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Tokyo has replaced Moscow as the world's most expensive city for expatriates, and Beijing has moved into the top 10, according to a global survey released Tuesday by consultants Mercer.
Asian and European cities again dominated the top ranks of the world's costliest cities for foreigners, but currency swings including a stronger dollar have reshuffled the global rankings, the firm said.
Cities in the United States, China and the Middle East surged from last year. New York jumped from 22nd to eight place, Beijing is now ninth, up from 20th, while Dubai has climbed 32 places to number 20.
London dropped 13 places from last year to be the 16th most expensive city in the world, while Paris slipped one spot to 13th, according to Mercer's annual Cost of Living survey of 143 cities.
"As a direct impact of the economic downturn over the last year we have observed significant fluctuations in most of the world's currencies, which have had a profound impact on this year's ranking," said Nathalie Constantin-Metral, senior researcher at the consulting and investment services company.
"Many currencies, including the euro and British pound, have weakened considerably against a strong US dollar, causing a number of European cities to plummet in the rankings," she said in a statement.
The survey uses New York as the base city with an index of 100 points when comparing the cost of 200 items, including housing, transport, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment.
Tokyo scores 143.7 points and is nearly three times as costly as the cheapest city, Johannesburg, which has an index score of 49.6.
Osaka was in second place - making Japan the only country with two cities in the top 10 - followed by Moscow in third, Geneva at four and Hong Kong fifth.
Due to the strengthening dollar, all US cities became more expensive. Los Angeles gained 32 places to 23rd and Washington is up 41 places to 66th.
Most European cities became cheaper for expats, with Warsaw experiencing the most dramatic change, plummeting from 35th to 113th place.
Chinese cities gained as the yuan strengthened somewhat against most other currencies, said Mercer. Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou moved up to 12th, 22nd and 23rd respectively.
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(Agencies)
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根據美世咨詢公司周二發布的一項全球調查結果，東京已經取代莫斯科成為全世界外籍人士生活成本最高的城市，北京也進入前十名。
亞洲和歐洲城市再次成為世界上外國人生活花費最高的地方，但是美世咨詢公司說，由于貨幣匯率波動，美元趨于強勢，已將這一排行重新洗牌。
美國、中國和中東城市的花費自去年起就開始攀升。紐約從第22名升到第8名，北京從第20名上升至第9名，迪拜排名上升了32位，現居第20名。
美世公司對143個城市的年度生活花費調查顯示，倫敦在最“貴”的城市里排名第16，比去年下降了13個名次，而巴黎則下滑了一個名次成為第13名。
“由于受去年經濟衰退的直接影響，我們可以覺察到世界上大多數貨幣都經歷了大幅度的波動，這極大地影響了今年的排名，”咨詢和投資服務公司的資深研究員納薩莉·康斯坦丁-梅特拉爾說。
她在一份陳述中說，“許多貨幣，包括歐元和英鎊，相對強勢美元都呈明顯疲勢，這使得不少歐洲城市的排名驟降。”
該調查選擇紐約作為基點城市，以100點作為指數，一共比較了200個項目，包括住房、交通、食物、服裝、家居用品和娛樂支出。
在這一調查結果中，東京高達143.7點，相當于花費最便宜的城市約翰內斯堡的近三倍，約翰內斯堡僅為46.9點。
大阪排名第二，這使日本成了唯一一個在前十名擁有兩席的國家。緊隨其后排第三位的城市是莫斯科，日內瓦和香港分列第四和第五位。
由于美元的強勁勢頭，美國所有城市的花費都變得昂貴起來。洛杉磯上升了32個名次，占據第23位，而華盛頓則上升了41個名次，排第66位。
歐洲的大多數城市消費對于外籍人士變得便宜了，其中以華沙的變動最為劇烈，從第35位直落到第113位。
美世公司說，因為人民幣相對大多數其他貨幣處于強勢，中國城市的名次也有所上升，上海、深圳和廣州分別升至第12、22和23位。
相關閱讀
通貨膨脹致北京生活費首超香港
“費用”各不同
最受歡迎五個留學國家學費排行榜
revaluation: 貨幣升值
（英語點津 陳丹妮編輯） |
