The 19 most expensive cities to live in the world

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Seoul South Korea

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Seoul, South Korea, one of the many Asian cities on the list.

The world's most expensive cities to live in have been announced by investment consultancy firm Mercer in their annual Cost of Living Survey.

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Contrary to the assumption that Western cities are the most pricey, south-east Asia and Africa feature heavily in the top 19, continuing the trend of emerging markets adjusting to massive outside investment.

Currency fluctuations were taken into account as well as the inflation of basic goods - especially the price of buying and renting local property.

For companies thinking of sending workers abroad, the cost of living in these cities should be a major consideration, Ilya Bonic, president of Mercer's talent business said.

"With volatile markets and stunted economic growth in many parts of the world, a keen eye on cost efficiency is essential, including a focus on expatriate remuneration packages. As organisations' appetite to rapidly grow and scale globally continues, it is necessary to have accurate and transparent data to compensate fairly for all types of assignments, including short-term and local plus status."

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Keep scrolling to see the world's 19 most expensive cities to live in.