Most expensive cities for business travellers revealed

Edinburgh is placed second among UK cities for costs, ahead of Manchester, Glasgow and Birmingham

Price watch: London has been rated among the world's priciest cities for business travel (Simon Calder)

Despite the slump in sterling over the past 18 months, London is rated among the top six most expensive cities in the world to travel on business.

A report by Expert Market has found that New York is the most expensive city for business trips, averaging $549 (£410) per day for accommodation, meals and taxis or car rental. San Francisco is almost as costly, at $534 (£399), with Boston on $511 (£382).

Tokyo is the most expensive non-American city, at $489 (£366). Zurich is costed at $472 (£353), just five dollars ahead of London on $467 (£349).

A spokesperson for Expert Market said: “As cities like London begin to reevaluate their position in the global arena and try to find ways of encouraging more international business relationships, our research highlights just how expensive this will be to businesses meeting clients in the capital.”

The remainder of the top 10 is split between the US and Switzerland, in the shape of Washington, Chicago, Basel and Geneva. The next European city in the list is Paris, in 20th place at $395 (£295). This makes London 18 per cent more expensive than the French capital.

Edinburgh is placed second among UK cities for costs, ahead of Manchester, Glasgow and Birmingham.

The cheapest cities in the US are Biloxi and Shreveport, both in the Deep South, with the inland Californian city of Bakersfield lowest cost of all at $241 (£180).

Worldwide, business travellers pay least in Cairo, Bangalore and Johannesburg.