19. Tel Aviv, Israel — We kick off with Israel's second most populous city after Jerusalem. It's also the most expensive city to live in in the whole of the Middle East, probably thanks to its fantastic beach and relative tranquility? from the surrounding region.
18. Guangzhou, China — The first of a few expensive Chinese cities on the list, Guangzhou drops three places from last year thanks to a weakening yuan against the dollar.
17. London, UK — As expensive as everyone says London is to live in, this list suggests it could still be worse. If the much-talked-about property crash does happen, expect it to get a lot cheaper soon.
16. Victoria, Seychelles Isles — You may not have heard of this idyllic city, but it was initially a British colony just off the coast of East Africa. With not much space and high import costs, living here is not cheap.
15. Seoul, South Korea — With a metropolitan population of 25 million, finding accommodation in Seoul is becoming a real problem, but residents can take heart that the city has the best internet connectivity in the world, making it a leading tech hub.
T-13. Lagos, Nigeria — As the picture below suggests, Lagos is a really busy city. 23 million people live there, and increasing property and goods prices have seen it rise 7 places on the list from last year.
T-13. Bern, Switzerland — The first of three Swiss cities on the list, the country is notoriously expensive to foreigners and a fluctuating Swiss franc doesn't help matters. At least Bern has one of the highest qualities of life anywhere in the world.
12. Shenzhen, China — Shenzhen is less well-known than other Chinese cities like Beijing or Shanghai but is still huge, with well over 10 million residents. It has jumped up a couple of places from last year, again thanks to a declining currency.
11. New York City, United States — Like London, New York City is notoriously expensive. Unlike London, it is getting more expensive to live in, jumping five places from last year. If your stay is longer than a holiday, bring lots of money.
10. Beijing, China — Into the top ten, and we have another Chinese entry. Beijing is famous for its sometimes hazardous smog, but that does not seem to have made living there any cheaper.
9. N'Djamena, Chad — Located bang in the middle of central North Africa, N'Djamena is Chad's capital and serves as a major food hub and marketplace for the region. Its expense can be put down to an exploding population, which has multiplied by 100 in just 70 years.
8. Geneva, Switzerland — It may be expensive, but Switzerland sure is pretty. Like many global finance centres Geneva is pricey, but a declining currency has offset its cost of living for expatriates? somewhat.
7. Shanghai, China — Shanghai is China's most populous city, with over 24 million residents and counting. Like other cities in the country, a falling currency has seen it drop from last year, but new arrivals will still need to bring a lot of money.
6. Kinshasa, DR Congo — Another city you may not have heard of, Kinshasa is actually massive, with more than 13 million inhabitants. It has jumped seven places in the list since last year, partly because of concerted Chinese investment efforts.
5. Tokyo, Japan — No, that is not Eiffel Tower but the Tokyo Tower, located in the heart of the vast city. Tokyo jumped six places from last year thanks to a strengthening yen, but Japan has always been notoriously expensive to visitors as it is.
4. Singapore — The world's only island city-state, Singapore is famous for its transport hubs and strict rules on litter. The World Bank called it "the easiest place to do business," which is why companies all over the world flock to its shores — and push up prices.
3. Zurich, Switzerland — The most expensive city in Europe, Zurich is a global centre for banking and has one of the best quality of life indexes in the world. Obviously, that quality of life doesn't come cheap.
2. Luanda, Angola — Africa's most expensive city to live in, Luanda lies on the continent's west coast and is actually one of the smaller metros on the list, with about six million residents. The high prices can be put down to the massive infrastructural investment taking place in response to the relentless? GDP growth from mining operations.
1. Hong Kong — The most expensive city in the world to live, Hong Kong retains a degree of independence while still sharing allegiance to China. It is a major financial centre thanks to its exceptionally free market practices and is also the most visited city on Earth. Due to a ballooning population, Hong Kong has had to build upwards — and prices in the city are similarly sky-high.
