Singapore, Paris and Hong Kong are the most expensive cities in the world

A 1kg loaf of bread in Paris costs more than $5

Hong Kong, Singapore and Paris have been ranked the most expensive cities in the world.

The priciest locations were split mainly between Asia and Europe, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Worldwide Cost of Living 2019 survey.

It is the first time in the survey’s history that three cities have shared the top spot. Rounding out the top five were the “usual suspects” of Zurich and Geneva in Switzerland.

Also in the top 10 were Osaka in Japan, South Korean capital Seoul and Copenhagen in Denmark.

American cities New York and Los Angeles rose in this year’s rankings, thanks to currency appreciation. “A stronger US dollar last year has meant that cities in the US generally became more expensive globally, especially relative to last year’s ranking,” noted the report. Five years ago, New York and LA tied for 39th position.

Tel Aviv is the only Middle Eastern city to make the top 10.

The annual index compares prices of everyday items in 133 cities around the world, including clothing, recreation, education and utility bills.

According to the survey, a woman’s haircut in Singapore, Paris and Hong Kong costs $96.01, $119.04 and $112.10 respectively.

In the cheapest three cities – Caracas in Venezuela, Syria’s capital Damascus and Tashkent in Uzbekistan – the same haircut would cost $1.77, $7.77 and $12.43 respectively.

The most expensive cities in the world

1. Singapore

1. Paris

1. Hong Kong

4. Zurich

5. Geneva

5. Osaka

7. Seoul

7. Denmark

7. New York

10. Tel Aviv

10. Los Angeles

The cheapest cities in the world

133. Caracas

132. Damascus

131. Tashkent

130. Almaty

129. Bangalore

128. Karachi

128. Lagos

126. Buenos Aires

126. Chennai

124. New Delhi