Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

ExpatriatesGlobal HR

UK cities becoming more expensive for expatriates

by Laura Chamberlain 12 Jul 2011
by Laura Chamberlain 12 Jul 2011

UK cities have climbed the rankings of the world’s most expensive cities for expatriates to live in, according to research by HR consulting, outsourcing and investment service Mercer.

Aberdeen (144th), Glasgow (148th), Birmingham (150th) and Belfast (178th) were all ranked higher this year than in Mercer’s 2010 Worldwide Cost of Living Survey.

London has been named the world’s 18th most expensive city in the world for expatriates to live in, and, despite falling one place since last year, is the highest ranking UK city.








Ten most expensive cities


1.   Luanda, Angola
2.   Tokyo, Japan
3.   N’Djamena, Chad
4.   Moscow, Russia
5.   Geneva, Switzerland
6.   Osaka, Japan
7.   Zurich, Switzerland
8.   Singapore, Singapore
9.   Hong Kong, Hong Kong
10. São Paulo, Brazil


The rankings, which take into account the price of expenses such as rent, basic food items and petrol, found that the most expensive city for expatriates was Luanda in Angola, followed by Tokyo in Japan and N’Djamena in Chad.

Nathalie Constantin-Métrak, senior researcher at Mercer, warned that global employers need to understand the effect that these costs can have on internationally relocated employees.

“Multinational companies have long understood the competitive advantage of a globally mobile workforce, though the enduring challenge is to balance the cost of their expatriate programmes.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

“Currency fluctuations, inflation, political instability and natural disasters are all factors that influence the cost of living for expatriates. It is essential that employers understand their impact for cost-containment purposes but also to ensure they retain talented employees by offering competitive compensation packages.”

Employers that are responsible for workers outside the UK can find information on international employment law on XpertHR International.

Laura Chamberlain

previous post
Stroke patient awarded £400,000 in disability discrimination case
next post
Weekly dilemma: Elections for employee representatives

You may also like

HR underprepared for likely increase in M&A activity

24 Jun 2025

Businesses warned not to overlook AI shortcomings

19 Jun 2025

Procter & Gamble to cut 7,000 jobs as...

6 Jun 2025

20,000 employees agree to leave Volkswagen by 2030

5 Jun 2025

Why cash lump sums may not be the...

5 Jun 2025

Trade uncertainty means 7 million fewer jobs globally

30 May 2025

Warning issued over loss of ‘frictionless’ business travel...

29 May 2025

Immigration white paper: which jobs will be affected?

19 May 2025

Immigration white paper: 10 key points and reaction

12 May 2025

Labour MPs urge more flexibility with EU over...

24 Apr 2025

  • Empowering working parents and productivity during the summer holidays SPONSORED | Businesses play a...Read more
  • AI is here. Your workforce should be ready. SPONSORED | From content creation...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+