Chinese cities ‘too costly’ for expats

SINGAPORE - Agence France-Presse

A photographer takes photos of the financial district of Pudong in Shanghai in this photo. Shanghai becomes Asia’s seventh most expensive city. AFP Photo

Chinese cities now dominate the list of the most expensive places in Asia for expatriate residents due in part to a stronger local currency, a regional survey showed yesterday.

Of the top 50 most expensive cities in the region, 16, or 32 percent, are from China, according to the survey by human resource firm ECA International. Beijing is Asia’s fifth most expensive city, coming after four Japanese cities and followed by Seoul. Last year Beijing was seventh.

Worldwide, the Chinese capital was in 22nd place, up from number 35. Shanghai is Asia’s seventh most expensive city, up a notch from last year. The financial center is the 26th most expensive city worldwide, up sharply from number 41. ECA carries out a survey twice a year by measuring a basket of common items purchased by expatriates in more than 400 locations globally, such as dairy produce, vegetables, clothing and meals out.

Hong Kong is Asia’s ninth most expensive city, while other Chinese cities in the top 50 are Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shenyang, Tianjin, Qingdao, Dalian, Chongqing, Suzhou, Chengdu, Wuhan, Xiamen, Najing, and Xi’an.

Tokyo remains the costliest place for expatriates in Asia and worldwide, followed by Nagoya on both counts. Oslo is the second most expensive city worldwide, trailed by the Angolan capital Luanda, a hardship post for expatriates.