Cost of life index for expats, February 2013

Posted By Gerardo (gerardo@expatistan.com) on 02/02/2013

Tokyo Costs Plummet, China Roars Ahead


It's that time of the year again. Twice a year (in January/February and June/July), we prepare a report ranking cities from around the world, along with an analysis and report of trends in the price of living in the world’s regions.

Down at the bottom of this article you can find the rankings as of January 2013 for 112 cities worldwide. The rankings are shown both as a whole, and broken down by region. You can also check at any time the up-to-date cost of living index, which is updated in real time.

The most startling points are that Tokyo – which has long held the title as the most expensive city in the world – has shown a dramatic decrease in the cost of living as compared to other cities. At the same time, Chinese cities have shown a steady, strong rise in the cost of living over the past 18 months.

We use Prague as our benchmark, and we assign it a point value of 100. Against that, Tokyo fell from 291 points (2.91 times more expensive than Prague) in July 2012 to just 212 points this January. Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong (increasingly integrated with China, politically and economically) have all shown double-digit ranking increases. Hong Kong reached the top 10 most expensive cities for the first time since wen began gathering data in January 2010, with a score of 213 points, up 40 over the past 12 months.

Other than the rise of Hong Kong into the ranking, the top 12 most expensive cities in the world, scoring 200 points or more, have remained constant, with just minor adjustments in their order. The new leader, Oslo, scoring 266, has long been in the top tier, as have been Geneva, Zurich, London, Sydney, Singapore and New York City. Just one step down – and not that far – are such cities as Paris, Stockholm, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. A complete ranking of all cities is provided below.

Remaining constant with previous years, the least expensive cities in the world are in South Asia, including Hyderabad, Kolka, Pune, Bangalore and Delhi, all in India, plus Karachi, Pakistan. Eastern European cities, particularly in Poland, Romania and Ukraine, also score well below 100, as do several cities in Argentina. Surprisingly, Bogotá and Caracas rose by double digits, scoring more than 100 points, in the past 18 months.

When examined by region, the comparative cost of living has remained fairly stable since our last report in July 2012. Even with economic and political troubles in the Middle East, North Africa and southern Europe, the rankings – both relative to the benchmark and within the regions – have not changed appreciably. In North America, there has been a slightly downward drift in the relative cost of living in many cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Outside of China, the cost of living in most of the cities in East Asia and Australia has also remained stable.

Cost of Living Raking (Complete ranking)

Ranking City Price Index
1 Oslo (Norway) 266
2 Geneva (Switzerland) 242
3 Zurich (Switzerland) 241
4 London (United Kingdom) 231
5 Sydney (Australia) 224
6 Singapore (Singapore) 223
7 Melbourne (Australia) 213
8 Hong Kong (Hong Kong) 213
9 Tokyo (Japan) 212
10 Perth (Australia) 211
11 New York City (United States) 209
12 Brisbane (Australia) 206
13 Paris (France) 205
14 Stockholm (Sweden) 195
15 Amsterdam (Netherlands) 189
16 Copenhagen (Denmark) 187
17 San Francisco (United States) 182
18 Washington D.C. (United States) 180
19 Dublin (Ireland) 178
20 Adelaide (Australia) 174
21 Toronto (Canada) 172
22 Wellington (New Zealand) 170
23 Vancouver (Canada) 166
24 Calgary (Canada) 164
25 Boston (United States) 162
26 Ottawa (Canada) 162
27 Auckland (New Zealand) 161
28 Munich (Germany) 158
29 Rome (Italy) 157
30 Moscow (Russia) 157
31 Brussels (Belgium) 156
32 Los Angeles (United States) 156
33 Seattle (United States) 154
34 Milan (Italy) 154
35 Tel Aviv (Israel) 153
36 Edmonton (Canada) 151
37 Miami (United States) 149
38 São Paulo (Brazil) 148
39 Montreal (Canada) 147
40 Philadelphia (United States) 147
41 Dubai (United Arab Emirates) 144
42 Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) 144
43 San Diego (United States) 142
44 Berlin (Germany) 142
45 Chicago (United States) 141
46 Madrid (Spain) 141
47 Vienna (Austria) 140
48 Seoul (South Korea) 139
49 Barcelona (Spain) 138
50 Athens (Greece) 136
51 Portland (United States) 136
52 Atlanta (United States) 136
53 Turin (Italy) 134
54 Denver (United States) 134
55 Dallas (United States) 130
56 Tampa (United States) 127
57 Minneapolis (United States) 126
58 Shanghai (China) 126
59 Orlando (United States) 125
60 Austin (United States) 123
61 Istanbul (Turkey) 122
62 Houston (United States) 122
63 San Juan (Puerto Rico) 121
64 Tehran (Iran) 121
65 Lisbon (Portugal) 121
66 Salt Lake City (United States) 120
67 Phoenix (United States) 120
68 Baku (Azerbaijan) 120
69 Saint Petersburg (Russia) 120
70 Santiago (Chile) 118
71 Caracas (Venezuela) 118
72 Montevideo (Uruguay) 116
73 Valencia (Spain) 112
74 Bogotá (Colombia) 112
75 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) 110
76 Johannesburg (South Africa) 109
77 Zagreb (Croatia) 108
78 Panama City (Panama) 107
79 Oporto (Portugal) 105
80 Curitiba (Brazil) 105
81 Jakarta (Indonesia) 103
82 Monterrey (Mexico) 102
83 Bangkok (Thailand) 102
84 Prague (Czech Republic) 100
85 Lima (Peru) 98
86 Medellín (Colombia) 95
87 Mexico City (Mexico) 95
88 Warsaw (Poland) 93
89 Cape Town (South Africa) 92
90 Budapest (Hungary) 90
91 Manila (Philippines) 90
92 Kraków (Poland) 90
93 Vilnius (Lithuania) 88
94 Kiev (Ukraine) 88
95 Gdańsk (Poland) 88
96 Poznan (Poland) 85
97 Wrocław (Poland) 85
98 Bucharest (Romania) 84
99 Sofia (Bulgaria) 83
100 Belgrade (Serbia) 83
101 Szczecin (Poland) 83
102 Buenos Aires (Argentina) 74
103 Mumbai (India) 73
104 Cairo (Egypt) 69
105 Córdoba (Argentina) 67
106 Rosario (Argentina) 62
107 Delhi (India) 59
108 Karachi (Pakistan) 57
109 Bangalore (India) 55
110 Pune (India) 52
111 Kolkata (India) 47
112 Hyderabad (India) 44

