HongKonghastakenoverfromTokyoastheworld'smostexpensivecity,accordingtoalifestylesurveywhichalsorevealsthegapbetweenthecostliestandcheapestcitiesisnarrowing.Moscowmusclesinatsecondplaceinthesurvey,releasedbyMercerHumanResourceConsulting,withTokyothird.Attheotherendofthescale,JohannesburgreplacedBlantyre,Malawiasthecheapestcityontheplanet.Mercersaidthegulfbetweenthoseatthetopandbottomofthepilehadnarrowedbynearly15percentinthe12monthstoMarch2002.TheresearchtookNewYorkasthebasecitywithanominalscoreof100points.HongKongscored124.2;theSouthAfricanmetropolisjust34.4.
Itmeasuredthecomparativecostofover200itemssuchashousing,food,clothingandhouseholdgoodsaswellastransportandentertainmentin144citiesworldwide.St.PetersburginRussiaandLondonwerethetwomostexpensivecitiesinEurope,whileintheUnitedStates,NewYorkwasfarandawaythecostliestcity,followedbyLosAngeles,ChicagoandSanFrancisco.Elsewhere,BuenosAireshadthemostdramaticfall,plungingfrom23rdto133rdfollowingArgentina'seconomiccrisisanddevaluationofthepeso.NewZealandandAustraliancitiescontinuedtoshowtheyareprobablythebestbetforcheapbuthighqualityliving,withscoresconsistentlyaround50orbelowwhileatthesametimerankinginthetop30forqualityoflifeinanotherMercersurveyreleasedinMarch2002.