Expats parachuting into cities for short assignments must fork out hundreds of dollars a day just for somewhere to eat and sleep.
A look at the cost of doing business worldwide has revealed the massive cost of short stays in some of the world’s leading business districts.
But the top 10 includes some surprises as well, says consultancy ECA International, which crunched the data for the most up-to-date daily rates listing.
New York heads the table as the most expensive city to drop in for business.
A trip costs a phenomenal $793 a day
World’s most expensive cities
“New York tops the rankings as the most expensive location for business travel due to the high cost of hotels and travel, as well as mandatory 15-20% tipping policy for meals out” said Simon Franklin, daily rates manager at ECA International.
“A high demand for hotels especially means rates can be charged at a premium and this is reflected in the average cost of a stay at a four-star hotel, which currently stands at a huge $509 a night.”
The 10 most expensive cities for doing business are:
- New York (USA)
- Geneva (Switzerland)
- Zurich (Switzerland)
- Luanda (Angola)
- Bridgetown (Barbados)
- Paris (France)
- Nassau (Bahamas)
- Washington DC (USA)
- Basel (Switzerland)
- Monaco
Geneva is the most expensive city in Europe, with an average spend of $720 a day.
Prices around the world
Outside the top 10, Hong Kong tops the spending table for Asia, with an average daily total of $508.
“Hong Kong has returned as the most expensive place in Asia to visit on business, after overtaking Tokyo in the rankings. However, this change is mostly due to the overall price of business travel in Japan decreasing last year. The cost of business travel in Hong Kong has remained relatively unchanged from then,” said Franklin.
The report highlights that hotel prices in London and Paris are among the highest in the world.
“The price of hotels in London and Paris is much higher than anywhere in Europe, except for some Swiss locations. A room in London costs on average £334 per night in a four-star hotel, making it the 11th most expensive in the world, while Paris costs £364, making it the 5th most expensive in the world,” said Franklin.
