The cost of living, increased by growing prices for utilities and transport, in Singapore, Hong Kong and Paris was reported to be the highest in the world, according to a new survey.
The full list of the priciest places in the world was completed by the following cities, some sharing a ranking:
1. Singapore
1. Paris
1. Hong Kong
4. Zurich
5. Geneva
5. Osaka
7. Seoul
7. Copenhagen
7. New York
10. Tel Aviv
10. Los Angeles
The cost of utilities and domestic help is what made the US cities an expensive place to live, while Swiss entries — Zurich and Geneva — were reported to have the highest cost of household, personal care, recreation and entertainment expenses.
On the other side of the spectrum, Caracas topped the list of the cheapest locations in the world, following political unrest in the country.
Prices have also dropped in Turkey's Istanbul, due in part to the decrease in value of Turkish lira.
Central Asia capitals of Tashkent and Almaty followed Damascus in the list of the cheapest locations in the world.
Here is the list of top ten inexpensive metropoleis, according to researchers:
1. Caracas
2. Damascus
3. Tashkent
4. Almaty
5. Bangalore
6. Karachi
6. Lagos
8. Buenos Aires
8. Chennai
10. New Delhi
"We note converging costs in traditionally more expensive cities like Paris, Singapore, Zurich, Geneva, Copenhagen and Hong Kong. It is a testament to globalization and the similarity of tastes and shopping patterns," says Roxana Slavcheva, editor of the survey.