It’s Bel-fast getting dearer to live here

Belfast is becoming more expensive to live in but still remains good value compared to other global cities. That’s according to a report from Mercer which puts it 152nd in a list of cities ranked according to how much they cost to live in – a jump of 18 places on last year.

The Cost of Living Survey is the widely watched and used by companies and governments to determine how much to pay their expatriate employees.

And while costs may have risen, Belfast compares well to nearest neighbour Dublin which sits at No32 on the list or London at 19. It is also cheaper to live in compared to other UK cities including Birmingham at 128, Aberdeen at 134 and Glasgow at 148.

The survey compares the cost of a basket of some 200 goods and services including accommodation, education, a cinema ticket, a pair of blue jeans, a cup of coffee, a fastfood burger meal and one litre of unleaded petrol.

EXPENSIVE

Using those metrics, Hong Kong is the most expensive city in the world to live for expatriates followed by Tokyo, Zurich and Singapore.

Four of the top five are made up of Asian cities.

Overall, Western European cities have all risen in the rankings due to strong local currencies against the dollar and the rising cost of goods and THE Northern Ireland business community stepped out in force for the fourth Grant Thornton Runway Run at Belfast City Airport.

Around 600 participants completed the 5k race on the main runway shortly after 11pm.

Danske Bank took the prize for the fastest female team, Ulster Bank the men’s prize and new entrants Towerview Primary School took the fastest mixed team category.

Money raised from the event will go to the Simon Community.

Pictured are Pete Snodden (left) and Richard Gillan, who is Managing Partner of Grant Thornton in Northern Ireland. services. Ilya Bonic, President of Mercer’s Career business, said the information is essential for multinational companies when it comes to assessing pay for expatriates.

He added: “With technology advances and the importance of a globally connected workforce, deploying talent remains a key component of a multinational’s business strategy.

“While a mobile workforce allows organizations to achieve greater efficiency, utilise top talent, and be cost effective with international projects, volatile markets and slowing economic growth in many parts of the world require them to carefully assess expatriate remuneration packages.”