Expatriate International Cost of Living

International Cost of Living August 2012

Posted on August 12, 2012 by Xpatulator

The most expensive place to live in July 2012 is Hong Kong based on the overall cost of living, encompassing all cost of living baskets. The cost of housing in Hong Kong is one of the largest contributors to making Hong Kong the most expensive place to live.

As the overall global most expensive place to live, Hong Kong has a cost of living index of 149.14, followed by Tokyo with 142.12, and Zurich with 137.12.

Zurich, 3rd most expensive overall and most expensive in Europe, is particularly expensive for groceries, restaurants meals out, hotels and transport.

Cost of Living Excluding Housing, Education, Healthcare and Transport

Moscow is the most expensive place to live in July 2012 based on the cost of living excluding the housing, education, healthcare and transport baskets. Many companies cover these costs on behalf of the employee while on international assignments.

Of the top 50 most expensive places to live based on the cost of living excluding housing, education, healthcare and transport, Europe has 19 locations, the Americas 12, Asia-Pacific 12, Africa 6 and the Middle East 1. The most expensive city in South Asia is Mumbai ranked 570.

Africa, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and South Asia have 29 places in the top 50 based on the overall cost of living index but only 19 out of 50 places based on the cost of living excluding housing, education, healthcare and transport.

Africa

The oil rich countries of Angola and Nigeria are the most expensive places to live for expatriates in Africa. Luanda is Africa’s most expensive place to live in July 2012, overall. Luanda is followed by Abuja and Lagos in Nigeria.

Luanda’s overall cost of living index of 116.01 is similar to cities such as Brisbane, Copenhagen and Kobe in Japan. In comparison London is 1.5% more expensive, New York 14% cheaper and Cape Town 22% cheaper than Luanda.

Luanda is particularly expensive for restaurants, meals out and hotels.

America

The oil rich countries of Venezuela and Brazil are the most expensive places to live for expatriates in the Americas. Caracas is the Americas most expensive place to live in July 2012, both overall and based on the cost of living excluding the housing, education, healthcare and transport baskets. Caracas is followed by Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

Caracas is particularly expensive for clothing, education and groceries and has an overall cost of living index of 135.70.

Asia Pacific

Hong Kong is approximately 5% more expensive than Tokyo based on the overall cost of living including household accommodation, however if the housing, education, healthcare and transport baskets are excluded, Tokyo is actually around 27% more expensive than Hong Kong. Household accommodation comprises 30% of the overall cost of living index. Hong Kong is very expensive for household accommodation. A 3 bedroomed apartment in Hong Kong costs around 46,000 HKD / 6,000 USD per month to rent compared 300,000 JPY / 3,800 USD in Tokyo, and 4,000 AUD/USD in Sydney.

Europe

Zurich remains the most expensive place to live in Europe based on the overall cost of living, followed by Geneva and Moscow.

Zurich has an overall cost of living index of 137.12 and Moscow 120.96 compared to Hong Kong with an overall cost of living index of 149.14, followed by Tokyo with 142.12. The overall index is comprised of 13 different basket groups. The assumption using the overall index is that everything is paid from the salary package. In addition, the cost of living calculations are weighted according to typical monthly international expatriate spending patterns. The Household Accommodation Basket for example, has a weighting of 30%, while the Groceries Basket has a weighting of 16.5%. That means that an international expatriate who, for example, earns 10,000 would typically spend 3,000 (30% of 10,000) on housing and 1,650 on groceries.

Zurich and Geneva are particularly expensive for groceries, restaurants meals out, hotels and transport. For example a cappucino costs around 4.20 EUR / 5.30 USD in Zurich compared to 4.40 USD in Moscow, 2.35 GBP / 3.70 USD in London and 3.60 USD in New York. A litre of petrol / gasoline costs around 1.60 EUR / 2.00 USD in Zurich compared to 0.95 USD in Moscow, 1.30 GBP / 2.04 USD in London and 1.02 USD in New York.

