Singapore is the most expensive city to live in the world, according to a report released today by the Economist Intelligence Unit.

The city-state’s strong currency contributed to its steady rise up the Worldwide Cost of Living Survey. High structural costs such as car ownership and utility bills have also caused Singapore to jump to the top spot for 2013.

Singapore has risen five spots in just a year. It was ranked 18th on the list 10 years ago.

Other cities that appeared in the top-10 list of the most expensive cities included Paris, Oslo, Zurich and Sydney. The only other Asian city in the top 10 is Tokyo, which was ranked in first place last year.

The Worldwide Cost of Living Survey is published twice a year, and compares more than 400 individual prices across a range of products and services. These include items like food, household supplies, home rents, transport and recreational costs. It uses New York City as a

base against which to compare the costs of all other cities.

- dpa