maisonjai
14-06-12, 22:51
The World's Most Expensive Places to Live 2012
By Rajeshni Naidu-Ghelani | CNBC – Tue, Jun 12, 2012
Europe’s debt crisis, slowing growth in the U.S. and worries about a hard landing in China: Even if you’ve kept your job this past year, you’ve probably had plenty to worry about. But how about the rising cost of living?
According to a new report from human resources firm Mercer Consulting, the cost of living in North American, Asian and African cities has been rising this past year, despite the global slowdown.
The study looked at 214 cities worldwide and used New York City as the benchmark. Mercer’s annual cost of living survey is used by multinational companies to determine compensation for their expatriate employees around the world. The rankings are based on the cost of more than 200 items in each location including housing, transportation, food, clothing and entertainment.
So, which cities are the most expensive to live in? Click ahead to find out.
1. Tokyo, Japan
Monthly Rent, Luxury 2 Bedroom: $4,848
Cup of Coffee: $8.29
One Gallon of Gasoline: $7.34
Daily International Newspaper: $6.38
Fast-Food Meal: $8.29
2. Luanda, Angola
Monthly Rent, Luxury 2 Bedroom: $6,500
Cup of Coffee: $3.90
One Gallon of Gasoline: $2.38
Daily International Newspaper: $5.46
Fast-Food Meal: $19.94*
*Replaced by club sandwich and soda in absence of any comparable fast food outlets.
3. Osaka, Japan
Monthly Rent, Luxury 2 Bedroom: $3,062
Cup of Coffee: $7.02
One Gallon of Gasoline: $6.85
Daily International Newspaper: $6.38
Fast-Food Meal: $8.29
4. Moscow, Russia
Monthly Rent, Luxury 2 Bedroom: $4,200
Cup of Coffee: $8.37
One Gallon of Gasoline: $3.67
Daily International Newspaper: $9.78
Fast-Food Meal: $6.70
5. Geneva, Switzerland
Monthly Rent, Luxury 2 Bedroom: $4,818
Cup of Coffee: $6.57
One Gallon of Gasoline: $7.46
Daily International Newspaper: $4.38
Fast-Food Meal: $12.59
6. Zurich, Switzerland (Tied)
Monthly Rent, Luxury 2 Bedroom: $3,614
Cup of Coffee: $6.02
One of Gallon Gasoline: $7.38
Daily International Newspaper: $4.38
Fast-Food Meal: $12.59
6. Singapore (Tied)
Singapore, like other Asian financial centers, has seen a big inflow of expatriates, which has pushed up the cost of housing and other living costs.
The city has been moving up Mercer’s most expensive cities list, rising two spots this year from eighth in 2011 and 11 th in 2010. Known for its high property prices and rents compared to the rest of Southeast Asia, Singapore is also an extremely expensive place to own a car. The permit to buy a new car can cost anywhere between $46,000 to over $67,000. Prices of these 10-year permits, known as Certificate of Entitlement (COE), have jumped 40 percent since the beginning of this year.
An average Toyota Vios subcompact costs $85,700 including the permit, up from about $60,000 at the beginning of the year, according to motoring website SGcarmart.com.
Given the steep cost of living in Singapore, expat salaries are also correspondingly high. According to a survey by HSBC more than half of expats in Singapore earned more than $200,000 in 2011, making it the country with the highest expat salaries in Asia. Expats in Singapore need to have larger incomes than their home countries to maintain their standard of living. About 82 percent of expats surveyed said they were more likely to spend more money on accommodation, while 65 percent said they would spend more on food in 2011 compared to the global average of around 50 percent.
Monthly Rent, Luxury 2 Bedroom: $3,588
Cup of Coffee: $5.18
One Gallon of Gasoline: $6.55
Daily International Newspaper: $3.59
Fast-Food Meal: $5.66
8. N’ Djamena, Chad
Monthly Rent, Luxury 2 Bedroom: N/A
Cup of Coffee: $3.32
One Gallon of Gasoline: $6.55
Daily International Newspaper: $6.85
Fast-Food Meal: $25.18
9. Hong Kong
Hong Kong, the only Chinese city or territory to make the top 10 list, has been ranked the ninth most expensive place to live for the past two years, falling from the eighth spot in 2010.
One of the most substantial increases in the cost of living in Hong Kong has been in renting property. The average monthly rent for a luxury two-bedroom apartment jumped around $1,300 from $5,800 in 2011 to almost $7,100 this year. As one of the most densely populated cities in the world with limited housing supply, average house prices have skyrocketed over 93 percent between 2006 and 2011 — making Hong Kong the world’s second-hottest property market, according to real estate consultancy Knight Frank.
Hong Kong’s reputation as a major global financial center remains a big draw for international businesses and expatriates, which in turn pushes up the cost of living. The cost of food and fuel has also gone up from last year with headline inflation jumping nearly 5 percent in April.
Monthly Rent, Luxury 2 Bedroom: $7,092
Cup of Coffee: $6.83
One Gallon of Gasoline: $8.36
Daily International Newspaper: $3.61
Fast-Food Meal: $3.54
10. Nagoya, Japan
Monthly Rent, Luxury 2 Bedroom: $2,551
Cup of Coffee: $6.38
One Gallon of Gasoline: $6.70
Daily International Newspaper: $6.38
Fast-Food Meal: $8.42
By Rajeshni Naidu-Ghelani | CNBC – Tue, Jun 12, 2012
Europe’s debt crisis, slowing growth in the U.S. and worries about a hard landing in China: Even if you’ve kept your job this past year, you’ve probably had plenty to worry about. But how about the rising cost of living?