Moscow is Europe and the world’s most expensive place to live based on the cost of living excluding the housing, education, healthcare and transport baskets, followed in turn by Zurich and Geneva. Many companies cover these costs on behalf of the employee while on international assignments.

Middle East

Abu Dhabi is the Middle East’s most expensive place to live in July 2012 overall. Abu Dhabi is followed by Doha and Dubai.

Abu Dhabi’s overall cost of living index of 101.68 is similar to cities such as Rome, San Francisco and Montreal. On the other hand London is 18% more expensive, New York 1.7% cheaper and Cape Town 11% cheaper than Abu Dhabi.

South Asia

Mumbai is South Asia’s most expensive place to live in July 2012 overall. Mumbai is followed by New Delhi and Surat.

Mumbai is expensive compared to cities in the South Asia region, but is still considered much cheaper than many western cities. Mumbai’s overall cost of living index of 81.41 is significantly lower than cities such as London (48% more expensive), Rome (25% more expensive), New York (23% more expensive) and Cape Town (11% more expensive).

Transport Cost of Living July 2012

Posted on July 21, 2012 by Xpatulator

The top 10 Most expensive places – Transport Basket which includes Hire Purchase / Lease of Vehicle, Petrol / Diesel, Public Transport, Service Maintenance, Tyres, Vehicle Insurance and Vehicle Purchase:

The average cost of transport in Lilongwe is approximately 40% more expensive than London and Perth (W Australia). London and Perth in turn, are approximately 20% more expensive than Johannesburg. In Lilongwe the average price of a litre of petrol / gasoline is 2.40 USD compared to 1.60 EUR / 2.00 USD in Zurich, 0.95 USD in Moscow, 1.30 GBP / 2.04 USD in London and 1.02 USD in New York.

The full July 2012 Transport Basket cost of living rank for all international locations can be found here.

About Xpatulator.com’s Cost of Living Data

Xpatulator.com’s cost of living data is based on prices for the same quantity and quality of goods and services, representative of expatriate lifestyle, in each city. The data is collected and updated on a quarterly basis. The cost of living data is used by Xpatulator.com clients to calculate salary purchasing power parity, cost of living allowances, and customized (i.e. clients can select their own base city) cost of living indexes for expatriate assignments online, using Xpatulator.com’s 3 premium content calculators.

The 13 basket groups do not count equally and are weighted according to expatriate expenditure norms as follows (weighting percentage is in brackets):
1. Alcohol & Tobacco (2%): Alcoholic beverages and tobacco products.
2. Clothing (2.5%): Clothing and footwear products.
3. Communication (2%): Telephone, Internet, Mobile Contract and Calls.
4. Education (5%): Creche/Nursery/Pre-school Fees, School Fees, College Fees, and Tertiary Study Fees.
5. Furniture & Appliances (5%): Furniture, household equipment and appliances.
6. Groceries (16.5%): Food, non-alcoholic beverages and cleaning materials.
7. Healthcare (5%): Doctor Consultation rates, Private Ward Rate, Prescription Medicine, and Private Medical Insurance Contributions.
8. Household (30%): Housing rental, utilities, local rates and residential taxes.
9. Miscellaneous (3%): Stationary, Linen and general goods and services.
10. Personal Care (3%): Personal Care products and services.
11. Recreation & Culture (6%): Books, Camera Film, Cinema Ticket, DVD and CD’s, Sports goods, Theatre Tickets.
12. Restaurants Meals Out and Hotels (2%): Dinner at Restaurant (non fast food), Hotel Rates, Take Away, Drinks & Snacks (fast Food).
13. Transport (18%): Public Transport, Vehicle Costs, Vehicle Fuel, Vehicle Insurance and Vehicle Maintenance.

Founded in 2007, Xpatulator.com’s mission is to organize the world’s cost of living indices, exchange rates and relative hardship indices and make it accessible and useful to all.

