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ZURICH IS THE most expensive city in the world, surpassing Tokyo for the first time in at least 20 years.
According to the latest Worldwide Cost of Living Survey, the Swiss city pushed up four places to overtake Tokyo which remains in second place.
Fellow Swiss city Geneva came in third most expensive after a 30 percentage point rise in the cost of living.
The authors of the bi-annual report said both Japan and Switzerland have seen strong currency movements over the last few years which have made them relatively more expensive.
This has become especially true of Switzerland in the last year, where investors looking for a haven currency outside the beleaguered eurozone have invested heavily in the Swiss franc, prompting an unprecedented move by the Swiss government to peg the Swiss franc to the euro to keep the currency competitive.”
Currency movements in Australia also explain the presence of both Sydney and Melbourne in the list of top ten most expensive cities to live.
The cost of bread, petrol and rice are just some of the 160 products used as indicators for the survey. A loaf of bread? That will be US$6.15 in Zurich, while a kilo of rice will be $7.76 in Tokyo.
The price of a litre of petrol varies hugely from city to city. In its breakdown, the EIU shows that it is $2.17 in Paris but only $0.96 in Moscow.
Despite eurozone weaknesses, western Europe still accounts for 24 of the most expensive cities in the top 50, with 14 hailing from Asia.
The cheapest cities in the ranking are dominated by Asian and Middle Eastern cities. The use of price controls and the pegging of currencies to the US dollar keeps Middle Eastern cities on the list, while Asian cities have a more structural basis. Cheap labour and land costs make India and Pakistan incredibly attractive to those bargain hungry visitors or investors willing to brave some of the security risks that accompany such low prices.
The TOP 10 most expensive cities:
The 10 LEAST expensive cities:
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Tell us exactly what ‘outcome’ you want Jeffrey, you know, with precise details and all that.
We all know what you don’t want !
@offside again: Jeffery would be more than happy to rip up the Good Friday agreement if given a chance
@Alan Scott: Why not ?
The opening section states
“It is hereby declared that Northern Ireland in its entirety remains part of the United Kingdom and shall not cease to be so without the consent of a majority of the people of Northern Ireland voting in a poll held for the purposes of this section in accordance with Schedule 1.”
IN IT’S ENTIRETY…
Unionists and Loyalists have been let down and betrayed by the breaching of the Belfast Agreement….
The Belfast Agreement was actually “tweaked” to facilitate the NI Protocol
It is not ripped up…it has been shredded
@Alan Scott: Should have been ripped up many yrs ago considering how many times SF/IRA broke the rules in it . Their terrorists caught red handed in Central America training FARC rebels in 2003 .
He realises the game is up. I wouldn’t be surprised if the British Government haven’t told him take your chances . They’ve had enough.
No donaldson you relic,you and your dup cronies are the only obstacle to the huge benifits the windsor framework provides,lets call a spade a spade,yee just cannot stomach playing second fiddle to michelle o neil,thats the brunt of the matter
@David Clarke: If it is really offers such “huge benefits” then why are so many nationalists in Northern Ireland still calling for a border poll then ???
Take your time ………..
Get to work, Mr Donalson. Stop procrastinating.
Unionism is dead…long live the new Republic!!!!
@liam preston: May the force be with you.
Since Feb 22 they have been trying to get what they want and clearly uk gov are not for turning. Time for DUP to get real
Harming their economy?
The only thing that’s harming their economy right now is the DUP.
Get back to work ya orange jaffa cake…
Tail wagging dog much?
“Not planning for failure” well, well they have already failed the majority of the people by stalling the installation of a Legislative Authority for NI.
The DUP and followers get strength from their sense of isolation…but from what are they isolated ? It seems they have a sense of dread of reprisal that if they were the minority in a 32 county Ireland they would then suffer as the nationalists did in the 6 counties. I think they should be called out on this if only to hear their position.
@JP: No they fear they would suffer as Protestants in the Free State Suffered
The largest exodus in Europe between the 2 World Wars
Sir Jeffrey is the best recruiting Sargent for Sinn Fein
@John Conforms: And you are the best recruiting agent for The Oxford English Dictionary.
It be great if they could be sent back and housed where the originally came from. Imagine the peace we would have on this lovely island. I imagine they would be far happier too. Lads you be even more British if yous move to mainland UK.
Delusional, you simply cannot plan for failure when you have already achieved it. It’s the first an only time I’ve ever agreed with Jeff.
They really are on an alternate Planet.
Why can’t they just be somewhat reasonable. Change is coming, everyone knows it. They need to adapt or extinction looms large. England s interest in our 6 counties is at an end. Poor Jeff is not reading the room. Dodo United Party, we know what happened to the poor old Dodo!!
Jeffrey do you hear the bell calling you from the mainland U.K. ? It’s at Westminter at Parliamentary buildings.
Don’t go blaming the Irish Government on this like you love doing.
Donaldson will have to get it into his head he will be playing second fiddle to Michel for a long time.
Hey ho here we go again
For whatever reason nationalists seem intent on pushing Loyalists back to a war footing.
The reality is that in a 32 county Peoples Republic DUP would be the largest party after the first election
@John Conforms: the reality is that the DUP is not even the largest party in Northern Irelamd
have your say