Top 10 Most Expensive Cities to Live

10. Bern, Switzerland

The country’s capital is home to several major Swiss companies including Rolex, Toblerone, Swisscom and The Swatch Group, as well as the foreign offices of American companies, such as eBay, Cisco and Ingram Micro. Bern is popular for its lower taxes, as well as liberal labor laws. To top it off, the city has managed to retain its cultural heritage. Old Bern has been recognized as a UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Site for being one of Europe’s best examples of a medieval town. The city, which is filled with diverse historical attractions, was home to Albert Einstein from 1903 and 1905, during which he developed his groundbreaking theory of relativity. Human resources consultant ECA International has drawn up its latest list of the world’s most expensive cities for U.S. expatriates. The survey examined 400 cities and regions across the world, and measured a basket of common items purchased by foreign workers in U.S. dollars terms, including food, clothing and electrical goods.

09. Kobe, Japan

Kobe is one of Japan’s busiest container ports. It is also the point of origin and namesake of the world-renowned Kobe beef. While Japan is the only Asian country surveyed where the cost of goods in the ECA basket has fallen, it is the most expensive country for foreign workers in U.S. dollar terms. That’s a largely a result of the appreciation of the yen over the past six months, as well as the already high cost of goods and services.

08. Geneva, Switzerland

Situated along Lake Geneva in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, Geneva is regarded as the global center for diplomacy. It’s home to many United Nations agencies, as well as the World Trade Organization, Red Cross and World Economic Forum headquarters.

One quarter of this picturesque city is made up of public parks, making it a popular destination for U.S. expatriates looking to relocate. Geneva is also well known for its haute cuisine, boasting more restaurants per capita than New York City.

07. Luanda, Angola

The capital of Angola has seen an influx of multinational companies looking to tap the country’s rich energy reserves. The country is also rich in other goods, exporting coffee, diamonds, sugar, iron and salt.

But a three-decade-long civil war has devastated Luanda’s infrastructure, driving up the cost of goods and services. From haircuts to gym memberships to fast-food meals, nothing comes cheap in the city. A one-year gym membership reportedly costs $2,500 and a haircut can cost upwards of $150.

06. Zurich, Switzerland

Despite its low tax rates, Switzerland’s largest city ranks as the fifth most expensive for expatriates. A large reason for this is the rapid appreciation of the Swiss franc, which has strengthened 27 percent against the U.S. dollar in the last year.

The country’s business center is the base for many leading financial institutions, including Credit Suisse, Julius Baer and UBS. In addition to its position as a European financial hub, Zurich is famous for its watch companies and chocolate makers, such as Lindt & Sprüngli.

05. Yokohama, Japan

As Japan’s second-largest city, Yokohama is a major commercial center for the Greater Tokyo Area.

The port city has a strong economic base, particularly in the biotechnology, semiconductor and shipping industries. Carmaker Nissan and Fujitsu semiconductor have moved their headquarters to the city.

Yokohama also is a budding artistic hub. The city is gearing up to host its triennale art event from August to December this year, with artists from around the world exhibiting their works at venues around the city.

04. Stavanger, Norway

The discovery of oil in the North Sea during the 1960s, converted this quaint metropolis into Norway’s petroleum capital. Over 50 energy companies have offices in Stavanger, making the city home to hundreds of expatriates working in the oil and gas sector.

During the recent economic downturn, Norway’s oil wealth meant the government could sustain economic growth with a lavish stimulus program. The country also has one of the world’s most generous welfare systems, including public schools that offer free, high-quality education.

It is the high cost of food and transportation that make Stavanger No. 4 on the list, however. Food prices in Norway are around 50 percent higher than the euro zone average, with meat, sugar and cereal products being the most expensive products.

03. Nagoya, Japan

Known as Japan’s most dynamic region, Nagoya is located 165 miles west of Tokyo. It is the hub for most of Japan’s manufacturers, and produces a large portion of the country’s automobile and aircraft parts.

A number of Japanese automotive companies are headquartered in Nagoya, including Toyota and Honda. Fortunately, these manufacturing plants were largely unaffected by the impact of the March earthquake and tsunami, which struck the region north of Tokyo.

