International Cost of Living Index Rank 2010

The January 2010 International Cost of Living Ranking covers 276 global locations across the world.

We have reported the 10 most expensive countries to live in, the 10 fastest movers up and down in ranking and the 10 most expensive locations per basket item.

Tokyo is still the most expensive place for an expatriate to live with the highest overall cost of living index while Tianjin in China takes over from Zimbabwe with the lowest cost of living index.

The 10 most expensive ranked international cost of living locations as at January 2010, together with the previous Quarter's rank as at October 2009, is as follows:


January 2010 Rank Country, City (October 2009 Rank)[Change in Rank]

1) Japan, Tokyo (1) [0]

2) Switzerland, Geneva (3) [-1]

3) Brazil, Brasilia (12) [-9]

4) Switzerland, Zurich (5) [-1]

5) China, Hong Kong (2) [3]

6) Norway, Oslo (10) [-4]

7) Denmark, Copenhagen (6) [1]

8) Venezuela, Caracas (7) [1]

9) Central African Republic, Bangui (4) [5]

10) Chad, N'Djamena (9) [1]


10 Fastest Movers Up

The fastest movers up in the rankings as a result of an increase in relative cost of living are:

1) 107 Guinea, Conakry (184) [-77]

2) 185 Fiji, Suva (247) [-62]

3) 84 Seychelles, Victoria (145) [-61]

4) 137 Australia, Adelaide (196) [-59]

5) 176 Macedonia, Skopje (235) [-59]

6) 128 Poland, Warsaw (183) [-55]

7) 151 Malawi, Lilongwe (206) [-55]

8) 169 Uruguay, Montevideo (216) [-47]

9) 214 Lesotho, Maseru (256) [-42]

10) 69 Colombia, Bogota (111) [-42]


10 Fastest Movers Down

The fastest movers down in the rankings as a result of a decrease in relative cost of living are:

1) 171 Timor-Leste, Dili (79) [92]

2) 179 Ghana, Accra (117) [62]

3) 153 Ukraine, Kiev (106) [47]

4) 139 Georgia Republic of, Tbilisi (101) [38]

5) 225 Ethiopia, Addis Ababa (191) [34]

6) 208 Congo Democratic Rep, Kinshasa (176) [32]

7) 133 Sierra Leone, Freetown (102) [31]

8) 205 Bulgaria, Sofia (174) [31]

9) 147 Liberia, Monrovia (119) [28]

10) 219 Armenia, Yerevan (193) [26]


The Top 10 most expensive international locations for each basket group

We make use of 13 basket groups which are the result of extensive research of actual spending habits. The cost of living indices reflect a reality-based international expenditure pattern. To compare the cost of living between 2 locations, the difference in the aggregate cost of all the items in each of the 13 baskets were compared in each location using the average price in each location for the same quantity of each item. Cost of living is the difference in the local cost of the basket in the same currency. The baskets are weighted according to expat spending norms.


Alcohol & Tobacco Top 10:

1) Kiribati, South Tarawa

2) Comores, Moroni

3) Korea Republic of, Seoul

4) Norway, Oslo

5) Thailand, Bangkok

6) Qatar, Doha

7) Colombia, Bogota

8) Brazil, Brasilia

9) Djibouti, Djibouti

10) Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby


Clothing Top 10:

1) Bahrain, Manama

2) Russia, Moscow

3) Croatia, Zagreb

4) Lebanon, Beirut

5) Brazil, Brasilia

6) Angola, Luanda

7) China, Beijing

8) Slovakia, Bratislava

9) United Arab Emirates, Dubai

10) New Caledonia, Noumea


Communication Top 10:

1) New Caledonia, Noumea

2) Kiribati, South Tarawa

3) Cameroon, Douala

4) Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou

5) Latvia, Riga

6) Cape Verde, Praia

7) Germany, Berlin

8) Gabon, Libreville

9) Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby

10) Colombia, Bogota


Education Top 10:

1) Venezuela, Caracas

2) Brazil, Brasilia

3) Angola, Luanda

4) Bermuda, Hamilton

5) Solomon Islands, Honiara

6) New Caledonia, Noumea

7) Central African Republic, Bangui

8) Australia, Sydney

9) Gabon, Libreville

10) Bahamas, Nassau


Furniture & Appliances Top 10:

1) Mali, Bamako

2) Cameroon, Douala

3) Brazil, Brasilia

4) New Caledonia, Noumea

5) Central African Republic, Bangui

6) Chad, N'Djamena

7) Cameroon, Yaounde

8) Togo, Lome

9) Russia, Moscow

10) Vanuatu, Port Vila


Groceries Top 10:

1) Solomon Islands, Honiara

2) Japan, Tokyo

3) Kiribati, South Tarawa

4) Central African Republic, Bangui

5) Denmark, Copenhagen

6) Congo, Brazzaville

7) Gabon, Libreville

8) Korea Republic of, Seoul

9) Norway, Oslo

10) Bahrain, Manama


Healthcare Top 10:

1) Japan, Tokyo

2) Kiribati, South Tarawa

3) China, Hong Kong

4) Brazil, Brasilia

5) Angola, Luanda

6) Venezuela, Caracas

7) Australia, Sydney

8) Comores, Moroni

9) Chad, N'Djamena

10) Bermuda, Hamilton


Household Top 10:

1) Japan, Tokyo

2) China, Hong Kong

3) Venezuela, Caracas

4) Taiwan, Taipei

5) Korea Republic of, Seoul

6) United Arab Emirates, Dubai

7) Angola, Luanda

8) Qatar, Doha

9) United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi

10) Croatia, Zagreb


Miscellaneous Top 10 (costs related to general goods and services such as domestic help, dry cleaning, linen, and office supplies):

1) Central African Republic, Bangui

2) Norway, Oslo

3) Guinea-Bissau, Bissau

4) Guinea, Conakry

5) Finland, Helsinki

6) New Caledonia, Noumea

7) Qatar, Doha

8) Denmark, Copenhagen

9) United Kingdom, London

10) Greenland, Nuuk


Personal Care Top 10:

1) Kiribati, South Tarawa

2) Gambia, Banjul

3) Comores, Moroni

4) Algeria, Algiers

5) Slovakia, Bratislava

6) Brazil, Brasilia

7) Chad, N'Djamena

8) Samoa, Apia

9) Australia, Sydney

10) Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou


Recreation and Culture Top 10:

1) Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby

2) Vanuatu, Port Vila

3) Central African Republic, Bangui

4) Mozambique, Maputo

5) Chad, N'Djamena

6) Benin, Cotonou

7) Switzerland, Geneva

8) Niger, Niamey

9) Gabon, Libreville

10) Switzerland, Zurich


Restaurants, Meals Out and Hotels Top 10:

1) United Arab Emirates, Dubai

2) Greece, Athens

3) Belgium, Brussels

4) Qatar, Doha

5) Slovenia, Ljubljana

6) Russia, Moscow

7) Korea Republic of, Seoul

8) Norway, Oslo

9) United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi

10) France, Paris


Transport Top 10:

1) Norway, Oslo

2) Cameroon, Douala

3) Switzerland, Geneva

4) Switzerland, Zurich

5) Liechtenstein, Vaduz

6) Denmark, Copenhagen

7) Netherlands, Amsterdam

8) Germany, Berlin

9) Comores, Moroni

10) Solomon Islands, Honiara

The definitions of each basket and the full cost of living rankings for all 276 locations are available on the Xpatulator Website.

Steven is Chief Instigator at www.xpatulator.com a website that provides cost of living index information and calculates what you need to earn to compensate for cost of living, hardship, and exchange rate differences.