Revealed: The most expensive cities in the world to live as an expat

Your dreams of moving to the Big Apple mightn't hit your wallet harder than you think

((Photo: Nichole Sobecki/AFP/Getty Images))

The most expensive cities in the world for expats to live have been revealed.

Juba in South Sudan, Luanda in Angola and Zurich in Switzerland are amongst the most costly places to move to in the world, new research by ECA International has revealed.

The study considered exchange rates, inflation and the price of ordering in home comforts to establish the price of maintaining the same standard of living as they has had in their home country.

Indeed, Switzerland features four times in the top 10, making it a pricey choice if you're thinking of relocating to a Swiss idyll.

Similarly, your dreams of moving to the Big Apple might hit your wallet harder than you think as both Manhattan and New York are listed as some of the most expensive places to live as an expat.

However, there was some good news for those considering moving to Britain as no UK cities were featured in the top 30.

 

The World Economic Forum explained: “The ranking is intended to help companies estimate the costs of employees living abroad of international assignment. For a city like Zurich, Switzerland, the high cost of living in the city and the unfavorable exchange rate are the biggest factors contributing to its high ranking.

"However, for a city like Juba — which is in the poorer, newly formed country of South Sudan — the markup on the items an international employee might request or need is a lot higher. There has also been a flood of foreign aid groups, international diplomats establishing embassies, and oil companies bringing in international workers, driving the prices of these imported goods up.”