Mercer's Worldwide Cost of Living Survey 2008 is used to help multinational companies determine living costs for their expatriate employees, who usually demand a relatively high quality of life. Mercer surveyed 253 cities across six continents and measured the relative cost of over 200 items in each place. They came up with a list of the top five most expensive cities in the world, it may surprise you (NYC isn't on the list!):
5. Seoul, South Korea
4. Oslo, Norway
3. London, England
2. Toyko, Japan
1. Moscow, Russia