Xpatulator.com has just released its annual International Cost of Living Ranking. They listed 282 global locations (some large countries had separate rankings for several major cities), based on costs of specific items in 13 categories. The 13 “baskets” of goods and services are divided into Alcohol & Tobacco, Clothing, Communication, Education, Furniture & Appliances, Grocery, Healthcare, Household, Miscellaneous, Personal Care, Recreation & Culture, Restaurants, Meals Out & Hotel, and Transport.

Most Expensive Cities

I was surprised to see Brasilia and Caracas among the world’s most expensive expat cities, but the other eight were expected.

1. Tokyo, Japan
2. Geneva, Switzerland
3. Brasilia, Brazil
4. Zurich, Switzerland
5. Oslo, Norway
6. Copenhagen, Denmark
7. Caracas, Venezuela
8. Hong Kong, China
9. Vaduz, Liechtenstein
10. Sydney, Australia

Least Expensive Cities

The ten least expensive cities, counting down from the cheapest, are:

1. 282 Harare, Zimbabwe
2. 281 Tianjin, China
3. 280 Sanaa, Yemen
4. 279 Buenos Aires, Argentina
5. 278 Thimphu, Bhutan
6. 277 Dushanbe, Tajikistan
7. 276 Colombo, Sri Lanka
8. 275 Phnom Penh, Cambodia
9. 274 Ecuador, Quito
10. 273 Pakistan, Karachi

Frankly, I was surprised to see Buenos Aires included here as several expats I follow have been saying it’s become much more expensive. . .

You can view the entire list here.

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Live and Invest Overseas publisher Kathleen Peddicord has named the Top 10 Retirement Havens for 2010, and the list includes some surprises.

Panama occupies the top spot, and Peddicord comments that “this country manages to become more appealing all the time.”

Vietnam

Her Top 10 picks include:

1. Panama
2. France “World’s best quality of life, world’s best health care, world’s best infrastructure, world’s most romantic city”
3. Uruguay for “The banking, residency, and tax advantages of Panama without the chaos or the construction dust.”
4. Dominican Republic. “Easy foreign residency, favorable approach to foreign taxation, and, right now, a down real estate market that has created great crisis buy opps”


5. Argentina, which has “the most cosmopolitan city in Central or South America. . . . If you want to live a life filled with art and history, culture and interesting company, but you can’t afford Paris and its euro, look to Buenos Aires.”
6. Malaysia, specifically Kuala Lumpur
7. Chile, a new addition, for beachfront, First World services, and lowest violent crime rate coupled with the highest GDP per capital in Latin America.
8. Belize, “safe stable and English speaking.”
9. Croatia, where “both nature and man have worked together over many centuries to create something very special, almost magical”
10. Vietnam, for its “temptingly low cost of living” and youthful population and energy.

Panama’s placement is no surprise, nor is France’s in the no. 2 spot. Uruguay, Malaysia, Belize, Croatia and Argentina have been in the forefront of expat retirement destinations for several years. Surprise additions — at least to me! — to the list were Chile and Vietnam. While I’ve been aware for several years that Vietnam’s economy was growing, and I’ve had a personal interest in the country, I was surprised to see it emerge on a “Top Ten” list. And, I have to admit, I’m not at all knowledgeable about Chile, although I feel as though I know a reasonable amount about most of the other South American countries.

I will watch the forthcoming information about those two countries with great interest.