London - Most expensive city??
Archive - Originally posted on "The Horse's Mouth" - 2004-08-14 06:59:15 - Graham EllisIs London the "most expensive city in the world"? I've seen this written, but I doubted whether it's true. The Guardian and others in June placed it second, based on a report from Mercer Human Resources(table). The BBC on 12th August placed it 6th.
Why the difference? The widely-reported June statistics are for expatriates working in various cities and include the cost of renting a luxury two bedroom flat, as well as transport, clothing, food, entertainment. The BBC figures are for a basket of products including cars, CDs, cinema tickets ...
Conclusion? Neither of the statistical sources is accurate for a visitor to London, who will be staying in a hotel and won't be buying a car. Neither of the statistical sources is accurate for a Londoner who will likely buy or rent accommodation in the suburbs. And all the rankings are going to vary wildly as exchange rates fluctuate. London IS expensive for most people - but just *how* expensive depends on what they're doing in London and whether they're prepared to "go native" - use public transport, live out of town, or not.