| The most expensive global location to live in, as at July | | | | study fees are most expensive in Caracas followed |
| 2009, is still Tokyo Japan, however there have been | | | | by Luanda in Angola, Brasilia in Brazil, Hamilton in |
| some significant changes in the last year mainly due to | | | | Bermuda and Lagos in Nigeria. The least expensive |
| large differences in exchange rates, and more | | | | place for education is Paramaribo in Suriname. |
| recently, a real drop in prices along with the majority of | | | | Top 5 Furniture & Appliances |
| global locations enjoying their lowest inflation rates in | | | | Costs for furniture, household equipment and |
| recent times. | | | | household appliances such as DVD player, fridge |
| Tokyo's cost of living index only increased by 1.4% | | | | freezer, iron, kettle, toaster, microwave, light bulbs, |
| from July 2008 to July 2009, but is 16 index points clear | | | | television, vacuum cleaner, and washing machine are |
| of 2nd placed Hong Kong (11th in July 2008). Last year | | | | most expensive in Douala, followed by Bamako in Mali, |
| Oslo, Norway, was the 2nd most expensive global | | | | Bangui, Lagos, and Freetown in Sierra Leone. The least |
| location to live, however Oslo's cost of living relative to | | | | expensive place for furniture & appliances is |
| the rest of the world has decreased by 27 index | | | | Harare. |
| points over the past year. | | | | Top 5 Groceries |
| The cost of living indexes are based on pricing the | | | | Costs for food, non-alcoholic beverages and cleaning |
| same basket of goods in local currency and | | | | material items such as baby consumables, baked |
| comparing them in US Dollars using exchange rates | | | | goods, baking, canned foods, cheese, cleaning |
| with New York as the base (New York = 100). In most | | | | products, dairy, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, fruit |
| cases the major factor driving the changes has been | | | | juices, meat, oil & vinegars, pet food, pre-prepared |
| the weakening of other currencies against the US | | | | meals, sauces, seafood, snacks, soft drinks, spices |
| Dollar. This is the main factor behind Oslo's drop from | | | | & herbs are most expensive in Tokyo followed |
| 2nd to 13th most expensive global location to live. The | | | | by Bangui, Honiara, Copenhagen in Denmark, and |
| Norwegian Kroner has decreased 19% against the US | | | | Lagos. The least expensive place for groceries is |
| Dollar over the past year. In contrast the Japanese | | | | again Harare. |
| Yen has increased 12.7% against the US Dollar over | | | | Top 5 Healthcare |
| the past year. | | | | Costs for general healthcare, medical and medical |
| The 5 Most Expensive Global Locations Overall | | | | insurance such as general practitioner consultation |
| Joining Tokyo and Hong Kong in the top 5 most | | | | rates, hospital private ward daily rate, non-prescription |
| expensive global locations are Caracas in Venezuela | | | | medicine, and private medical insurance / medical aid |
| (up 62 places in the rankings) to 3rd most expensive, | | | | contributions are most expensive in Tokyo followed by |
| followed by Bangui in the Central African Republic, and | | | | Hong Kong, Caracas, Luanda and Hamilton in Bermuda. |
| in 5th place is Geneva in Switzerland, down 2 places | | | | The least expensive place for healthcare is Tianjin. |
| from July 2008. | | | | Top 5 Household |
| The 5 Biggest jumps | | | | Costs for housing, water, electricity, household gas, |
| The largest increase in relative cost of living is Harare | | | | household fuels, local rates and residential taxes such |
| in Zimbabwe, albeit off a very low base. Harare has | | | | as house / flat mortgage, house / flat rental, household |
| been ranked the least expensive global location for | | | | electricity consumption, household gas / fuel |
| several years, mainly due to hyperinflation and a | | | | consumption, household water consumption, and local |
| constantly weakening currency. This year Zimbabwe's | | | | property rates / taxes / levies are most expensive in |
| cost of living index has jumped 118% and is now | | | | Hong Kong followed by Tokyo, Taipei in Taiwan, Dubai, |
| ranked 275th most expensive out of 276 global | | | | and Luanda. The least expensive place for household |
| locations. Other large increases in relative cost of living | | | | costs is Asmara in Eritrea. |
| in the past year are Honiara in the Solomon Islands up | | | | Top 5 Personal Care |
| 37% compared to July 2008, Caracas up 22%, Kigali in | | | | Costs for personal care products and services such |
| Rwanda up 19% while the 5th largest jump belongs to | | | | as cosmetics, hair care, moisturizer / sun block, |
| Manama in Bahrain, up 17%. | | | | nappies, pain relief tablets, toilet paper, toothpaste, and |
