2012 Worldwide Cost of Living Index

12:27 Feb 15th, 2012 | 0 notes

The Economist Intelligence Unit has just released their new Cost of Living Index for 2012. The highlights? Currency movements over the past year have seen Swiss and Australian cities move strongly up the rankings as some of the most expensive in the world to live in. Also of note: despite recent economic events, Western Europe still retains 24 of top 50 costliest cities.

The top ten:

  1. Zurich (Switzerland)
  2. Tokyo (Japan)
  3. Geneva (Switzerland)
  4. Equal Third - Osaka Kobe (Japan)
  5. Oslo (Norway)
  6. Paris (France)
  7. Sydney (Australia)
  8. Melbourne (Australia)
  9. Singapore (Singapore)
  10. Frankfurt (Germany)

The full report can be downloaded here

12:31 Jan 8th, 2012 | 8 notes

I feel like any sort of federal welfare payment, like the Family Tax Benefit (A and B), should come with the disclaimer,

‘You may only be eligible if you:

  • Have two photogenic young children, or
  • Live in a swing electorate in Western Sydney, or
  • Live in Queensland.’

Because my single parent family on a teacher’s salary isn’t eligible for anything, while this charming family (in Western Sydney) earning a combined $142,000 a year is complaining that their hand-outs aren’t being inflation-linked for the next 4 years.

BOO HOO YOU GUYS.

Gosh.