The Worldwide Cost of Living is a bi-annual survey that compares a major city's living expenses (i.e. groceries, clothing, rent, transport, utility bills, education and recreation) with others in the world to help companies work out cost-of-living allowances for expats and travellers. More than 50,000 individual prices are collected from some 140 cities in 93 countries to ascertain rank.
In 2011 I wrote about the over representation of Aussie cities in the same report, and now it seems our upward trend is continuing. The EIU note:
'Ten years ago there were no Australian cities among the 50 most expensive cities. Two years ago Australian cities began to be ranked among the ten most expensive. The current survey sees Australian cities reach the highest-ranked position yet, with Sydney rated the third most expensive city surveyed and Melbourne ranked in fifth place.'
The EIU note that over the last few years, we have seen the ascendancy of Asian cities offsetting a traditionally European leader board. A decade ago, of the top 20 cities, six were Asian and ten European (with four cities from the USA). Now we see the number of Asian cities at the top of the index almost double at 11 compared with 8 from Europe.
In terms of inflation, petrol, cigarettes and bread were used as example benchmarks, with petrol now at an average of $1.50 US per litre costing only 50c per litre in Sydney 10 years ago (~300% increase). The price of a loaf of bread has risen at about the same rate (~250%), whereas the effects of the Governments tobacco tax are evident as the price of cigarettes has increased by some 500% over the last decade.
Things here aren't quite as bad as in Tokyo though, who have to stomach a $9 US price tag on a humble loaf, and 47c more than Aussies for a litre of fuel ($1.97 US). A smoke however will only cost them $5.57 US compared with the Aussie cost of $14.65 per pack. For the smoking population of Australia, now, more than ever is a good time to quit!
The Most Expensive
1 Tokyo (Japan)
2 Osaka (Japan)
3 Sydney (Australia)
4 Oslo (Norway)
5 Melbourne (Australia)
6 Singapore (Singapore)
7 Zurich (Switzerland)
8 Paris (France)
9 Caracas (Venezuela)
10 Geneva (Switzerland)
The Least Expensive
1 Karachi (Pakistan)
2 Mumbai (India)
3 New Delhi (India)
4 Kathmandu (Nepal)
5 Algiers (Algeria)
6 Bucharest (Romania)
7 Colombo (Sri Lanka)
8 Panama City (Panama)
9 Jeddah (Saudi Arabia)
10 Tehran (Iran)
Christian leaders have traditionally spoken-put through the centuries on economic and social issues. The higher the cost of living the greater the pressure on those without the resources to live reasonable lives within their society for themselves and their families, let alone those without. This has always been a Biblical issue.
Ben Kitzelman recently spent 4 years travelling between Australia and Zambia, serving for as a missionary, and is now an IT professional in Melbourne.
Ben Kitzelman's previous articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/ben-kitzelmen.html