137.12. The overall index is comprised of 13 different basket groups. The assumption using the overall index is that everything is paid from the salary package. In addition, the cost of living calculations are weighted according to typical monthly international expatriate spending patterns. The Household Accommodation Basket for example, has a weighting of 30%, while the Groceries Basket has a weighting of 16.5%. That means that an international expatriate who, for example, earns 10,000 would typically spend 3,000 (30% of 10,000) on housing and 1,650 on groceries.
To provide an assignee, sent from a low cost of living country to a more expensive country, with a similar purchasing power to what they have in their home country, requires an adjustment to their assignment salary. The amount of adjustment depends on which country they come from. The larger the difference in cost of living, the larger the adjustment required to ensure a similar level of purchasing power in the host country.
Caracas is particularly expensive for clothing, education and groceries. For example a litre of milk costs around 1.50 USD and a loaf of white bread 1.80 USD in Caracas compared to 0.90 GBP / 1.40 USD and 1.03 GBP / 1.62 USD respectively in London. Not everything in Caracas is expensive. For example a litre of petrol which costs around 0.13 USD in Caracas, costs around 1.02 USD in New York.
Sao Paulo is particularly expensive for clothing, furniture, appliances, and personal care. In addition a litre of petrol/gasoline costs around 1.45 USD in Sao Paulo compared to 0.60 in Luanda, 0.47 in Abu Dhabi and 0.27 USD in Doha.
Cost of Living Rank - The Americas Locations - Overall Cost of Living & All Baskets (Highest to Lowest):
- Venezuela, Caracas
- Brazil, Sao Paulo
- Brazil, Rio de Janeiro
- USA, New York (Manhattan) NY
- Brazil, Brasilia
- USA, New York (Brooklyn) NY
- Canada, Toronto
- USA, Honolulu HI
- Canada, Vancouver
- Canada, Edmonton
- Canada, Calgary
- USA, New York (Queens) NY
- USA, San Jose CA
- USA, San Francisco CA
- Canada, Montreal
- USA, New York NY
- Brazil, Belo Horizonte
- Bahamas, Nassau
- USA, Nassau County NY
- Haiti, Port-au-Prince
- Barbados, Bridgetown
- Canada, Ottawa
- Brazil, Fortaleza
- Falkland Islands, Stanley
- USA, Orange County CA
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Kingstown
- Saint Kitts and Nevis, Basseterre
- Brazil, Salvador
- Grenada, Saint George's
- Cayman Islands, George Town
- USA, Oakland CA
- USA, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria DC-VA
- USA, Anchorage AK
- Martinique, Fort-de-France
- USA, Los Angeles-Long Beach CA
- Antigua and Barbuda, Saint John's
- Sao Tome and Principe, Sao Tome
- USA, Boston MA
- Bermuda, Hamilton
- USA, San Diego CA
- USA, Bergen-Passaic NJ
- USA, Philadelphia PA
- Mexico, Monterrey
- Jamaica, Kingston
- Trinidad and Tobago, Port-of-Spain
- USA, Hartford CT
- USA, Middlesex-Monmouth NJ
- USA, New Haven CT
- Uruguay, Montevideo
- USA, Seattle WA
- Mexico, Mexico City
- USA, Fresno CA
- Puerto Rico, San Juan
- USA, Amarillo TX
- USA, Chicago IL
- Mexico, Puebla
- USA, Dutchess County NY
- Mexico, Tijuana
- USA, Sacramento CA
- Dominica, Roseau
- USA, Burlington-Chittenden Co VT
- USA, Baltimore MD
- Mexico, Leon
- Mexico, Toluca
- Chile, Santiago
- USA, Portland ME
- USA, Fort Lauderdale FL
- Saint Lucia, Castries
- Mexico, Guadalajara
- Guadeloupe, Basse-Terre
- USA, Riverside City CA
- Colombia, Bogota
- USA, Manchester NH
- Peru, Lima
- USA, Hampton Roads-SE Virginia VA
- USA, Portland OR
- Cuba, Havana
- USA, St. Paul MN
- USA, Minneapolis MN
- USA, Eugene OR
- USA, Miami-Dade County FL
- USA, Albany NY
- USA, Bakersfield CA
- USA, Richmond VA
- USA, Lancaster PA
- Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo
- USA, Phoenix AZ
- USA, Sarasota FL
- USA, Las Vegas NV
- USA, Cleveland OH
- USA, Indianapolis IN
- USA, Reno-Sparks NV
- USA, Akron OH
- USA, Milwaukee-Waukesha WI