This article may be freely copied as long as reference is made to http://www.xpatulator.com/

Posted in cost of living, cost of living index, cost of living rankings | Tagged cola, COLI, cost of living, cost of living July 2012, cost of living rankings, International Cost of Living, Transport cost of living, world cost of living | Comments Off

Restaurants Meals Out and Hotels Cost of Living July 2012

Posted on July 20, 2012 by Xpatulator

The top 10 Most expensive places – Restaurants Meals Out and Hotels Basket which includes Business Dinner, Dinner at Restaurant (non fast food), Hotel Rates and Take Away Drinks & Snacks (fast Food):

The average cost of restaurants meals out and hotels, at places typically frequented by expatriates, in Luanda is double that of Lisbon and approximately 40% more expensive than Perth in Western Australia.

The full July 2012 Restaurants Meals Out and Hotels Basket cost of living rank for all international locations can be found here.

About Xpatulator.com’s Cost of Living Data

Founded in 2007, Xpatulator.com’s mission is to organize the world’s cost of living indices, exchange rates and relative hardship indices and make it accessible and useful to all.

This article may be freely copied as long as reference is made to http://www.xpatulator.com/

Posted in cost of living, cost of living index, cost of living rankings | Tagged cola, COLI, cost of living, cost of living July 2012, cost of living rankings, International Cost of Living, Restaurants meals out and hotels cost of living, world cost of living | 2 Comments

Recreation and Culture Cost of Living July 2012

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Xpatulator

The top 10 Most expensive places – Recreation & Culture Basket which includes Books, Cinema Ticket, DVD and CD’s, Gym/Fitness Club Membership, Sports goods and Theatre Ticket:

The average cost of a basket of recreation & culture items in Sao Tome costs 27% more than Sydney. Sydney in turn is, on average, almost 50% more expensive than London.

The full July 2012 Recreation & Culture Basket cost of living rank for all international locations can be found here.

About Xpatulator.com’s Cost of Living Data
Xpatulator.com’s cost of living data is based on prices for the same quantity and quality of goods and services, representative of expatriate lifestyle, in each city. The data is collected and updated on a quarterly basis. The cost of living data is used by Xpatulator.com clients to calculate salary purchasing power parity, cost of living allowances, and customized (i.e. clients can select their own base city) cost of living indexes for expatriate assignments online, using Xpatulator.com’s 3 premium content calculators.

Founded in 2007, Xpatulator.com’s mission is to organize the world’s cost of living indices, exchange rates and relative hardship indices and make it accessible and useful to all.

This article may be freely copied as long as reference is made to http://www.xpatulator.com/

Posted in cost of living, cost of living index, cost of living rankings | Tagged cola, COLI, cost of living, cost of living July 2012, cost of living rankings, International Cost of Living, Recreation and Culture cost of living, world cost of living | Comments Off

Personal Care Cost of Living July 2012

Posted on July 18, 2012 by Xpatulator

The top 10 Most expensive places – Personal Care Basket which includes Cosmetics, Haircare, Moisturiser / Sun Block, Nappies, Pain Relief Tablets, Toilet Paper, Toothpaste and Soap / Shampoo / Conditioner:

The average cost of a personal care basket in Bishkek is 70% more than the cost in London and New York.

The full July 2012 Personal Care Basket cost of living rank for all international locations can be found here.

Founded in 2007, Xpatulator.com’s mission is to organize the world’s cost of living indices, exchange rates and relative hardship indices and make it accessible and useful to all.

This article may be freely copied as long as reference is made to http://www.xpatulator.com/

Posted in cost of living, cost of living index, cost of living rankings | Tagged cola, COLI, cost of living, cost of living July 2012, cost of living rankings, International Cost of Living, Personal Care cost of living, world cost of living | Comments Off

Miscellaneous Items Cost of Living July 2012

Posted on July 17, 2012 by Xpatulator

The top 10 Most expensive places – Miscellaneous Items Basket which includes Domestic Help, Dry Cleaning, Linen, Office Supplies, Newspapers and Magazines and Postage Stamps:

The average cost of miscellaneous items basket in Moscow is double that of London and triple what an expatriate would pay in Hong Kong.

