According to a Cost of Living survey conducted by ECA International, Singapore jumped three places to become the 6th most expensive city in Asia.
The continued strength of the Singapore dollar against major currencies has also catapulted the city up the global ranking, rising from 68th to 36th position in the space of a year. It is now more expensive for international assignees than Hong Kong, New York, Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Shanghai.
Cities with the highest cost of living in Asia
| Asian rank
2011 |
Location | Global rank
2011 |
Asia rank
2010 |
Global rank
2010 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Tokyo
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
|
2
|
Nagoya
|
3
|
2
|
4
|
|
3
|
Yokohama
|
5
|
3
|
5
|
|
4
|
Kobe
|
9
|
4
|
7
|
|
5
|
Seoul
|
22
|
5
|
19
|
|
6
|
Singapore
|
36
|
9
|
68
|
|
7
|
Hong Kong
|
45
|
6
|
33
|
|
8
|
Beijing
|
46
|
8
|
55
|
|
9
|
Shanghai
|
47
|
7
|
46
|
|
10
|
Busan
|
64
|
10
|
75
|
|
11
|
Taipei
|
66
|
12
|
87
|
|
12
|
Ulsan
|
76
|
11
|
81
|
|
13
|
Guangzhou
|
89
|
13
|
95
|
|
14
|
Kaohsiung
|
97
|
15
|
114
|
|
15
|
Jakarta
|
102
|
16
|
123
|
|
16
|
Shenzhen
|
103
|
14
|
100
|
|
17
|
Bangkok
|
136
|
23
|
156
|
|
18
|
Shenyang
|
139
|
18
|
134
|
|
19
|
Astana
|
143
|
17
|
124
|
|
20
|
Tianjin
|
144
|
20
|
142
|
|
21
|
Qingdao
|
146
|
21
|
145
|
|
22
|
Dalian
|
147
|
21
|
145
|
|
23
|
Almaty
|
152
|
19
|
139
|
|
24
|
Chongqing
|
162
|
24
|
159
|
|
25
|
Suzhou
|
166
|
25
|
165
|
|
26
|
Chengdu
|
167
|
26
|
166
|
|
27
|
Wuhan
|
168
|
26
|
166
|
|
27
|
Xiamen
|
168
|
28
|
168
|
|
29
|
Nanjing
|
170
|
29
|
169
|
|
30
|
Xi’an
|
172
|
29
|
169
|
|
31
|
Surabaya
|
173
|
31
|
181
|
|
32
|
Chiang Mai
|
179
|
32
|
184
|
|
33
|
Kuala Lumpur
|
185
|
37
|
201
|
|
34
|
Balikpapan
|
187
|
33
|
192
|
|
35
|
Metro-Manila
|
190
|
34
|
195
|
|
36
|
Vientiane
|
197
|
35
|
198
|
|
37
|
Johor Bahru
|
199
|
42
|
213
|
|
38
|
New Delhi
|
203
|
38
|
206
|
|
39
|
Tashkent
|
206
|
39
|
209
|
|
40
|
George Town
|
209
|
45
|
218
|
|
41
|
Ulaanbaatar
|
210
|
49
|
233
|
|
42
|
Colombo
|
211
|
44
|
215
|
|
43
|
Mumbai
|
215
|
40
|
210
|
|
44
|
Dhaka
|
219
|
41
|
212
|
|
45
|
Hanoi
|
224
|
36
|
200
|
|
46
|
Bangalore
|
226
|
47
|
229
|
|
47
|
Chennai
|
227
|
46
|
227
|
|
48
|
Hyderabad
|
229
|
48
|
230
|
|
49
|
Ho Chi Minh City
|
232
|
43
|
214
|
|
50
|
Pune
|
236
|
50
|
236
|
|
51
|
Kolkata
|
238
|
51
|
237
|
|
52
|
Islamabad
|
239
|
52
|
239
|
|
53
|
Karachi
|
240
|
53
|
24
|
.
About ECA’s Cost of Living Survey
ECA International’s cost of living indices are calculated based upon surveys carried out annually in March and September using a basket of day-to-day goods and services. The data used above refers to year on year movements between ECA’s March 2011 and 2010 surveys.
The survey covers:
Food: Groceries; dairy produce; meat and fish; fresh fruit and vegetables
Basic: Drink and tobacco; miscellaneous goods; services
General: Clothing; electrical goods; motoring; meals out
Certain living costs such as accommodation, utilities (electricity, gas, water costs), car purchase and school fees are not included in the survey. Such items can make a significant difference to expenses but are usually compensated for separately in expatriate packages.