- USA, Rochester NY
- USA, Denver CO
- USA, Asheville NC
- USA, Gainesville FL
- USA, Columbia SC
- USA, Binghamton NY
- USA, Wilmington NC
- USA, Detroit MI
- USA, York County PA
- Guyana, Georgetown
- USA, Montgomery AL
- USA, Boise ID
- USA, Raleigh NC
- USA, Plano TX
- USA, Durham NC
- Argentina, Buenos Aires
- USA, Charleston SC
- French Guiana, Cayenne
- USA, Salt Lake City UT
- USA, Bradenton FL
- USA, Orlando FL
- USA, Evansville IN
- USA, Cape Coral-Fort Myers FL
- USA, Fayetteville NC
- Panama, Panama City
- USA, Davenport-Moline-Rock Is IA-IL
- USA, Tucson AZ
- USA, Myrtle Beach SC
- USA, Spokane WA
- USA, Kansas City MO
- USA, Green Bay WI
- USA, Jackson MS
- USA, Rockford IL
- USA, Appleton WI
- USA, Austin TX
- USA, Arlington TX
- Costa Rica, San Jose
- USA, Pittsburgh PA
- USA, Jacksonville FL
- USA, Atlanta GA
- USA, Augusta GA
- USA, Little Rock-North Little Rock AR
- USA, Tampa FL
- USA, Lincoln NE
- USA, Cincinnati OH
- USA, Fort Wayne-Allen County IN
- USA, Columbus OH
- USA, Kennewick-Richland-Pasco WA
- USA, Buffalo NY
- USA, Baton Rouge LA
- USA, Dallas TX
- USA, Charlotte NC
- USA, Savannah GA
- USA, Erie PA
- USA, Mobile AL
- USA, Colorado Springs CO
- USA, Kalamazoo MI
- El Salvador, San Salvador
- USA, Charleston WV
- Paraguay, Asuncion
- USA, Shreveport-Bossier City LA
- USA, Cedar Rapids IA
- USA, Roanoke VA
- USA, El Paso TX
- USA, St. Louis MO
- USA, San Antonio TX
- USA, Greenville SC
- USA, Dayton OH
- USA, Martinsburg-Berkeley County WV
- USA, Midland TX
- USA, Wichita KS
- USA, Fayetteville AR
- USA, Fort Worth TX
- USA, Lexington KY
- USA, South Bend IN
- USA, Huntsville AL
- USA, Chattanooga TN
- USA, Oklahoma City OK
- USA, Des Moines IA
- USA, Houston TX
- USA, Youngstown-Warren OH
- USA, Birmingham AL
- Guatemala, Guatemala City
- USA, Omaha NE
- USA, Clarksville TN
- USA, Winston-Salem NC
- USA, Corpus Christi TX
- USA, Brazoria County TX
- USA, Tulsa OK
- Argentina, Cordoba
- USA, Springfield MO
- USA, Memphis TN
- USA, Lubbock TX
- Suriname, Paramaribo
- USA, Murfreesboro-Smyrna TN
- USA, Louisville KY
- USA, Knoxville TN
- USA, Brownsville TX
- USA, Johnson City TN
- Honduras, Tegucigalpa
- USA, McAllen TX
- USA, Nashville-Franklin TN
- USA, Fort Smith AR
- Belize, Belmopan
- USA, Harlingen TX
- Ecuador, Quito
- Bolivia, La Paz
- Nicaragua, Managua
- Argentina, Rosario
Cost of Living Rank - The Americas Locations - Excluding Housing, Education, Healthcare and Transport Baskets (Highest to Lowest):
- Venezuela, Caracas
- Brazil, Sao Paulo
- Brazil, Rio de Janeiro
- USA, New York (Manhattan) NY
- Brazil, Brasilia
- USA, New York (Brooklyn) NY
- USA, Honolulu HI
- Canada, Toronto
- USA, New York (Queens) NY
- Canada, Vancouver
- USA, San Francisco CA
- Canada, Calgary
- USA, New York NY
- USA, San Jose CA
- Brazil, Belo Horizonte
- Canada, Edmonton
- Canada, Montreal
- USA, Nassau County NY
- Sao Tome and Principe, Sao Tome
- Barbados, Bridgetown
- USA, Anchorage AK
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Kingstown
- Brazil, Salvador
- USA, Oakland CA
- Mexico, Monterrey
- Cayman Islands, George Town
- Bahamas, Nassau
- Saint Kitts and Nevis, Basseterre
- Canada, Ottawa
- USA, Orange County CA
- Brazil, Fortaleza
- Haiti, Port-au-Prince
- Grenada, Saint George's
- USA, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria DC-VA
- USA, Philadelphia PA
- USA, Boston MA
- Mexico, Mexico City
- Chile, Santiago
- USA, Los Angeles-Long Beach CA
- USA, Bergen-Passaic NJ
- Colombia, Bogota
- Martinique, Fort-de-France
- USA, Hartford CT
- Mexico, Toluca
- Bermuda, Hamilton
- USA, San Diego CA
- Jamaica, Kingston
- Antigua and Barbuda, Saint John's
- USA, New Haven CT
- Mexico, Guadalajara
- Peru, Lima
- Mexico, Puebla
- Uruguay, Montevideo
- USA, Seattle WA
- Mexico, Tijuana
- Mexico, Leon
- USA, Middlesex-Monmouth NJ
- USA, Burlington-Chittenden Co VT
- USA, Fresno CA
- USA, Dutchess County NY
- USA, Baltimore MD
