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A PLUNGING New Zealand dollar has shunted the comparative cost of living in Auckland far down by world levels in the past year.
Auckland was the 111th most expensive of 133 cities listed in the latest Economist Intelligence Union figures.
Down from 86th last year, it tied with Bangkok and Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.
Auckland was just above South American capitals Asuncion and Bogota, Columbo in Sri Lanka, Kiev in Russia and San Jose, in Caribbean nation Costa Rica.
Wellington was rated New Zealand's most expensive city, at 105th.
It tied with Cambodian capital Phnom Penh and Eastern European cities Warsaw and Zagreb, in Croatia.
Wellington fell 26 places from 81st, a level that would this year have seen it shoulder-to-shoulder with the likes of Brisbane, Calgary, Hanoi, and Sao Paulo, Brazil.
"On the back of the weak euro even traditionally expensive cities such as Paris plummeted - in Paris' case from eighth to 26th," it said.
Every city in the area that has so far adopted the euro crashed down the list, giving further ammunition to those in Britain who wish to stay well-away from the cross-border currency.
Tokyo remained the world's most expensive city, ahead of Osaka, Belgrade, in Yugoslavia, Hong Kong and Seoul.
London remained in the world's 10 most expensive cities, though slipping one place to be slightly below New York.
Australian cities were Sydney (60); Melbourne (73); Perth (77); Brisbane (81) and Adelaide (93).
The survey compares prices and products. Its purpose is to provide companies with an unbiased and independent guide from which allowances can be calculated for executives and their families being sent overseas.

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