By Property Report
Asia-Pacific cities stacked up among the most expensive cities in the world to relocate to, based on first-month living costs, according to a study commissioned by apartment search portal Nestpick.
Ranking second and sixth priciest worldwide are Auckland and Sydney, respectively, where movers can expect to spend USD4,002.76 and USD3,000.27 in their first month.
The study tabulated 80 cities according to various metrics including rental prices, visa fees, transportation expenses, food and drink costs, and Internet prices.
Up north, Hong Kong and Singapore were rated 12th and 15th priciest cities for movers in their first month. The former commands rents of about USD1,654.31 on average, while the latter asks USD1,390.70.
This eclipses the USD924.72 and USD1,505.52 one may expect to spend in rental money in Auckland and Sydney, in that order.
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Relocators may expect to rack up USD4,251.68 on their first month in Dubai, making it the costliest city on earth to move to, the study found.
First-time movers can still find value for money in Asian cities, however. In Kuala Lumpur, one may expect to spend USD1,014.56 for their initial stay, around USD378.43 of which can make up an average month’s rental.
Bangalore was adjudged the second most affordable city in the world, behind Cairo. Rents in the Indian metropolis were found to be some of the cheapest in the region: around USD160.72 for the first month.
Other “cheap” Asian cities on the list include Shanghai, perched in 44th place, and Bangkok at 62nd.
“The cost of living is often a huge factor for those looking to move, with the initial month almost always incurring extra costs due to potential visa applications,” Ömer Kücükdere, managing director of Nestpick, said in a statement.
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