The strong Swiss franc has pushed up the cost of living for expatriates in Geneva and Zurich, a study released on Tuesday shows.
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The most expensive cities in the world are now Tokyo and Osaka in Japan, with Moscow in third place, the Mercer consulting company says in its 2009 report.
While most European cities have become relatively less expensive in comparison with 2008 because of currency fluctuations, Geneva has moved into fourth place, up from eighth, and Zurich is now sixth, up from ninth.
The study reviews the cost of living in 143 cities round the world, taking into account the price of 200 items and services, including accommodation, transport, food, clothing, household equipment and leisure.
Cities in north America and the Middle East have generally moved up the rankings, with New York, the most expensive in the Americas, breaking into the top ten, at position eight.
The report names the city with the lowest cost of living as Johannesburg in South Africa.
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