Top 15 Most Expensive Cities in the World
If you want to have a taste of one of the most expensive holidays, this is the list that will help you find the best places to do that. If you have a limited budget, the top will help you know which cities should be removed from your itinerary.
The ranking was conducted using data collected by the site “U.S. Travel News”.
1. Oslo: tops, because current prices are sky rocket. Thus, a bottle of water costs $6. The capital of Norway is on the list since 2006 and no sign that would give a place.
2. Zurich: Swiss salaries are high but also living costs and services so that tourists are looking for discounts or bargains in vain. During summer, everyone is drawn at Lake Zurich, and in winter it is not any quieter, because skiers gather in the Alps, so for nice and quiet holidays on a budget, that’s definitely not the place.
3. Geneva: Swiss franc robustness and higher salaries are reflected in prices in this city.
4. Copenhagen: Antiques shops, romantic restaurants and stylish cafes are all strengths for attracting tourists, but Denmark is proving to be merciless with their wallets.
5. Stockholm managed last year to rise from 16th in 2009 at No. 5 this year, and this is due to its extremely strong economy that has successfully coped recession.
6. Tokyo. Like Singapore, Japan was able to overcome the global financial crisis relatively easy. Thus, food is hardly a problem in this city, but the cost of one night’s hotel, on average 163 dollars per night, is a problem. It is expected that the tsunami and earthquake of 2011 still affect prices, causing them to fall slightly.
7. Sydney. If in 2009 the city was ranked top 39, now managed to climb to seventh place, and this is due to massive growth in the Australian dollar, which was reflected in increased rates of accommodation and food prices.
8. Toronto. Canada used to be the case that Americans living near the northern border would hightail to Toronto to take advantage of the favorable exchange rate, but over the past few years, Canada’s price tags have become increasingly cringe-worthy, mainly because the Canadian dollar is now roughly on par with the US dollar.
9. Singapore. While the U.S. and Europe are battling an economic crisis, Singapore is flying high., also due to the increasing strength of the Singapore dollar. Although you can still find cheap eats and the occasional bargain hotel, don’t expect that to last too much.
10. Vienna. Although the Prices and Earnings report shows that the Austrian capital is more affordable now than it was in 2009, budget travelers will struggle to find bargain prices, especially on hotel rooms. Better opt for an apartment rental instead.
12. Paris. The City of Lights has experienced a dramatic price drop in the past two years. But before starting to do some spending, remember the disadvantage of the exchange rate, especially if you come from the U.S.
13. Luxembourg is a small country sitting between France, Belgium and Germany. Small country we say but with big price tags!
14. New York City. Even though price tags have shrunk, due to the economic crisis, don’t assume that you’ll be able to stretch your budget too far. NY is still famous for its swanky restaurants, high-end shops and refined nightlife venues. Mark the words high end and refined!
15. London. Tourists often bemoan London as expensive .Sure, there are ways to save in England’s capital, but bargain travelers are often limited to greasy pub food and not-so-classy hotels.