Breakdown by region

West and Southern Europe

Ranking City Country Price Index
1 Oslo Norway 266
2 Geneva Switzerland 242
3 Zurich Switzerland 241
4 London United Kingdom 231
13 Paris France 205
14 Stockholm Sweden 195
15 Amsterdam Netherlands 189
16 Copenhagen Denmark 187
19 Dublin Ireland 178
28 Munich Germany 158
29 Rome Italy 157
31 Brussels Belgium 156
34 Milan Italy 154
44 Berlin Germany 142
46 Madrid Spain 141
47 Vienna Austria 140
49 Barcelona Spain 138
50 Athens Greece 136
53 Turin Italy 134
65 Lisbon Portugal 121
73 Valencia Spain 112
79 Oporto Portugal 105

East and Central Europe

Ranking City Country Price Index
30 Moscow Russia 157
69 Saint Petersburg Russia 120
77 Zagreb Croatia 108
84 Prague Czech Republic 100
88 Warsaw Poland 93
90 Budapest Hungary 90
92 Kraków Poland 90
93 Vilnius Lithuania 88
94 Kiev Ukraine 88
95 Gdańsk Poland 88
96 Poznan Poland 85
97 Wrocław Poland 85
98 Bucharest Romania 84
99 Sofia Bulgaria 83
100 Belgrade Serbia 83
101 Szczecin Poland 83

Middle East

Ranking City Country Price Index
35 Tel Aviv Israel 153
41 Dubai United Arab Emirates 144
61 Istanbul Turkey 122
68 Baku Azerbaijan 120

Asia

Ranking City Country Price Index
6 Singapore Singapore 223
8 Hong Kong Hong Kong 213
9 Tokyo Japan 212
48 Seoul South Korea 139
58 Shanghai China 126
64 Tehran Iran 121
75 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia 110
81 Jakarta Indonesia 103
83 Bangkok Thailand 102
91 Manila Philippines 90
103 Mumbai India 73
107 Delhi India 59
108 Karachi Pakistan 57
109 Bangalore India 55
110 Pune India 52
111 Kolkata India 47
112 Hyderabad India 44

Latin America

Ranking City Country Price Index
38 São Paulo Brazil 148
42 Rio de Janeiro Brazil 144
63 San Juan Puerto Rico 121
70 Santiago Chile 118
71 Caracas Venezuela 118
72 Montevideo Uruguay 116
74 Bogotá Colombia 112
78 Panama City Panama 107
80 Curitiba Brazil 105
82 Monterrey Mexico 102
85 Lima Peru 98
86 Medellín Colombia 95
87 Mexico City Mexico 95
102 Buenos Aires Argentina 74
105 Córdoba Argentina 67
106 Rosario Argentina 62

Africa

Ranking City Country Price Index
76 Johannesburg South Africa 109
89 Cape Town South Africa 92
104 Cairo Egypt 69

Oceania

Ranking City Country Price Index
5 Sydney Australia 224
7 Melbourne Australia 213
10 Perth Australia 211
12 Brisbane Australia 206
20 Adelaide Australia 174
22 Wellington New Zealand 170
27 Auckland New Zealand 161

US and Canada

Ranking City Country Price Index
11 New York City United States 209
17 San Francisco United States 182
18 Washington D.C. United States 180
21 Toronto Canada 172
23 Vancouver Canada 166
24 Calgary Canada 164
25 Boston United States 162
26 Ottawa Canada 162
32 Los Angeles United States 156
33 Seattle United States 154
36 Edmonton Canada 151
37 Miami United States 149
39 Montreal Canada 147
40 Philadelphia United States 147
43 San Diego United States 142
45 Chicago United States 141
51 Portland United States 136
52 Atlanta United States 136
54 Denver United States 134
55 Dallas United States 130
56 Tampa United States 127
57 Minneapolis United States 126
59 Orlando United States 125
60 Austin United States 123
62 Houston United States 122
66 Salt Lake City United States 120
67 Phoenix United States 120