With the implementation of GST and the weakening ringgit, Malaysia has seen an increase in costs of living in recent times but even so, it still somewhat at a bearable level when compared to the rest of the world. Ironically, the world’s most expensive city to live in sits just across the Causeway from us—yes, for the third year in a row, Singapore has topped the Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2016 Worldwide Cost of Living survey.
While it is common for most middle-income working Malaysian adults to get to places with a car (or even Uber, which is still a car), the same cannot be said for our Singaporean neighbours. Ranking 133 cities based on a twice-yearly survey, the annual report notes Singapore’s high transport and utility costs. “It is the most expensive place in the world to buy and run a car, thanks to Singapore’s complex Certificate of Entitlement system,” it adds.
Taking public transportation isn’t as cheap either. The costs are 2.7 times higher than in New York. There is, however, an up side to living in Singapore; basic groceries there are cheaper than its other Asian counterparts such as Seoul, Hong Kong and Tokyo.
Here’s the list of the world’s 10 most expensive cities to live in 2016:
1. Singapore
2. Zurich, Switzerland
2. Hong Kong
4. Geneva, Switzerland
5. Paris
6. London
7. New York
8. Copenhagen, Denmark
8. Seoul, South Korea
8. Los Angeles
And for the world’s 10 least expensive cities to live in 2016:
124. Damascus, Syria
124. Caracas, Venezuela
126. New Delhi
127. Almaty, Kazakhstan
127. Algiers, Algeria
127. Chennai, India
127. Karachi, Pakistan
131. Mumbai, India
132. Bangalore, India
133. Lusaka, Zambia
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