According to a new report from human resources firm Mercer Consulting, the cost of living in North American, Asian and African cities has been rising this past year, despite the global slowdown.
The study looked at 214 cities worldwide and used New York City as the benchmark. Mercer’s annual cost of living survey is used by multinational companies to determine compensation for their expatriate employees around the world. The rankings are based on the cost of more than 200 items in each location including housing, transportation, food, clothing and entertainment.
So, which cities are the most expensive to live in? Click ahead to find out.
1. Tokyo, Japan
Monthly Rent, Luxury 2 Bedroom: $4,848
Cup of Coffee: $8.29
One Gallon of Gasoline: $7.34
Daily International Newspaper: $6.38
Fast-Food Meal: $8.29
2. Luanda, Angola
Monthly Rent, Luxury 2 Bedroom: $6,500
Cup of Coffee: $3.90
One Gallon of Gasoline: $2.38
Daily International Newspaper: $5.46
Fast-Food Meal: $19.94*
*Replaced by club sandwich and soda in absence of any comparable fast food outlets.
3. Osaka, Japan
Monthly Rent, Luxury 2 Bedroom: $3,062
Cup of Coffee: $7.02
One Gallon of Gasoline: $6.85
Daily International Newspaper: $6.38
Fast-Food Meal: $8.29
4. Moscow, Russia
Monthly Rent, Luxury 2 Bedroom: $4,200
Cup of Coffee: $8.37
One Gallon of Gasoline: $3.67
Daily International Newspaper: $9.78
Fast-Food Meal: $6.70
5. Geneva, Switzerland
Monthly Rent, Luxury 2 Bedroom: $4,818
Cup of Coffee: $6.57
One Gallon of Gasoline: $7.46
Daily International Newspaper: $4.38
Fast-Food Meal: $12.59
6. Zurich, Switzerland (Tied)
Monthly Rent, Luxury 2 Bedroom: $3,614
Cup of Coffee: $6.02
One of Gallon Gasoline: $7.38
Daily International Newspaper: $4.38
Fast-Food Meal: $12.59
6. Singapore (Tied)
Singapore, like other Asian financial centers, has seen a big inflow of expatriates, which has pushed up the cost of housing and other living costs.
The city has been moving up Mercer’s most expensive cities list, rising two spots this year from eighth in 2011 and 11 th in 2010. Known for its high property prices and rents compared to the rest of Southeast Asia, Singapore is also an extremely expensive place to own a car. The permit to buy a new car can cost anywhere between $46,000 to over $67,000. Prices of these 10-year permits, known as Certificate of Entitlement (COE), have jumped 40 percent since the beginning of this year.
An average Toyota Vios subcompact costs $85,700 including the permit, up from about $60,000 at the beginning of the year, according to motoring website SGcarmart.com.
Given the steep cost of living in Singapore, expat salaries are also correspondingly high. According to a survey by HSBC more than half of expats in Singapore earned more than $200,000 in 2011, making it the country with the highest expat salaries in Asia. Expats in Singapore need to have larger incomes than their home countries to maintain their standard of living. About 82 percent of expats surveyed said they were more likely to spend more money on accommodation, while 65 percent said they would spend more on food in 2011 compared to the global average of around 50 percent.
Monthly Rent, Luxury 2 Bedroom: $3,588
Cup of Coffee: $5.18
One Gallon of Gasoline: $6.55
Daily International Newspaper: $3.59
Fast-Food Meal: $5.66
8. N’ Djamena, Chad
Monthly Rent, Luxury 2 Bedroom: N/A
Cup of Coffee: $3.32
One Gallon of Gasoline: $6.55
Daily International Newspaper: $6.85
Fast-Food Meal: $25.18
9. Hong Kong
Hong Kong, the only Chinese city or territory to make the top 10 list, has been ranked the ninth most expensive place to live for the past two years, falling from the eighth spot in 2010.
One of the most substantial increases in the cost of living in Hong Kong has been in renting property. The average monthly rent for a luxury two-bedroom apartment jumped around $1,300 from $5,800 in 2011 to almost $7,100 this year. As one of the most densely populated cities in the world with limited housing supply, average house prices have skyrocketed over 93 percent between 2006 and 2011 — making Hong Kong the world’s second-hottest property market, according to real estate consultancy Knight Frank.
Hong Kong’s reputation as a major global financial center remains a big draw for international businesses and expatriates, which in turn pushes up the cost of living. The cost of food and fuel has also gone up from last year with headline inflation jumping nearly 5 percent in April.
Monthly Rent, Luxury 2 Bedroom: $7,092
Cup of Coffee: $6.83
One Gallon of Gasoline: $8.36
Daily International Newspaper: $3.61
Fast-Food Meal: $3.54
10. Nagoya, Japan
Monthly Rent, Luxury 2 Bedroom: $2,551
Cup of Coffee: $6.38
One Gallon of Gasoline: $6.70
Daily International Newspaper: $6.38
Fast-Food Meal: $8.42