The full July 2012 Miscellaneous Items Basket cost of living rank for all international locations can be found here.

About Xpatulator.com’s Cost of Living Data

The 13 basket groups do not count equally and are weighted according to expatriate expenditure norms as follows (weighting percentage is in brackets):

1. Alcohol & Tobacco (2%): Alcoholic beverages and tobacco products.

2. Clothing (2.5%): Clothing and footwear products.

3. Communication (2%): Telephone, Internet, Mobile Contract and Calls.

4. Education (5%): Creche/Nursery/Pre-school Fees, School Fees, College Fees, and Tertiary Study Fees.

5. Furniture & Appliances (5%): Furniture, household equipment and appliances.

6. Groceries (16.5%): Food, non-alcoholic beverages and cleaning materials.

7. Healthcare (5%): Doctor Consultation rates, Private Ward Rate, Prescription Medicine, and Private Medical Insurance Contributions.

8. Household (30%): Housing rental, utilities, local rates and residential taxes.

9. Miscellaneous (3%): Stationary, Linen and general goods and services.

10. Personal Care (3%): Personal Care products and services.

11. Recreation & Culture (6%): Books, Camera Film, Cinema Ticket, DVD and CD’s, Sports goods, Theatre Tickets.

12. Restaurants Meals Out and Hotels (2%): Dinner at Restaurant (non fast food), Hotel Rates, Take Away, Drinks & Snacks (fast Food).

13. Transport (18%): Public Transport, Vehicle Costs, Vehicle Fuel, Vehicle Insurance and Vehicle Maintenance.

About Xpatulator.com

Xpatulator.com is the most comprehensive source of international cost of living information. We provide free international cost of living overviews and rank information covering 13 cost of living baskets and every country around the world as well as premium content calculators.

Founded in 2007, Xpatulator.com’s mission is to organize the world’s cost of living indices, exchange rates and relative hardship indices and make it accessible and useful to all.

This article may be freely copied as long as reference is made to http://www.xpatulator.com/

Posted in cost of living, cost of living index, cost of living rankings | Tagged cola, COLI, cost of living, cost of living July 2012, cost of living rankings, International Cost of Living, Miscellaneous cost of living, world cost of living | Comments Off

Household Accommodation Cost of Living July 2012

Posted on July 16, 2012 by Xpatulator

The top 10 Most expensive places – Household Accommodation Basket which includes House / Flat Mortgage, House / Flat Rental, Household Electricity Consumption, Household Gas / Fuel Consumption, Household Water Consumption and Local Property Rates / Taxes / Levies:

The cost of real estate whether buying or renting is the most expensive in the world, primarily due to the limited land available. Most people in Hong Kong live in high-rise apartments varying in size from small studios to spacious penthouses. The cost of a relatively modest 3 bedroomed apartment in Hong Kong averages 46,000 HKD / 6,000 USD per month to rent compared 300,000 JPY / 3,800 USD in Tokyo, 4,000 AUD/USD in Sydney and 2,700 EUR / 3,400 USD in Zurich.

The full July 2012 Household Accommodation Basket cost of living rank for all international locations can be found here.