02. Oslo, Norway

Oslo has been the second most expensive city for expatriates for six years in a row — that’s thanks to the relative strength of the Kroner, which has appreciated 16 percent against the U.S. dollar over the last year, and the resilience of the Norwegian economy during the financial crisis.

This hub of Norwegian trade is the home to the world’s largest shipping companies, shipbrokers and maritime insurance companies.

The city also boasts of one of the world’s most extensive and efficient metro transportation systems, and an environmentally friendly tram system. Efficiency comes at a price, however — a one-way ticket on public transportation costs around $5.60.

01. Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo is the most expensive city in the world, with a movie ticket costing $24 and the average taxi fare at $8.

As a global financial center, the city is home to headquarters for many of the world’s largest investment banks and insurance companies. Tokyo is also one of greenest cities in the world. Despite having a population of more than eight million, it has the lowest carbon dioxide emissions in Asia-Pacific. The city has been praised for its comprehensive transportation policy, under which the city’s entire taxi fleet is being converted to electric vehicles.

Most Luxurious Airlines in the World

Do you have any idea which international airlines offer the plushest service and the most perks in first class? I’ve done the dirty work and present to you some of the best air accoutrements short of a private plane. So the next time you plan for an air travel you might want to consider to have some luxurious time in one of these fabulous cabins.

So here are some of the most luxurious airlines in the world. I hope you will like them. I may have missed out some so do add your recommendations in comment section. Thanks

EMIRATES

As a passenger, you’ll feel like a million dollars too. And while we’re throwing numbers at you, 500-channel entertainment systems have been introduced. The best is yet to come, and you’d better believe it’ll be fine: A full shower with dressing area in your private cabin.

British Airways

Rolls-Royce aircraft engines are legendary, and you’d swear the company had an influence on British Airways’ cabins. BA’s luxurious first-class “demi cabins” multitask to serve as workspaces, dens, and even places to stretch and sleep.

Eos Airlines

21 square feet of space per passenger is unheard of, but it’s a reality on Eos. Score one for the personal space lover. Eos Airlines has room for 220 on its 757s, but it only allows 48 lucky souls aboard. Each passenger’s multifunctional seat is a joy to occupy across the Atlantic.

Cathay Pacific Airways

If you’re flying first-class on Cathay Pacific you’ll surely wish the flight was longer. In 2006 Air Transport World magazine’s Airline of the Year honors went to Cathay.

Japan Airlines

JAL has been a leader in first-class comfort, and apparently for a long time now. They equip you with adjustable headrests and side cushions, down pillows and comforters and you can also enjoy the built-in massage feature in the seats.

Lufthansa Airlines

Adjustable privacy screens between seats, generous room to stretch. Chefs and sommeliers continuously update their onboard cuisine and wine selection. Luxury is all they got.

Singapore Airlines

It has Bvlgari toiletry kits and Givenchy-designed sleeper suits. There is also a “Book the Cook” service which allows a meal selection in advance. One gets the feeling of being in a big Bentley with wings rather than a plane.

Swiss International Air Lines

Swiss has a longstanding reputation for courtesy and efficiency, and so far their reputation remains solid. All the expected luxury appointments and services are present. Btw two onboard cameras let you watch the world in front of the aircraft as well as below it.

Virgin Atlantic

Considering Sir Richard Branson is at the company’s helm, you’re going to get your money’s worth and then some. You’ll love the pampering, including the surprisingly roomy beds, which convert from your seat.

Thai Airways International

40 consecutive years of profit that’s no small feat in the corporate world, and it’s even more noteworthy in the sky biz. You’ll become quite familiar with “best” during your flight.

Ten Most Expensive Cities In The World

Ever wondered what are the most expensive places in the world to live? Everyone knows that it costs more to live in some places than others, but just what is the most expensive city in the world to live in. This is a list of the 10 cities in the world where it is most expensive to live in early 2009 as defined by the Economist, although this will most likely change in line with regional economic changes and currency fluctuations.
10. Singapore

Singapore Central Business District. Produced by Someformofhuman and published under GNU Free Documentation Licence.

