Oslo – the most expensive city in the world

Welcome to Oslo, the most expensive city in the world, where a pint costs between £5 and £7 and a packet of cigarettes £6. Yes, that’s right… according to a biannual survey by the Economist Group, Tokyo no longer ranks as the world’s most expensive, after a reign of some 14 years at the top. Japan has suffered from a weak yen, low inflation and poor economy to allow Oslo to pip them at the top. The Guardian’s Gwladys Fouché has picked up on Oslo’s new status  and writes:

One of the main topics of conversation in the city is where to get bargain beer and how. People exchange bar addresses where the alcohol is marginally cheaper as if they were gold dust. Buying groceries is also a budget buster. Two meagre chicken fillets cost £4, a little entrecôte is £8, while a cheap bottle of wine off a shop shelf sets you back at least £8. Oslo is not far from Sweden, so people will often cross the border to do their shopping, where prices tend to be half of what they are at home.