The 13 basket groups do not count equally and are weighted according to expatriate expenditure norms as follows (weighting percentage is in brackets):
1. Alcohol & Tobacco (2%): Alcoholic beverages and tobacco products.
2. Clothing (2.5%): Clothing and footwear products.
3. Communication (2%): Telephone, Internet, Mobile Contract and Calls.
4. Education (5%): Creche / nursery school / pre-school Fees, School Fees, College Fees, and Tertiary Study Fees.
5. Furniture & Appliances (5%): Furniture, household equipment and appliances.
6. Groceries (16.5%): Food, non-alcoholic beverages and cleaning materials.
7. Healthcare (5%): Doctor Consultation rates, Private Ward Rate, Prescription Medicine, and Private Medical Insurance Contributions.
8. Household (30%): Housing rental, utilities, local rates and residential taxes.
9. Miscellaneous (3%): Stationary, Linen and general goods and services.
10. Personal Care (3%): Personal Care products and services.
11. Recreation & Culture (6%): Books, Camera Film, Cinema Ticket, DVD and CD’s, Sports goods, Theatre Tickets.
12. Restaurants Meals Out and Hotels (2%): Dinner at Restaurant (non fast food), Hotel Rates, Take Away, Drinks & Snacks (fast Food).
13. Transport (18%): Public Transport, Vehicle Costs, Vehicle Fuel, Vehicle Insurance and Vehicle Maintenance.

Founded in 2007, Xpatulator.com’s mission is to organize the world’s cost of living indices, exchange rates and relative hardship indices and make it accessible and useful to all.

This article may be freely copied as long as reference is made to http://www.xpatulator.com/

Posted in cost of living, cost of living index, cost of living rankings | Tagged cola, COLI, cost of living, cost of living July 2012, cost of living rankings, Household accommodation cost of living, International Cost of Living, world cost of living | Comments Off

Healthcare Cost of Living July 2012

Posted on July 15, 2012 by Xpatulator

The top 10 Most expensive places – Healthcare Basket which includes General Practitioner Consultation rates, Hospital Private Ward Daily Rate, Non-Prescription Medicine and Private Medical Insurance / Medical Aid Contributions:

Hong Kong’s healthcare is generally good and standards are comparable with international standards but it can be extremely expensive. Western doctors on average charge double compared to local medical specialists who often have the same qualifications. The average cost of healthcare in Hong Kong is double that of Cape Town and approximately 20% more than the cost of healthcare in Alaska.

The full July 2012 Healthcare Basket cost of living rank for all international locations can be found here.

About Xpatulator.com’s Cost of Living Data

The 13 basket groups do not count equally and are weighted according to expatriate expenditure norms as follows (weighting percentage is in brackets):
1. Alcohol & Tobacco (2%): Alcoholic beverages and tobacco products.
2. Clothing (2.5%): Clothing and footwear products.
3. Communication (2%): Telephone, Internet, Mobile Contract and Calls.
4. Education (5%): Creche/pre-school/nursery school Fees, School Fees, College Fees, and Tertiary Study Fees.
5. Furniture & Appliances (5%): Furniture, household equipment and appliances.
6. Groceries (16.5%): Food, non-alcoholic beverages and cleaning materials.
7. Healthcare (5%): Doctor Consultation rates, Private Ward Rate, Prescription Medicine, and Private Medical Insurance Contributions.
8. Household (30%): Housing rental, utilities, local rates and residential taxes.
9. Miscellaneous (3%): Stationary, Linen and general goods and services.
10. Personal Care (3%): Personal Care products and services.
11. Recreation & Culture (6%): Books, Camera Film, Cinema Ticket, DVD and CD’s, Sports goods, Theatre Tickets.
12. Restaurants Meals Out and Hotels (2%): Dinner at Restaurant (non fast food), Hotel Rates, Take Away, Drinks & Snacks (fast Food).
13. Transport (18%): Public Transport, Vehicle Costs, Vehicle Fuel, Vehicle Insurance and Vehicle Maintenance.

Founded in 2007, Xpatulator.com’s mission is to organize the world’s cost of living indices, exchange rates and relative hardship indices and make it accessible and useful to all.

