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Dublin is now more expensive to live in than both Abu Dhabi and Silicon Valley

It’s the first time Dublin has been in the top 100 most expensive cities to live list since 2014.

shutterstock_748855090 Shutterstock / Giancarlo Liguori Shutterstock / Giancarlo Liguori / Giancarlo Liguori

IRELAND’S CAPITAL IS now a more expensive place to live than some of the most notoriously pricey places on the planet.

A new survey shows that Dublin has jumped 48 places to enter the top-100 list of the most expensive places to live in the world at number 72.

That places the city above other notoriously expensive places to live like Abu Dhabi and Silicon Valley, and even central London.

The cost of living survey, commissioned by ECA International, investigates the varying level of household expense in cities around the globe.

It does so by comparing a basket of like-for-like consumer goods and services in 475 worldwide locations. Rental accommodation levels are not factored into the survey.

ECA, which has been running the survey for the past 45 years, states that a strong euro is the main reason for the rise on the list of so many European cities.

“Thanks to the strength of the euro, Dublin is one of 18 European cities to enter the top 100 most expensive cities in the world this year,” said Steven Kilfedder, production manager with ECA.

2 ECA International ECA International

This is the first time Dublin has been in the top 100 since 2014, making it more expensive for expats and visitors travelling to Ireland.

Regarding the goods and services themselves, the humble stick of butter is the standout price-mover for 2018.

The cost of the dairy product has jumped up to 28% in Europe due to a slowdown in milk production, with the greatest increases seen in Austria and Poland.

Switzerland has four out of the top five most expensive cities to live in on earth – Zurich, Geneva, Basel, and Bern.

The European nation misses out on top spot though – that dubious honour goes to Caracas in Venezuela, due to the hyperinflation (1,800% in the last 18 months alone) seen in the South American country.

London, meanwhile, often seen as one of the world’s most expensive cities, placed 109th in this year’s survey.

Belfast is the cheapest city to live in the UK, meanwhile.

The cost of living in US cities has meanwhile dropped significantly due to a concurrent drop in the value of the dollar.

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    Mute Martin Ryan
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    Nov 13th 2014, 3:13 PM

    The longer it takes the more interest AIB will have to pay won’t they?

    229
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    Mute Plantation Watch
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    Nov 13th 2014, 3:29 PM

    The bailout is bigger than 21 Billion, the low interest rates and DIRT @ 41% are not taken into account.

    66
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    Mute Tony Skillington
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    Nov 13th 2014, 3:38 PM

    True Martin but the more interest they have to pay , the longer it will take for them to get back to profitability.

    16
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    Mute gerbreen
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    Nov 13th 2014, 5:05 PM

    Future tax on profits written off against taxpayer covered debts.

    18
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    Mute Mark Lillis
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    Nov 13th 2014, 5:30 PM

    Profits earned for a large part by charging crazy customers fees to those that bailed them out.

    34
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    Mute Looky here
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    Nov 14th 2014, 12:03 AM

    Investment ?!! More like theft !!

    6
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    Mute KimJong-unDotCom
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    Nov 13th 2014, 3:14 PM

    Woohoo we’ll all be rich again. I’ve an option on some apartments in Bulgaria if anyone’s interested?

    108
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    Mute Ronan Stokes
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    Nov 13th 2014, 3:40 PM

    Bulgaria is old news Kim, Cape Verde is where its at, the new Canaries!… Ryan Air will be flying there soon. Yer man from Cork that knows about the money is selling them!

    66
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    Mute Dermot Ryan
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    Nov 13th 2014, 3:52 PM

    Brendan oil own fake is it ?

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    Mute KimJong-unDotCom
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    Nov 13th 2014, 4:01 PM

    I like your style Ronan, just for that I’ll throw in a hot tub.

    19
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    Mute Dermot Ryan
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    Nov 14th 2014, 1:59 AM

    Brendan Investments …come on now people keep up ….

    2
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    Mute Martin Sinnott
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    Nov 13th 2014, 3:19 PM

    The Irish taxpayer paid out €21 Billion to bail out the Bank, then the senior bailed the pension fund with over €1.5 Billion, they retired on huge Pensions. Then they closed the pension to new members. The tax payer is paying 1000 staff salaries of over €100,000. Tax payers are taken to the cleaners by the AIB. You would want to be a gxxxxxxe to Bank with them.

    88
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    Mute Sean O'Keeffe
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    Nov 13th 2014, 4:11 PM

    In 1984, AIB was bailed out, at a cost of £400 million to the Irish taxpayer, when its subsidiary (ICI) collapsed. The following year AIB paid out a dividend to its shareholders, while still in-hoc to the taxpayer.

