Moving to one of the most expensive cities for expats overseas can be a wonderful opportunity for furthering your education, career, and for broadening your horizon. But more often than not, moving to a new country is a big financial move. Following, we would like to present you with a list we have compiled of the top 10 most expensive cities in the world for expats in 2013.
The following cities were ranked the most expensive cities for expats according to the statistics issued by Mercer earlier this year, in their 2013 Cost of Living Ranking. Their study took into account a total of 214 cities across five different continents. The rankings were determined by comparing the cost of more than 200 items in each of the cities, ranging from housing and transportation to food and clothing. Household expenses, entertainment spending and other miscellaneous costs, such as drinks and tobacco, were also taken into account.
We have also included the rank each of the cities received in 2012 so that you can compare how they have evolved. Curious to see which other cities have made it on the list? Let’s take a look at the countdown of the most expensive cities for expats.
No. 9: Sydney, Australia (tie)
2012 rank: 11
A single cup of coffee can take you back approximately $5.16 in Sydney and a burger meal about $9.24. Going out for a movie cost almost $20, while your average pair of jeans is priced at $114; significant, even among the most expensive cities for expats.
No. 9: Bern, Switzerland (tie)
2012 rank: 14
Switzerland is an overall expensive country, as you’ll realize once you read this countdown of the most expensive cities for expats, but apartments do tend to be cheaper in Bern, at around $2,600 per month. Everything else is anything but cheap. Expect to pay an average of $138 for a pair of jeans, $19 for a movie ticket, and a whopping $2.02 for a liter of gasoline.
No. 8: Zurich, Switzerland
2012 rank: 6 (tied with Singapore City)
An unfurnished 2-bedroom condo in Zurich will set you back $4,000 a month. Movie tickets sell at around $21 and a fast food meal costs an average of $13.
No. 7: Geneva, Switzerland
2012 rank: 5
See, we told you Switzerland is an expensive country. Apartments run at about $4,300, a pair of jeans will set you back about $141, and expect to pay as much as $7 for a cup of coffee.
No. 6: Hong Kong, China
2012 rank: 9
Hong Kong is probably one of the most expensive places in the world where you could rent an apartment: an unfurnished 2-bedroom condo is over $7,000 per month. That’s a lot, even by most expensive cities for expats standards.
No. 5: Singapore City, Singapore
2012 rank: 6 (tied with Zurich)
The island/city/state is one of the most expensive places in the world for expats. While most commodities, such as coffee, fast food, and newspapers will cost you as much as they do in New York, for example, housing expenses tend to be much higher. Expect to pay almost $4,000 per month for a 2-bedroom unfurnished apartment.
No. 4: N’Djamena, Chad
2012 rank: 8
Renting a home in N’Djamena is a lot cheaper than in any other city on our countdown most expensive cities for expats. On the downside, the cost of transportation, electricity, and groceries will set you way back. And if you’re craving some fast food, expect to pay at least $25 for it.
No. 3: Tokyo, Japan
2012 rank: 1
Food item prices are relatively acceptable in Tokyo, Japan, but everything else is quite expensive. A movie ticket is around $20, while rents vary between $4,500 (2-bedroom) and $7,200 (3-bedroom) a month.
No. 2: Moscow, Russia
2012 rank: 4
Russia’s capital ranks as this year’s second most expensive city for expats. Expect to pay $4,600 for a two bedroom apartment, $10 for an international newspaper, and a whopping $8.30 for a cup of coffee.
No. 1: Luanda, Angola
2012 rank: 2
Here you have it: the world’s most expensive city for expats. An unfurnished 2-bedroom condo will cost you $6,500 per month. Looking for a 3-bedroom? The rent is a staggering $15,000. While most food items are not tremendously expensive, you can expect to pay over $200 for a pair of jeans and $20 for a soda and a club sandwich.
Like our list of the world’s most expensive cities for expats? Check out the “8 Most Expensive Dog Breeds in the World.”
