Dhaka 66th most expensive city for expatriates

Global consulting leader Mercer recently published the '2018 Cost of Living Ranking'. The annual survey ranks 209 global destinations after evaluating 200 ticket items that reflect the cost of living for expatriates, including accommodation fees, commuting cost, the price of a cup of coffee and even cinema tickets. Hong Kong was found to be the most expensive, followed by Tokyo, Zurich, Singapore, Seoul, Luanda, Shanghai, N'Djamena (Chad), Beijing, Bern and Geneva. Interestingly, Dhaka was ranked 66th in the survey. Bangladesh's capital is also the second most expensive South Asian city after Mumbai, which was 55th. The remaining South Asian cities include Yangon (91st), Delhi (103), Colombo (108), Chennai (144), Kolkata (182), Islamabad (190) and Karachi (205). The position of Dhaka in the ranking reflects how the cost of living has drastically increased in Dhaka over the past few years. Besides different government department headquarters, most of the head offices of private and public organisations, shopping malls and other important venues are located in Dhaka. The influx of population to Dhaka from across Bangladesh is also increasing the demand for accommodation, goods and services in the capital city. Maybe concerned government authorities can think about ways through which this pressure on Dhaka can be reduced in near future.

Naila Hossain,

Uttara, Dhaka

[email protected]