The 10 Most Expensive Cities in the World

Every year, consulting group Mercer surveys the cost of housing, food, transportation, entertainment and other expenses in 214 cities across the globe in an effort to help companies craft compensation allowances for expatriate employees. Here’s a look at the 10 cities that ranked as the most expensive for 2011, as well as a sampling of what basic items in each city will cost you. Note: The expenses listed are only a handful of the 200 items Mercer surveyed. Survey compares all cities to New York and measures currency movements against the U.S. dollar. The 214 cities surveyed are based on demand. (Reuters)

10. Sao Paulo, Brazil You may love reading the paper everyday back home, but at $9.59 a pop, your daily news fix could quickly become an expensive habit in Brazil’s largest city. More findings: Monthly rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $2,397.43 Ticket to an internationally-released movie: $11.99 A music CD: $27.51 One issue of an international daily newspaper: $9.59 A cup of coffee: $1.92 A fast-food hamburger meal: $8.99 One liter of gas*: $1.67 A liter of whole milk*: $1.39 1,000 grams of pasta**: $7.04 * One liter equals less than a third of a gallon ** 1,000 grams equals about 2.2 pounds, or two 16 oz. boxes of pasta. (Reuters)

9. Hong Kong Thinking of renting an apartment in Hong Kong? A two-bedroom pad will cost you about $5,776.89 a month, the second-highest rent in this 10-city ranking. More findings: Monthly rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $5,776.89 Ticket to an internationally-released movie: $9.63 A music CD: $12.71 One issue of an international daily newspaper: $3.59 A cup of coffee: $6.80 A fast-food hamburger meal: $3.52 One liter of gas: $2.00 A liter of whole milk: $2.85 1,000 grams of pasta: $6.03

8. Singapore Singapore’s capital is new to the top 10 list this year, surprising many by topping Hong Kong. While Singapore is expensive in some ways, catching a movie there will only cost you $7.24 on average, the cheapest rate in all 10 cities. More findings: Monthly rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $3,289.78 Ticket to an internationally-released movie: $7.24 A music CD: $16.84 One issue of an international daily newspaper: $3.13 A cup of coffee: $5.09 A fast-food hamburger meal: $5.37 One liter of gas: $1.57 A liter of whole milk: $1.80 1,000 grams of pasta: $6.41 (Reuters)

7. Zurich If you visit the largest city in Switzerland, be prepared to do so in silence. An average CD there will run you $26.19. More findings: Monthly rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $3,471.38 Ticket to an internationally-released movie: $19.99 A music CD: $26.19 One issue of an international daily newspaper: $4.21 A cup of coffee: $5.79 A fast-food hamburger meal: $11.89 One liter of gas: $1.81 A liter of whole milk: $1.53 1,000 grams of pasta: $4.84 <a href="http://www.foxbusiness.com/slideshow/personal-finance/2011/07/21/10-most-expensive-cities-in-world/#slide=6">Click here for the rest of the list from FoxBusiness.com</a> (Reuters)