Seoul has been judged the most expensive city for expatriates living in Asia by ECA International, a human resource firm in Singapore. It ranked the capital eighth in the world. Seoul leads the field in Asia due to a strong won coupled with overall price increases of local products and services.

Cities in Japan became relatively less expensive for expatriates due to the falling yen, making Tokyo 10th on the list compared to its third place last year. Following Seoul as most expensive city for foreigners in the Asian region were Tokyo, Yokohama, Kobe, Hong Kong and Taipei. Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, came an unlikely first in the world. ECA based its rankings on the cost of luxury goods, restaurants and foodstuffs in the 250 cities surveyed.

(englishnews@chosun.com )