ECA International published its annual Cost of Living survey of the most expansive cities for expatriates. The data provides information for managers of international companies to accurately calculate current expenses of their employees sent abroad. The city of Tokyo (Japan) is the world's most expensive location. Companies sending their staff to Tokyo have to pay higher allowances to maintain employees' purchasing power.

Luanda (Angola)

Luanda holds the second position globally. The population of Angola is 4.5 million. Prices for goods and services are very high there.

Zurich (Switzerland)

Zurich takes the 3rd place in the rankings. A slight fall in prices last year has not changed the overall picture. It is still a costly city for expats. Zurich is the major financial spot of Switzerland. It is also headquarters of leading insurance companies and international banks.

Geneva (Switzerland)

Geneva is the fourth most expensive city for expatriates as it is the global financial center. It is the area with the highest percentage of foreign workers (44%). Just like the neighboring Zurich, Geneva is headquarters of many international organizations.

Yokohama (Japan)

Yokohama is the largest port city of Japan and the fifth most expensive location for expats globally. The city's economy centers on shipping, biotechnology, and semiconductor industries.

Basel (Switzerland)

Basel is the sixth most expensive for expatriates and is the center of chemical and pharmaceutical industry in Switzerland. It is headquarters of leading global companies and international financial institutions. There is also the oldest university of Switzerland.

Nagoya (Japan)

Nagoya is ranked at seventh place. It is one of the largest Japanese ports and the main trade and industrial center of the country and the Chubu region. It is also the intersection of transport routs of the country's western and eastern regions. Statistics show that the number of expatriates in the city increased by almost twofold. On the whole, the number of foreigners in Nagoya is 67,000 or 2.98% of the city's population.

Bern (Switzerland)

Bern is the eighth most expensive city in the world for expatriates. It is the capital of Switzerland and the political center of the country. Bern is the place of work for senior officials from the Swiss government, the parliament, and the central bank.

Osaka (Japan)

The third most populous city of Japan, Osaka is the ninth most expensive city globally for expats. It is one of the most important economic centers of the country. The city accounts for more than 25% of all industrial production of Japan. At the same time, Osaka is a large seaport that handles over 80 million tons of cargo annually.

Kinshasa (DRC)

The capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kinshasa was ranked tenth costliest destination for expatriates. It is the world's second largest French-speaking city, after Paris. It has an extremely low standard of living and a high crime rate.