Asia’s most expensive cities, ranked

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THE JAPANESE concept of kakeibo describes the art of saving money. In Asia there are many good places to practise it. Nine of the world’s 20 cheapest cities are there, according to the latest Worldwide Cost of Living survey, a twice-yearly tally by EIU, our sister company. But Asia is also home to some of the world’s most exorbitant metropolises. For the ninth time in 11 years, Singapore tops the list as the most costly place to live—although it shares that dubious honour with Zurich, Switzerland’s largest city. Hong Kong is Asia’s second-most expensive city in which to live, and the fifth worldwide. See how other cities in the region compare in our map below.