Singapore is both a city and country located in south east Asia. The city of just under 5 million people takes up the majority of the country of 710km2, leading to an extremely high population density of almost 7000 people per km2. It is located on a small island, which lies in one of the busiest waterways in the world which connects east Asia with south Asia, Africa and Europe. The city first started to grow to prominence under European rule because of it's high strategic importance and the city has continued to grow in stature since independence. The city has an extremely strong economy based it's business friendly policies leading to many international corporations having a base here. There is also a thriving high-tech manufacturing part to the economy, and the Port of Singapore is one of the world's busiest ports, particularly in the transhipment of goods. This thriving economy combined with lack of space for expansion leads to Singapore being the tenth most expensive city in the world to live.
9. Geneva

Photo originally from www.ork.ch and licenced under Creative Commons "Attribution ShareAlike 2.0 France".
Geneva is a city nestled between Lake Geneva and The Alps in Switzerland. Although most of the city is in Switzerland, due to the high cost of living in the city proper many people commute in from nearby France. Geneva is famous for being the location where the Geneva Conventions were signed, which govern the handling of prisoners of war. Geneva is also home to the headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross, and many United Nations departments are also based here. In addition to being a major city in humanitarian terms, Geneva is also the 6th most important financial centre in the world. All of these factors, along with the fantastic location alongside Lake Geneva and a policy to preserve the city, leads to it having the ninth highest cost of living worldwide.
8. Frankfurt

Frankfurt skyline at night. Author Nicolas 17 and published under Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.5 licence.

Frankfurt is joint seventh most expensive city to live in along with Helsinki. Frankfurt is a city in Germany, and is located on the Main River, which leads to it's full name Frankfurt am Main. When Germany was divided, it was located in west Germany, and so with berlin isolated became the economic powerhouse of west Germany, and upon re-unification it retained this position. It is the largest financial centre of mainland Europe, and both the European and German central banks are located here, as well as the Frankfurt stock exchange which is one of the biggest in the world. All of this wealth leads to Frankfurt being the joint seventh most expensive city in the world to live in.
7. Helsinki

Helsinki Cathedral and the wider area. Photgraph by Mikko Paananen and modified by Majestic and Ilmari Karonen. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.5, Attribution ShareAlike 2.0 and Attribution ShareAlike 1.0.

In terms of the cost of living, Helsinki is joint seventh most expensive along with Frankfurt. Helsinki is the capital city of Finland, and is located in the far south of the country next to the Gulf of Finland. Despite being at the south of Finland, it is still a very northerly city and so can get very cold in the winter. Helsinki is the economic centre of the Finnish economy, and this partly explains the high cost of living. Helsinki has traditionally had a large shipbuilding industry and this continues to this day, although there are now also more hi-tech industries such as Nokia which is located just outside the city. Along with other Scandinavian countries, Finland has a relatively high tax rate, and this combined with the large amount of wealth generated is probably what results in Helsinki having the joint seventh highest cost of living in the world.
6. Zurich

The central part of Zurich along with the four main churches. Photo by Ikiwaner distributed under a GNU Free Documentation Licence.

Located in Switzerland, Zurich comes sixth on the list of most expensive cities in the world by living costs. Zurich is to Switzerland like New York is to the USA, it is the commercial capital of the country but not the political one. Zurich is home to many top educational institutions, and this helps ensure that the top minds in Switzerland and further afield come to live in Zurich, and it is likely that many of these will spend at least some of their working lives here. A large proportion of the Swiss economy is based on financial services, and many multinational companies such as UBS, Zurich Financial Services and Credit Suisse are based here. In addition, the population of Zurich is very diverse, and this potentially explains why many international companies, such as IBM, Google and Microsoft have facilities here. All of these factors mean that Zurich has a very strong economy, and this results in the 6th highest cost of living worldwide.
5. Oslo

This street is the Karl Johan gate with the Royal Palace in the distance. Photo by Mahlum and distributed under GNU Free Documentation License Version 1.2.

The city in the world with the fifth highest cost of living is the Norwegian capital city of Oslo. Oslo is Norway's biggest city, both economically and by population. Norway is one of the most developed countries in the world, with a large income from a variety of sources. These include the large offshore oil and gas reserves, maritime engineering and insurance and tourism. Norway has one of the highest average wages for a country in the world, and Oslo has an average even higher than this national average. Due to the high average wage, linked to the fact that many basic commodities such as many foodstuffs are imported, leads to an extremely high cost of living. This is further exaggerated by the very high Norwegian tax rate. Finally there is large public opposition to both the development of the city itself with high-rise buildings and the surrounding areas, resulting in space becoming at a premium. All of these factors combine to make Oslo the fifth most expensive city in the world in which to live.

