World Most Expensive Cities 2009

World Most Expensive Cities (by Bruce Einhorn) - Japanese Cities Rise to the Top

The global recession may be showing some signs of easing, but try telling that to any foreign visitor to Japan. During the worst of the crisis, the Japanese yen soared against the dollar and other currencies. That slammed profits at Japanese exporters such as Toyota, Sony, and Panasonic. It also drove up the cost of living in Tokyo and other big Japanese cities. Indeed, Japanese cities are in four out of the top five slots in the annual ranking of the world's priciest cities by ECA International, a global human resources firm. The only non-Japanese city in the top five was Luanda, the capital of Angola. More on the world's most expensive cities (price by US dollar & by rank) here:

No. 1 Luanda, Angola
2008 rank: 1

Movie ticket (in US$): 16.85

Quick lunch (in US$): 57.92

Washing machine (in US$): 1090.47

Kilo (2.2 pounds) of rice (in US$): 5.65

Can of soft drink (in US$): 1.30

No. 2 Tokyo, Japan
2008 rank: 13

Movie ticket: 19.16

Quick lunch: 16.48

Washing machine: 886.77

Kilo of rice: 8.45

Can of soft drink: 1.75

No. 3 Nagoya, Japan
2008 rank: 20

Movie ticket: 17.46

Quick lunch: 15.33

Washing machine: 899.97

Kilo of rice: 8.80

No. 4 Yokohama, Japan
2008 rank: 15

Quick lunch: 17.11

Washing machine: 910.04

Kilo of rice: 6.28

Can of soft drink: 1.18

No. 5 Kobe, Japan
2008 rank: 29

Movie ticket: 16.92

Quick lunch: 14.96

Washing machine: 588.32

Kilo of rice: 7.09

Can of soft drink: 1.38

No. 6 Copenhagen, Denmark
2008 rank: 4

Movie ticket: 13.31

Quick lunch: 28.71

Washing machine: 1053.27

Kilo of rice: 4.24

Can of soft drink: 2.12

No. 7 Oslo, Norway
2008 rank: 2

Movie ticket: 12.84

Quick lunch: 32.65

Washing machine: 808.01

Kilo of rice: 4.40

Can of soft drink: 2.07

No. 8 Geneva, Switzerland
2008 rank: 6

Movie ticket: 14.07

Quick lunch: 27.57

Washing machine: 1213.67

Kilo of rice: 3.48

No. 9 Zurich, Switzerland
2008 rank: 8

Movie ticket: 14.11

Quick lunch: 21.56

Washing machine: 978.45

Kilo of rice: 2.79

Can of soft drink: 0.99

No. 10 Basel, Switzerland
2008 rank: 9

Movie ticket: 13.73

Quick lunch: 21.15

Washing machine: 744.59

Kilo of rice: 3.01

Can of soft drink: 1.03

...to be continue - World Most Expensive Cities 2009 Part II