| The 5 Least Expensive Global Locations Overall | | | | soap / shampoo / conditioner are most expensive in |
| The least expensive global location to live in this year is | | | | Banjul in Gambia followed by, Algiers in Algeria, South |
| Tianjin in China with a cost of living index of just 30 | | | | Tarawa in Kiribati, Moroni in the Comores, and |
| compared to New York's index of 100. Harare in | | | | Bratislava in Slovakia. The least expensive place for |
| Zimbabwe, last years least expensive global location is | | | | personal care is Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia. |
| now 2nd least expensive, followed by Durban in South | | | | Top 5 Recreation & Culture |
| Africa. Phnom Penh in Cambodia is ranked 4th least | | | | Costs such as books, camera film, cinema ticket, DVD |
| expensive followed by Mbabane in Swaziland. | | | | and CD's, sports goods, sports clubs and theatre |
| The 5 Biggest drops | | | | tickets are most expensive in Maputo in Mozambique |
| The largest decrease in relative cost of living is | | | | followed by Bangui, Doha, N'Djamena in Chad, and |
| Nuku'Alofa in Tonga with a decrease of 45%, followed | | | | Cotonou in Benin. The least expensive place for |
| by Brazzaville in the Congo with a decrease of 31%. | | | | recreation & culture is Harare. |
| The Congolese Franc has lost 44% against the US | | | | Top 5 Restaurants, Meals Out and Hotel |
| Dollar compared to July 2008. Mbabane in Swaziland | | | | Costs such as business dinner, dinner at a restaurant |
| had a decrease in relative cost of living of 30%, while | | | | (non fast food), hotel rates, take away drinks and |
| Budapest in Hungary decreased 28%. The 5th largest | | | | snacks (fast Food) are most expensive in Dubai |
| decrease between July 2008 and July 2009 was | | | | followed by Doha, Athens in Greece, Brussels in |
| Guangzhou in China with a decrease of 27% despite | | | | Belgium and Ljubljana in Slovenia. The least expensive |
| the Yuan strengthening slightly against the US Dollar by | | | | place for restaurants, meals out and hotel is Tianjin. |
| 1%. | | | | Top 5 Transport |
| The Details: What Costs the Most Where? | | | | Costs for public transport, vehicle costs, vehicle fuel, |
| Top 5 Alcohol & Tobacco | | | | vehicle insurance and vehicle maintenance such as hire |
| Alcoholic beverages such as beer, locally produced | | | | purchase / lease of vehicle, petrol / diesel, public |
| spirit, whiskey, and wine as well as tobacco products | | | | transport service maintenance, tires, vehicle Insurance, |
| such as cigarettes are most expensive in Doha in | | | | and vehicle purchase are most expensive in Tbilisi in |
| Qatar, followed by Oslo, Manama, Moroni in Comores | | | | the Republic of Georgia, followed by Honiara, Dili in |
| and South Tarawa in Kiribati. The least expensive | | | | Timor-Leste, Douala, and Oslo. The least expensive |
| place for alcohol & tobacco is Kuwait. | | | | place for transport is Tianjin. |
| Top 5 Clothing | | | | The Top 5 Best Place to Live |
| Clothing and footwear products such as business suits, | | | | So if you were to relocate anywhere in the world right |
| casual clothing, children's clothing and footwear, coats | | | | now, where would you experience the lowest cost of |
| and hats, evening wear, shoe repairs, and underwear | | | | living with the least amount of hardship? Hardship is |
| are most expensive also in Doha, followed by Zagreb | | | | used as the measure of discomfort a person and their |
| in Croatia, Dubai, Beijing and Manama. The least | | | | family are likely to experience. Each global location is |
| expensive place for clothing is Dhaka in Bangladesh. | | | | ranked between 1 which is minimal hardship and 4 |
| Top 5 Communication | | | | which is extreme hardship. Assuming therefore that |
| Communication costs such as home telephone rental | | | | you would want to live in a minimal hardship location, |
| and call charges, internet connection and service | | | | the location with the lowest cost of living index is |
| provider fees, mobile / cellular phone contract and calls | | | | Adelaide in Australia. Adelaide is a minimal hardship |
| are most expensive in Bissau in Guinea-Bissau, | | | | location and has a cost of living index of 60 compared |
| followed by Noumea in New Caledonia, Riga in Latvia, | | | | to New York's index of 100. The next 6 best places to |
| Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso, and Douala in | | | | live on this basis are all in the USA. Memphis |
| Cameroon. The least expensive place for | | | | Tennessee is 2nd followed by El Paso Texas 3rd, St |
| communication is Conakry in Guinea. | | | | Louis Missouri 4th, and in 5th is Indianapolis Indiana. The |
| Top 5 Education | | | | next best non-USA location is Auckland in New |
| Costs such as crèche / pre-school fees, high | | | | Zealand in 8th place. |
| school / college fees, primary school fees, and tertiary | | | | |