4. Copenhagen

The former stock exchange building on an island in Copenhagen. Now a major tourist attraction.

Copenhagen is the fourth most expensive city in the world in which to live. Like Helsinki and Oslo which also appear in the top 10 most expensive cities in terms of cost of living, it too is the capital city of a Scandinavian country. In Copenhagen's case the country is Denmark, and like both Oslo and Helsinki, it is not only the political capital city but the dominant city in the country economically and culturally as well. Copenhagen is the location for many international head and regional offices, such as Maersk which has head offices in Copenhagen and Microsoft, for which Copenhagen provides the regional headquarters. Recently Copenhagen, and Denmark as a whole has seen massive growth, both domestically and internationally. For example, the largest wind turbine manufacturer, Vestas, is a Danish company. All of these factors combined lead to Copenhagen having an extremely strong economy, with the corresponding high wages, which results in it being in fourth position on the list of most expensive cities in terms of cost of living.
3. Paris

Paris at dusk. The Eiffel Tower can be seen near the centre of the screen. Note the reality low-rise nature of the buildings. Photo by Benh LIEU SONG and distributed under GNU Free Documentation License Version 1.2.
Paris is the capital city of France, and comes in third on the list of most expensive cities in the world. The city of Paris is a rather compact area, although the metropolitan area is much larger and includes many satellite towns. The central area of Paris, and the area with which this cost of living list deals with, refers solely to the city of Paris. Paris is famous for tourism, and whilst this generates a large amount of money for the local economy, it does lead to demands for less development of the older parts of the city. As such this leads to less modern space for both commerce and residences than many other cities, and this pushes up the cost of living. Another factor in the high cost of living is the strong economy of the Paris region, and therefore high average wage. Major industries in Paris include the previously mentioned tourism, as well as finance and high-tech manufacturing. All of these factors combine to give the city of Paris the third highest cost of living worldwide.

2. Osaka-Kobe

View of Osaka taken from the Umeda sky building to the north. Photo taken by Flying Toaster and licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license.

The second highest cost of living is for two linked cities in Japan - Osaka and Kobe. As with many Japanese cities, both of these have an extremely high population density, which leads to expensive housing and other costs. Both cities are very large with populations in excess of 1 million. In each city there are a number of different industries, with many large multinational companies having their headquarters in the respective cities. Examples of these include Mitsubishi, Mizuno, Panasonic, Sanyo and Sharp. There is also a relatively large financial industry in both cities, leading to high wages. The high cost of land, as well as high wages, combine to make the Osaka-Kobe region the second most expensive region in the world in which to live.


1. Tokyo

Some of the skyscrapers of Tokyo with Japan's tallest mountain, Mount Fuji in the background. This photo was taken by Morio and permission granted under GNU Free Documentation License Version 1.2.

The Japanese capital city of Tokyo comes first on the list of most expensive cities to live in. In addition to being the top of the list of cities with the highest living costs, it is also the centre of the world's largest metropolitan area by both population and economy. This is probably what makes it the most expensive city in the world in which to live. The Tokyo stock exchange is one of the world's largest, and is the largest one in Japan. Many international companies are based in Tokyo, and yet more have regional offices in the city which leads to a lot of highly paid jobs. In addition, the large size of the population leads to massive demand for space, and this is further exacerbated by the fact that Tokyo is surrounded by the Bay of Tokyo and a lot of steep hills and mountains. All of these factors combine to make Tokyo the most expensive city in the world in which to live.

Luxury yacht for the Siberian governor

Demand for the luxury in growing. One of the expanding industry is luxury boats production. New companies constantly appear offering their services in luxury boat building. Nobody had any experience first, there were no luxury boats in Soviet Russia for 70 years in a row. So some manufacturers copy their works from the Western industry, but some go their unique, Russian way, creating something looking not alike to any other, like this one made for one of the Siberian governors.

Four great motorcycle of the V8 Choppers

#1.Wide Body Trikes [WB-Series]

#2.Choppers [C-Series]

#3.Sport Trikes [SP-Series]

#4.Touring Trike [TR-Series]