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Ashgabat, Turkmenistan -

Being the largest city and capital of Turkmenistan, Ashgabat is home to around 5.5 million people.

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Internet in Ashgabat -

Internet costs per month (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) would cost US$400 on average a month.

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Hong Kong, Hong Kong -

Hong Kong was founded in 1997 and is home to about 7.5 million people.

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Hong Kong schooling -

The average cost of sending one child to primary school per year there is US$18,000.

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Beirut, Lebanon -

Beirut is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.

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A dinner for two in Beirut -

The average cost per meal (three courses) for two people there is US$166.

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Tokyo, Japan -

Toyko, meaning "Eastern capital," became the capital oj Japan in 1868. Prior to that, it was a small fishing village called Edo.

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Preschool in Tokyo -

To send a child to preschool in Tokyo will cost around US$250 a week on average.

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Zurich, Switzerland -

Zurich is only home to about half a million people, but its status as global banking and finance center has made it incredibly expensive.

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What people earn in Zurich -

The average monthly net salary (after tax) is US$7,435.66. The average salary is a good indicator of costs for everyone.

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Singapore, Singapore -

Singapore is one of only three surviving city-states in the world, the other two being Vatican City and Monaco.

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A one bedroom apartment rented in Singapore -

A small one-bedroom apartment in the city center won’t cost anything less than around US$2,000 a month.

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Geneva, Switzerland -

Geneva is surrounded by the Alps and Jura mountains and is also another hub for global banking and diplomacy.

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The cost of milk in Geneva -

You can expect to pay around US$7 for a gallon of milk from a supermarket.

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Beijing, China -

The Chinese ancient capital sprawls 16,411 km² and has a population of around 21 million.

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Education in Beijing -

Sending one child to an international primary school for a year will cost around US$25,000.

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Bern, Switzerland -

Bern counts on the presence of parliament, government, and foreign embassies.

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Milk in Bern -

A gallon of milk there costs around US$6. 

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New York City, USA -

The Big Apple has had the status of making or breaking a person since its beginnings because it's incredibly competitive and expensive to survive there.

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Primary school in New York City -

The cost of sending a child to primary school for a year there is US$37,000.

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Tel Aviv, Israel -

Founded in April 1909, the beach city is widely considered the first modern Hebrew city.

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Basic utilities in Tel Aviv -

The cost of basic utilities for a 915 sq ft apartment is US$256.31.

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Copenhagen, Denmark -

The capital city of Denmark boasts an incredibly large amount of Michelin-starred restaurants for such a relatively small city.

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Renting in Copenhagen -

The cost of a small one-bedroom apartment to rent is nothing less than US$1,200 in the city center.

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London, United Kingdom -

Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, London Bridge, and a plethora of historic sites are just some of the factors making London such a sought-after place to live, which drives prices up.

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Renting in London -

A one-bedroom apartment in the city center will cost around US$2,500.

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How the cost of living fluctuates -

The cost of living in cities fluctuates for many reasons. Childcare, utilities, taxes, healthcare, and rent are huge factors. These are all in turn affected by the economy as a whole (employment, infrastructure, policies, recessions, etc.).

Sources: (Mercer) (Thrillist) (Numbeo)

See also: The most extravagant celebrity purchases

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