The list of the world’s most expensive cities for expats has been updated for 2017 with African, Asian, and European cities dominating the top of the ranking. 

Moving to a new country is one of the most expensive endeavours one can undertake. Whether you’re an experienced expat looking to permanently relocate or a digital nomad searching for remote jobs in a location you love, the cost of essentials such as accommodation, petrol and food will heavily influence any decision undertaken. Whatever you decide, one useful tool to help choose where your future lies is to compare the cost of living in your new city to your old.

Comparing the cost of living

Consultancy firm Mercer initially developed the list to help multinational companies and governments determine wages and allowances for their expat workforce. Mercer’s survey analyses the price of over 200 goods and services in over 360 cities with substantial expat communities across the globe.

Mercer uses New York as its base city and the US dollar as the base currency. The results differ from other surveys such as the Economist’s Worldwide Cost of Living as Mercer focuses specifically on products bought by expats.

Region by region

Only three European cities remain in the top 10 most expensive cities for expats and they are all in Switzerland: Zurich (4), Geneva (7) and Bern (10). Five of the top 10 are Asian cities. Hong Kong (2) is Asia’s most expensive city for expats; its currency is pegged to the US dollar, which has driven up the cost of accommodation in the city. Hong Kong is followed by Tokyo (3), Singapore (5), Seoul (6) and Shanghai (8).

Several African cities continue to rank highly, reflecting high living costs and prices of goods that expats typically consume. Luanda takes the top spot as the most expensive city for expats despite its weakening currency. Luanda is followed by Victoria (13), Ndjamena (15) and Kinshasa (17). Tunis falls six spots to rank 209 as the least expensive city in the world.

The most expensive city in North America is New York (9), followed by San Francisco (21) and Los Angeles (23). In South America, it is Brazilian cities Sao Paulo (26) and Rio de Janeiro (56) that are the most expensive cities for expats having surged 102 and 100 spots respectively. This is largely due to the strengthening Brazilian currency.

Most expensive cities for expats ranking

Sort the table below to view the most expensive cities for expats by cost of living or by country.

Lead image: Dreamstime

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