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The Swiss city of Bern rounds out the top 10 most expensive cities for expatriates to live in globally this year, according to Mercer. Photo: Reuters
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Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan in Central Asia, is the most expensive city to live in this year, according to Mercer's Cost of Living Survey. Photo: Alamy
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Hong Kong, ranked second this year, slipped from the top position last year in Mercer's cost of living index. Photo: AFP
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Beirut rose to rank the third most expensive city globally as a result of a severe economic depression, Covid-19 and the Port of Beirut explosion in 2020. Photo: EPA
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Tokyo dropped one spot from third position in 2020 to fourth rank this year in Mercer's Cost of Living survey. Photo: AFP
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Zurich dropped one spot from fourth position in 2020 to fifth position this year in Mercer's Cost of Living Index. Photo: Reuters
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Shanghai ranked sixth in the Mercer cost of living index in 2021, up one place from last year. Photo: Getty Images
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Singapore moved from fifth place to seventh, according to the Mercer index. Photo: AFP
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The Swiss city of Geneva ranks eighth in the Mercer Cost of Living Rankings in 2021. Photo: AFP
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Beijing ranks ninth in the Mercer Cost of Living Rankings in 2021. Photo: Getty Images
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The Swiss city of Bern rounds out the top 10 most expensive cities for expatriates to live in globally this year, according to Mercer. Photo: Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/LF7PZFNVZXPNDPZOKA7ECJRXDU.jpg?smart=true&auth=d5b6512d489ce71de3f42efabdf25b831af0ca91bd14c385063f5d702a04b986&width=400&height=225)
Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan in Central Asia, is the most expensive city to live in this year, according to Mercer's Cost of Living Survey. Photo: Alamy
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HVNJVFLLJWSVRJ6OQH4AA3F5QI.jpg?smart=true&auth=08c00dc39aed4dbdf17d2a9580812b548e4db06faf550f6ef470316cc004ad77&width=400&height=225)
Hong Kong, ranked second this year, slipped from the top position last year in Mercer's cost of living index. Photo: AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/UDYRIXEMWSBB34JVZBAXA7XMAI.jpg?smart=true&auth=beb4c946d260ba5f5883a22325f74f7a0b09b4c1a21d13f6d790c50e0c8f8119&width=400&height=225)
Beirut rose to rank the third most expensive city globally as a result of a severe economic depression, Covid-19 and the Port of Beirut explosion in 2020. Photo: EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SGLTFET54DODVWOOZYTWQYN43U.jpg?smart=true&auth=1751a6294428d18131523d3f97c11e0d5dba31b7d34e1aa905f260bbe2bcf75f&width=400&height=225)
Tokyo dropped one spot from third position in 2020 to fourth rank this year in Mercer's Cost of Living survey. Photo: AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PMJOIUFL47GN53M4X5FOXBOEXY.jpg?smart=true&auth=4ecf4e4a692f425d25794fa5702ab089aac16cb084d1ce9f8bebe489d95e7ed0&width=400&height=225)
Zurich dropped one spot from fourth position in 2020 to fifth position this year in Mercer's Cost of Living Index. Photo: Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DUPIBBAZYPPSHL6BBCYEVN47V4.jpg?smart=true&auth=e71b273f406f453dc9f08af3821ba1e471419d7998cc37e22ef5bdc7dac95f5a&width=400&height=225)
Shanghai ranked sixth in the Mercer cost of living index in 2021, up one place from last year. Photo: Getty Images
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/IR7EHZ2VVASBXQGW4WFTC4X5KI.jpg?smart=true&auth=d1f405bc245f46852fc45c578314b20c0a63cababbbb5e4555ef4d6eead2808f&width=400&height=225)
Singapore moved from fifth place to seventh, according to the Mercer index. Photo: AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PFEKRVCIGLAGWJYDHUWOVSZDTA.jpg?smart=true&auth=0ffc9b8aba79bb7c4af86b0f5555f549f437647b24f2019a2c1b92613ed7967c&width=400&height=225)
The Swiss city of Geneva ranks eighth in the Mercer Cost of Living Rankings in 2021. Photo: AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4J2UYHX5UB45QVDY35NFGQCTBQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=a455cfecba598f3bb95fce8a909148ff62dc7d499ec24d121574bd54dbe145c1&width=400&height=225)
Beijing ranks ninth in the Mercer Cost of Living Rankings in 2021. Photo: Getty Images
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/27SQZMSSZ6BBWQ7IA2FGNEMN5U.jpg?smart=true&auth=8ee242a0c754e73473f7bcf5b966abda5a1588e6c6534518ce571dd2339968d8&width=400&height=225)
The Swiss city of Bern rounds out the top 10 most expensive cities for expatriates to live in globally this year, according to Mercer. Photo: Reuters
Revealed: the world's cheapest and most expensive cities for expats to live in 2021
Ashgabat, Hong Kong and Beirut top the list but the cost of living in Dubai and Abu Dhabi eases, new survey finds
![Deepthi Nair](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2Fc4ca6cb5-05b0-4e9a-94ca-35da7c89dd08.png?smart=true&auth=323b2b0a205e9228ce068424503266b9b08ad01ae4b5b2076805a9f2abd92a5c&width=70&height=70)
Deepthi Nair
22 June, 2021
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