Brussels has dropped from 67th to 77th place in the annual Mercer ranking of the world’s most expensive cities for expatriates. Mercer, a consultancy firm, released their 2019 survey this Wednesday.
"The sharp drop in Brussels is mainly due to the evolution of the other cities in the ranking," said Cindy Van Loo, mobility consultant at Mercer Belgium, according to Belgian media.
“Other factors such as recent security problems and concerns about the economic outlook have affected the region,” Van Loo added.
Eight Asian cities dominated the top ten spots, with Hong Kong taking first place as the most expensive city for expatriates. Mercer considers Hong Kong’s position to be “a result of the housing market and currency being pegged to the US dollar, driving up the cost of living locally”.
The ranking, which includes 209 cities this year, is based on a cost comparison of various components, including housing, transportation, food, clothing, household items, and entertainment.
Madeleine Fletcher
The Brussels Times