- USA, Sacramento CA
- USA, Chicago IL
- Dominica, Roseau
- USA, Fort Lauderdale FL
- Puerto Rico, San Juan
- Saint Lucia, Castries
- Falkland Islands, Stanley
- USA, Manchester NH
- USA, Portland ME
- USA, Hampton Roads-SE Virginia VA
- USA, St. Paul MN
- USA, Riverside City CA
- USA, Portland OR
- USA, Miami-Dade County FL
- USA, Minneapolis MN
- Guadeloupe, Basse-Terre
- Trinidad and Tobago, Port-of-Spain
- Guyana, Georgetown
- USA, Albany NY
- USA, Bakersfield CA
- USA, Lancaster PA
- USA, Sarasota FL
- USA, Richmond VA
- USA, Cleveland OH
- USA, Las Vegas NV
- French Guiana, Cayenne
- USA, Phoenix AZ
- USA, Reno-Sparks NV
- USA, Eugene OR
- USA, Wilmington NC
- USA, Asheville NC
- USA, Denver CO
- USA, Gainesville FL
- USA, Columbia SC
- USA, Akron OH
- USA, Charleston SC
- USA, Raleigh NC
- Costa Rica, San Jose
- USA, Cape Coral-Fort Myers FL
- USA, Montgomery AL
- USA, Bradenton FL
- USA, Salt Lake City UT
- Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo
- USA, York County PA
- USA, Milwaukee-Waukesha WI
- USA, Indianapolis IN
- USA, Myrtle Beach SC
- USA, Fayetteville NC
- USA, Plano TX
- USA, Augusta GA
- USA, Orlando FL
- USA, Baton Rouge LA
- USA, Rochester NY
- USA, Boise ID
- USA, Davenport-Moline-Rock Is IA-IL
- USA, Durham NC
- USA, Jacksonville FL
- USA, Evansville IN
- USA, Mobile AL
- USA, Arlington TX
- USA, Pittsburgh PA
- USA, Tucson AZ
- USA, Kansas City MO
- USA, Detroit MI
- USA, Binghamton NY
- USA, Atlanta GA
- USA, Greenville SC
- Ecuador, Quito
- USA, Jackson MS
- USA, Shreveport-Bossier City LA
- USA, Winston-Salem NC
- USA, Charlotte NC
- USA, Little Rock-North Little Rock AR
- USA, Cincinnati OH
- Paraguay, Asuncion
- USA, El Paso TX
- USA, Savannah GA
- USA, Tampa FL
- USA, Buffalo NY
- USA, Erie PA
- USA, St. Louis MO
- USA, Chattanooga TN
- USA, Colorado Springs CO
- USA, Fort Wayne-Allen County IN
- USA, Dallas TX
- USA, Spokane WA
- USA, Fayetteville AR
- USA, Kalamazoo MI
- USA, Cedar Rapids IA
- USA, Appleton WI
- USA, Austin TX
- USA, Huntsville AL
- USA, Lincoln NE
- USA, Rockford IL
- Suriname, Paramaribo
- USA, Oklahoma City OK
- USA, Green Bay WI
- USA, Birmingham AL
- USA, Roanoke VA
- USA, Columbus OH
- USA, South Bend IN
- Guatemala, Guatemala City
- USA, Kennewick-Richland-Pasco WA
- USA, Midland TX
- USA, Youngstown-Warren OH
- USA, Wichita KS
- USA, San Antonio TX
- Cuba, Havana
- Honduras, Tegucigalpa
- USA, Charleston WV
- USA, Des Moines IA
- Argentina, Buenos Aires
- USA, Murfreesboro-Smyrna TN
- USA, Dayton OH
- USA, Clarksville TN
- USA, Martinsburg-Berkeley County WV
- USA, Knoxville TN
- USA, Lexington KY
- USA, Fort Worth TX
- USA, Memphis TN
- USA, Nashville-Franklin TN
- USA, Springfield MO
- USA, Tulsa OK
- USA, Omaha NE
- USA, Amarillo TX
- USA, Lubbock TX
- USA, Houston TX
- Belize, Belmopan
- USA, Fort Smith AR
- USA, Johnson City TN
- USA, Brazoria County TX
- Panama, Panama City
- USA, Corpus Christi TX
- USA, Brownsville TX
- Bolivia, La Paz
- El Salvador, San Salvador
- USA, Louisville KY
- Nicaragua, Managua
- Argentina, Cordoba
- USA, McAllen TX
- USA, Harlingen TX
- Argentina, Rosario
About Xpatulator.com’s Cost of Living Data
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.
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.
About Xpatulator.com
Xpatulator.com is the most comprehensive source of international cost of living information. We provide free international cost of living overviews and rank information covering 13 cost of living baskets and every country around the world as well as premium content calculators.
Founded in 2007, Xpatulator.com’s mission is to organize the world’s cost of living indices, exchange rates and relative hardship indices and make it accessible and useful to all.
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The cost of living in America in July 2012 is described here. Read a lla bout it
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