Summary:
Over the past few years, the most expensive cities for expatriates have been concentrated in North America and Western Europe, with Singapore and Hong Kong standing out as notable exceptions. In contrast, the most expensive cities for ordinary residents are exclusively located in Western Europe, North America and Australasia.
Cost-of-living rankings for expatriates are driven mainly by consumption preferences, exchange rate fluctuations, and trade-related costs. Meanwhile, rankings for ordinary residents are more closely tied to a region’s overall level of economic development.
More specifically, factors such as housing prices, transportation costs, education fees, and persistent inflationary pressures have played a significant role in pushing living costs higher.
Highlights:
1. The most expensive cities for expatriates are mainly in North America and Western Europe, with Singapore and Hong Kong as notable exceptions.
2. For ordinary residents, the most expensive cities are entirely concentrated in North America and Western Europe.
3. Expatriate rankings are driven largely by consumption preferences, exchange rates, and trade-related costs, while resident rankings reflect overall economic development.
4. Housing, transport, education costs, and persistent inflation are major contributors to higher living costs.
Article By LIANG, Zixuan
Graphic By YAN, Bowen
ACI Perspectives 