• Caracas most costly location in The Americas
• New York (Manhattan) second most expensive and 15th in the world
• Brazilian cities becoming cheaper globally for expats

Caracas is the most expensive location in the Americas where prices have gone up substantially over the last year. High inflation and high rentals still make it expensive for expats living in Caracas. A kg of Apples will cost US$4.23, a regular cappuccino US$1.85, a three bed apartment in a central position approximately US$4 500 per month and US$17 000 for a private international high school. There is again pressure on the currency to be devalued which should bring costs down, temporarily at least, relative to other international locations.

Manhattan is the second most expensive location in the Americas and the most expensive in the USA mainly due to the highly priced rental property market, while most US cities have remained relatively stable, relative to other international locations, due to the movement of the US dollar against the majority of currencies worldwide.

Some Brazilian cities have fallen in rankings, such as Sao Paulo 30th to 54th overall and Rio de Janeiro 39th to 64th overall, this is due mainly to the weakening of the Brazilian Real against the US Dollar, which has made these cities relatively cheaper for expats in global terms.

Due to the prices of goods and services increasing at a relatively slower rate than in the USA and the slight decrease in the Canadian dollar against the US Dollar, Canadian cities such as Toronto 53rd overall to 62nd and Calgary 84th to 101st have moved down in the global rankings.

The Americas Top Ten City Rankings

1. Caracas
2. Manhattan
3. Hamilton
4. George Town
5. Nassau
6. Sao Paulo
7. Brooklyn
8. Toronto
9. Rio de Janeiro
10. New York

The Americas Top Ten Country Rankings

1. Venezuela
2. Bermuda
3. Aruba
4. Cayman Islands
5. Netherlands Antilles
6. Montserrat
7. Bahamas
8. Barbados
9. Turks and Caicos Islands
10. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Xpatulator's cost of living ranking survey is one of the world's most comprehensive, covering 780 locations, it is designed to help multinational companies and individuals determine compensation allowances for expatriate assignments. New York is used as the base city, currency movements are measured against the US Dollar.

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