    Less than 25 years later AIB was back, cap in hand, for another draw down.

    As from the last budget, it would appear, the government will, now, be incentivising even greater incompetence and negligence through its revised taxation policy.

    http://m.independent.ie/business/irish/why-one-irish-bank-wont-have-to-pay-tax-until-2034-30391556.html

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    Mute John McCormack
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    Nov 13th 2014, 6:44 PM

    I despise that bloody bank, really actively despise it, I have more respect for a junkie thief than I have for anyone working for it.

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    Mute James Darby
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    Nov 13th 2014, 9:20 PM

    Saw that in the paper today, Martin. I nearly choked on me sandwich. 1000 AIB staff on over €100,000. Nothing has changed, these people live in a different world, on our money and nobody seems to care.

    16
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    Mute John McCormack
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    Nov 13th 2014, 11:08 PM

    All the sheeple red arrowing me- the type that doff their cap to their “betters”
    A bankrupt state in tatters because of AIB- generations enslaved to paying for this God awful mess and these sad sacks red arrow someone pointing out how despicable this bank is- third time being bailed out by the tax payers and it’s these clowns attitude will see them bankrupt us again.

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    Mute Denise Friary
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    Nov 13th 2014, 3:36 PM

    Anybody that owes the AIB money shouldn’t pay it until they give all that money back to the taxpayers

    42
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    Mute Gagsy 99
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    Nov 13th 2014, 4:21 PM

    jaysus!

    14
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    Mute justanothertaxpayer
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    Nov 13th 2014, 5:28 PM

    yep – this is a brilliant idea and will definitely help the borrower, the lender and the State finances all in one go.
    I look forward to the next economic marvel from you Denise.

    54
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    Mute Dermot Ryan
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    Nov 13th 2014, 3:28 PM

    Well we’ll keep it so until you do – all of it ! not 75% ……” there’s a big bonus for ye lads and a few share options Isn’t the Irish public really stupid”,
    ALL OF IT !

    38
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    Mute Stephen Kearon
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    Nov 13th 2014, 6:29 PM

    A fraction of this €21b would fix our water system and therefore no need for any Irish Water charges

    23
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    Mute Tweety McTweeter
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    Nov 13th 2014, 5:56 PM

    That’s like €4.5k for each citizen. That would give the local economy some boost. Can I expect a cheque in the post?

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    Mute x
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    Nov 13th 2014, 6:31 PM

    Too f***ing late AIB the people have already had to suffer from your mess

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    Mute Anthony Halpin
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    Nov 13th 2014, 10:34 PM

    Well they could start by returning the €18 they stole from my account, which f***ed up a direct debit payment.

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    Mute David Burke
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    Nov 13th 2014, 3:39 PM

    If we get double digits billions back from the bank we will be doing well. AIB isn’t worth 21 billion.

    The big swing is the taking back the provisions for bad loans which were the worse worse case. That’s why they made big losses as they had to put huge money aside and now they don’t need it so they can take some and call it a profit.

    But that’s a short term thing as the economy improves and losses reduce. They still haven’t shown they can make money long term.

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    Mute Dermot Ryan
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    Nov 13th 2014, 3:45 PM

    IF I was a sausage I’d dance at the crossroads with a pink tutu on, while reciting the government ignored out of copyright amhran na bfhiann backwards on a bicycle !

    10
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    Mute Ronan Stokes
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    Nov 13th 2014, 7:02 PM

    What about some decking Kim, a hot tub and some decking and im in!! I already have one in Kusadasi.

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    Mute Kenneth Clifford
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    Feb 6th 2015, 3:15 PM

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    Mute Alan Clinton
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    Nov 14th 2014, 10:13 AM

    It’s about time we took our fingers out of our holes and marched on the banks think about what they done to this country and how easy they got away with it . FFs Ireland’s paying 42% of the over all debt of the eu, so how dose the smallest end up paying the most

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    Mute Paul Roche
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    Nov 13th 2014, 4:01 PM

    Bing!

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    Mute Michael Flannery
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    Nov 13th 2014, 4:32 PM

    So how much will my bank shares be worth by then…??

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    Mute Dermot Ryan
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    Nov 13th 2014, 5:13 PM

    As Paul said they will be worth “Bing”

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    Mute Paul Roche
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    Nov 20th 2014, 7:36 PM

    I have got to be the worlds lousiest fairy.

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