Save Money, Go Native!

The Korea Times headline today, "Rising Living Costs Keep Foreigners Away," speaks mostly about business investment and business travelers, but general day-to-day living expenses in Seoul are among the highest in the world, especially for foreigners. Wikipedia's Most Expensive Cities for Expatriate Employees list (data from Mercer Human Resources) is helmed by Moscow, up from fourth place in 2005, followed closely by Seoul, up from fifth in the same year. I can testify that Moscow is an expensive place to live; I have paid $12 for a cappuccino and $24 for a cheeseburger. The problems with these lists is that they only take into account a fixed set of expenses, things that are imported or considered a luxury when purchased outside of Western countries. Of course that venti organic soy vanilla chai latte from Starbucks is going to be expensive in Moscow or Seoul, it's freaking expensive in Cleveland (110th on the list)!

My advice, and general observation, is that one should do as the locals do; they actually know how to survive in their cities. Give up the burgers, steaks, and lattes, forgo the imported clothing and American beer, and for Christ's sake, quite freakin' driving (you could use the exercise anyway, fatboy)! Go native, it's more fun anyway. And finally, the less you have them, the better the treats from home become!

(Update: The Economist Intelligence Unit has a similar survey from 2006 which lists, in order from most to least expensive, Oslo, Tokyo, Osaka, Reykjavik, and Paris. Seoul doesn't even make their top ten. However, the same observations/tips hold true, no matter where one resides.)