This article may be freely copied as long as reference is made to http://www.xpatulator.com/

Posted in cost of living rankings, International Cost of Living Rank; International Cost of Living Index | Tagged cola, COLI, cost of living, cost of living July 2012, cost of living rankings, healthcare cost of living, International Cost of Living, world cost of living | Comments Off

Groceries Cost of Living July 2012

Posted on July 14, 2012 by Xpatulator

The top 10 Most expensive places – Groceries Basket which includes Baby Consumables, Baked Goods, Baking, Canned Foods, Cheese, Cleaning Products, Dairy, Fresh Fruits, Fresh Vegetables, Fruit Juices, Frozen, Meat, Oil & Vinegars, Pet Food, Pre-Prepared Meals, Sauces, Seafood, Snacks, Soft Drinks and Spices & Herbs:

The cost of an average basket of groceries in Caracas, at a store likely to be used by expatriates, costs double that of Cape Town and 36% more than London.

The full July 2012 Groceries Basket cost of living rank for all international locations can be found here.

The 13 basket groups do not count equally and are weighted according to expatriate expenditure norms as follows (weighting percentage is in brackets):
1. Alcohol & Tobacco (2%): Alcoholic beverages and tobacco products.
2. Clothing (2.5%): Clothing and footwear products.
3. Communication (2%): Telephone, Internet, Mobile Contract and Calls.
4. Education (5%): Creche/pre-school/nursery school Fees, School Fees, College Fees, and Tertiary Study Fees.
5. Furniture & Appliances (5%): Furniture, household equipment and appliances.
6. Groceries (16.5%): Food, non-alcoholic beverages and cleaning materials.
7. Healthcare (5%): Doctor Consultation rates, Private Ward Rate, Prescription Medicine, and Private Medical Insurance Contributions.
8. Household (30%): Housing rental, utilities, local rates and residential taxes.
9. Miscellaneous (3%): Stationary, Linen and general goods and services.
10. Personal Care (3%): Personal Care products and services.
11. Recreation & Culture (6%): Books, Camera Film, Cinema Ticket, DVD and CD’s, Sports goods, Theatre Tickets.
12. Restaurants Meals Out and Hotels (2%): Dinner at Restaurant (non fast food), Hotel Rates, Take Away, Drinks & Snacks (fast Food).
13. Transport (18%): Public Transport, Vehicle Costs, Vehicle Fuel, Vehicle Insurance and Vehicle Maintenance.

About Xpatulator.com
Xpatulator.com is the most comprehensive source of international cost of living information. We provide free international cost of living overviews and rank information covering 13 cost of living baskets and every country around the world as well as premium content calculators.
Founded in 2007, Xpatulator.com’s mission is to organize the world’s cost of living indices, exchange rates and relative hardship indices and make it accessible and useful to all

This article may be freely copied as long as reference is made to http://www.xpatulator.com/

Posted in cost of living, cost of living rankings, International Cost of Living Rank; International Cost of Living Index | Tagged cola, COLI, cost of living, cost of living July 2012, cost of living rankings, groceries cost of living, International Cost of Living, world cost of living | Comments Off

Furniture and Appliances Cost of Living July 2012

Posted on July 13, 2012 by Xpatulator

The top 10 Most expensive places – Furniture & Appliances Basket which includes DVD Player, Fridge Freezer, Iron, Kettle, Toaster, Microwave, Light Bulbs, Television, Vacuum Cleaner and Washing Machine:

Furniture & Appliances are most expensive in Moscow where, on average, they cost 45% more than in New York and double that of London.

The full July 2012 Furniture & Appliances Basket cost of living rank for all international locations can be found here.

About Xpatulator.com’s Cost of Living Data

The 13 basket groups do not count equally and are weighted according to expatriate expenditure norms as follows (weighting percentage is in brackets):

1. Alcohol & Tobacco (2%): Alcoholic beverages and tobacco products.

2. Clothing (2.5%): Clothing and footwear products.

3. Communication (2%): Telephone, Internet, Mobile Contract and Calls.

4. Education (5%): Creche / Pre school / nursery school Fees, School Fees, College Fees, and Tertiary Study Fees.