Top 5 Most Expensive Countries in the World
5. Norway comes in as the fifth most expensive country in the world. A good portion of its citizen's income is spent on housing. Monthly groceries for a typical Norwegian family costs roughly $1,400. Dinner at an inexpensive restaurant for one averages from $15-20 while a trip to the local movie theatre is averages from $10-15. A typical 3 star hotel in Oslo costs a whooping $130 a night, starting at the smallest hotel room, facing the backstreet. Think gas is cheap in this oil abundant nation? One gallon costs $6.27.
High prices go hand in hand with this country's high standard of living. Hourly wages are extremely high to attract workers that would get the same pay in Norway's oil or fishing industry. Their products are expensive because manpower is expensive. Most of the money goes to welfare and free health care. But to Norwegians, their pricey lifestyle is just something that takes time accommodating to.
4. Taiwan compared to most Asian countries, is relatively expensive, but its low tax rates and high worker's wage make up for it. An alcohol drink in a regular town bar can cost you up to $8 and main courses at average-joe establishments go up to $18. A studio apartment in Taiwan averages about $500, which at first may sound affordable, but with its GDP per capita being $29,000, one realizes that that is a real slap in the wallet. Gasoline in Taiwan averages $2.90 a gallon, a lot for such a small nation.
It has the same high standard and cost of living as New York, which is slightly higher than the rest of America. An efficient welfare system and top-notch education balances out this pricey island nation. But one must take to mind that the cost of living implies the whole nation of Taiwan, not just a city.
3. Russia is Europe's most costly country to live in, with Moscow being Europe's most expensive city. While food items and gasoline are relatively cheap (65 cents for a dozen eggs and $2 per gallon of gas), housing is not. Construction is the most costly in Russia, double of the cost needed to build in South America and Asia. Labor has to be brought from out of the country, skyrocketing prices of homes and apartments. A 4 bedroom 10km from Moscow carries a price tag of $730,000.
The average Russian makes $300 a month, not enough for the prices of housing. How do the Russians live under such constraining conditions? Most inherit property their families owned during the Soviet times. Since the fall of communism, prices have shot through the rough.
2. South Korea's housing costs are unbearable. Studios go for $2,500 a month and houses and large apartments go up to $14,000 a month. Just like Russia, food is affordable and abundant. Electronics are very economic as well, but the wages do not match up with the housing costs. The average South Korean makes 16 grand a year, divided by 12, is roughly $1,300 a month, not enough to cover the rent on an apartment.
Want to fill your tank up in Seoul? Taking a bicycle out for a spin is a better idea. Gasoline costs $4.71 in the capital of South Korea. Expensive? Yes.
1. Japan takes the crown of Most Expensive Country in the World. People live in pricey, tight, small apartments stacked upon each other. Prices on everything seem unreal: $3.84 for a galloon of gas, $380,000 for a 750 sq. ft apartment, $25 for a medium pizza from Domino's, and $50 watermelons exist. Looking for a 3 Bedroom in the suburbs of Tokyo? An easy $850,000. The prices in Japan are outrageous for foreigners planning to visit or live in the country, but to the Japanese it is a way of life. Many are used to paying $6 for a shower in high-rise apartments that have only public bath tubs.
A 50% tax is stamped on every property sold in Japan, so one must think twice about selling their home or apartment. Japan has 50 year mortgages, and debts are often left to their offspring. A game of Japanese golf, one round? It nears $1,500. The reason for the astronomical prices of everything? The high cost of land and labor. The small island nation has a population density of 836 per square mile.
Everything balances out though; Japan has one of the strongest economies in the world and most discipline education system in the world. Maybe high cost of living equals high quality of citizens after all.
Published by Fabienne Hernandaise
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20 Comments
Post a CommentI am an English man living in Norway near one of the richest cities. Yes the cost of living is high but the wages are extremely high. It is a great country and have a great welfare system similar to the UK. There is far too much tax on alcohol though. Ranging from £6.50 to £9 a pint, for the same drink in the UK i coul dhave got 3 or 4 for the same price.
Her is an update on the prises.
Norway: All in US dollar.
Average hotell room = 150-230
A 0,5 liter beer in a bar = 8-12
A Jägermeister shot = 10 - 12
A meal at a steak house with a coke = 50-75
A liter of gas = 2
Prices for housing risen a lot. Now it cost more to buy a old/used house and fix it - than it does to build a new one.
The wages at McDonalds start at about 18 dollars an hour.
If you make about 50 000 dollars a year you can have a very nice life. No health insurance. Free healthcare. Free schools/universities. 1 year maternity leave with full pay. Free dental care until you are 20 years old. Student loans as long you go to school (to pay for your other expences when you study) - so everybody can take as much education they like. No matter how rich their parents are.
If you are disabled, you get a new car every 5 year that is custum made for your handycap. You may also get funds to build your house in a way that it is easeier to use a wheelcher for exam
Can you study the cost of living in a small country like Senegal, in west Africa, where a house rent cost 180-260us Dolars,
I think Senegal should be here among the expensive countries.
take a study of these place
The Unitrd states should have been on here, In new york city and 1 bed 1 bath apt. can reach prices up to 2,000,000
I live in Norway and its friggin awsome sure its expensive but our salaries nullifies it. My mom raised me and my brother alone on a nurse pay. And we had a pretty neat apartment good toys and expensive clothes on our back. Compared to the Us. Norway rocks not to mention that if one of us got into a nasty accident and lived in Usa. we would have to live on the street cause we couldnt pay the med bill.
I'm living in Brazil right now and for the same Blu-ray DVD player I paid in the US 190 US Dollars in Brazil cost 1000 US dollars.
50 years ago in Europe you did not have to spend 2 monthly salaries on 1 monthly rent. You could live on a 30% of your salary. In USA is the rule: your rent must be 25% of your gross monthly salary! See what human GREED has done to your country! G R E E D. What a shame! I love "ia"s response ;-) Now we must live 10 people in 1 apartment like rats because the so-called "investors"want their profits to go up every year! I hope a BIG ECONOMY TROUBLE for 10 YEARS to teach those greedy bastards to never be greedy again! Your immovable property prices in Europe even East Europe are a BIG JOKE RIP-OFF!!! I had to leave Europe and move to USA where real estate prices are very reasonable. Who can afford to pay 300000 Euros for a tiny apartment or 800000 Euros for a one family house? Are you INSANE?
You can easily rent a 1 or 2 bedroom apartment in USA cities for $450 to $750 a month and if you go outside into small town in South Carolina or other states you can find rentals as low as $215 a month and even lower down to $75 a month if yu prove your low income range. The $215 is normal rent without any proof of income required. And remember that US dollar is declining, getting weaker, which is great news for bargain hunters. Europe becoming expensive to afford, USA is becoming affordable, always been. The fast growing hot spots in USA are now North and South Carolina - subtropical to warm temperate climate, lots of sunshine, lots of greenery, mountains beaches and several times cheaper than California. And this is a little secret: women are plenty today in USA since the economy slow down and dollar getting weaker women lose confidence, lose their jobs and dating is becoming HOT in USA.
YOU GUY DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU SAY,COME TO LAGOS NIGERIA,A PLOT OF LAND IN OMOLE LAGOS IS 200,000 GBPOUNDS,TO RENT A THREE BEDROOM FLAT IS 5,000 GBPOUNDS,20,000 GBP OR A HONDA CAR
zimbabwe is the most expensive ,how does one buy a litre of gas at 100m dollars?