（星星生活记者连鹏报道）高企的油价、收税项目的增加，以及价格居高不下的房价，让多伦多成为北美生活费第二高的城市。
根据美世(Mercer)人力资源谘询公司年度调查显示，多伦多超越美国的洛杉矶及迈阿密，成为北美生活费第二高的城市，仅次于纽约市。
美世人力资源谘询公司调查世界143个大城市的消费物价指数。排名越高，就代表该城市消费物价指数越高，越不适合人们生活。结果发现，多伦多是加拿大生活费最贵的城市，排名也从去年的全球第82位提高到第54位。
不只是多伦多，加拿大其他大城市的消费物价指数均有提高，温哥华从去年的89位提高到今年的第64位，卡尔加里从去年的92位提高到今年的66位，蒙特利尔则是从98位提高到72位。
这次调查以美国生活费用最高昂的城市纽约为基准，比较143个城市中与日常生活有关200多项事务的价格，例如住宅、交通、食物，家庭用品与娱乐。美世公司表示，这项调查包含所有物价，从一条面包到一公升牛奶，乃至电影票，几乎无所不包，以尽量求得物价指数精准。
美世公司在多伦多负责人布申（Danielle Bushen）表示，这项调查是为各公司的雇员在每一个城市必须负担的生活开支而作。多伦多除房价高之外，税收高亦是因素之一。加国城市过去一直都属于物有所值的地方，很多公司愿意在此设立分行，及派驻代表。但是近来情况有改变。一方面因为美金贬值，一方面因为税收提高。多伦多就在一年内上升了28位之多。不过在全球而言，多伦多仍然只居第54位。北美只有纽约升至50名以内。
美元兑卢布、英镑和人民币等汇率贬值，使得美国城市生活花费，相对于其它国家变得比较便宜。而经济成长快速的国家，排名大幅度跃升。巴西的圣保罗和土耳其的伊斯坦堡，生活花费都三级跳。
美世公司的调查，把食衣住行和娱乐的花费都列入统计，许多跨国公司使用这项统计作为替驻外员工调整津贴的依据。
北京生活成本超过纽约
今年调查中，生活费最贵的全球十大城市依序为莫斯科、东京、伦敦、奥斯陆、首尔、香港、哥本哈根、日内瓦、苏黎世和米兰。亚洲最贵的五个城市依序是东京、首尔、香港、大阪和新加坡。美洲还是纽约的生活最贵，不过纽约在全球排名22，排在北京的后面，北京和上海生活费在全球排名分别是20和24。
该调查显示，目前在奥运会主办城市北京保持商务级生活方式所需的成本超过了在纽约保持同样生活方式的成本，这是自2004年以来首次出现的情况。在迅猛发展的中国首都，您每个工作日开始时的一杯咖啡和一份国际报纸就会合计让您花费10.60美元，而在纽约，您合计只需要花费5.75美元。美世研究经理麦特拉（Nathalie Constantin Metral）表示：“尽管北京的住房和其他成本比纽约低得多，但进口的国际品牌产品的价格却有可能比纽约更贵。”
作为中国的商业中心，上海的生活成本过去一直都比北京高，但今年却被北京超过。上海在全球排行榜上攀升2位。美世的调查指出，今年，中国政府已经开始采取措施抑制通货膨胀，在由50年来最严重的一次冬季暴风雪所导致的暴涨之后，主要食品的价格已经下降，但中国政府于6月底放松了对石油和电力价格上涨的控制，因此预计未来物价将会进一步上扬。
The Americas
The only North American city to feature in this year’s top 50 is New York in 22nd place (score 100), dropping seven places in one year.
All other US cities have also experienced a significant decline in the rankings. For example, Los Angeles has moved from 42nd to 55th place (score 87.5), Miami from 51st to 75th place (score 82) and Washington, DC, from 85th to 107th place (score 74.6).
“The decline in the ranking of all US cities is due to the weakening value of the US dollar against most major world currencies,” said Mitch Barnes, principal at Mercer in the US. “The dollar has been declining steadily for the past several years, which has resulted in an overall decrease in the cost of living in 19 US cities, relative to other major global cities studied.
“On the bright side, the US dollar’s loss of value may serve to attract globally mobile executives to business centres such as New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. The difference in cost of living can be significant, particularly for those executives with families.”
In 54th place (score 88.1), jumping 28 places from last year, Toronto is the most expensive city for expatriates in Canada. All other Canadian cities in the survey have experienced similar rises, with Vancouver moving from 89th to 64th (score 85.8), Calgary from 92nd to 66th (score 85.4) and Montréal from 98th to 72nd with a score of 83. This reverses last year’s trend which saw Canadian cities decline, and places them back where they have traditionally been rated. The Canadian dollar has appreciated nearly 15% against the US dollar, the main reason for these movements.
The two top-ranking cities in South America are S?o Paulo in 25th place (score 97) and Rio de Janeiro in 31st place (score 95.2), jumping 37 and 33 places, respectively. The Brazilian real appreciated nearly 18% against the US dollar last year, causing these Brazilian cities to rocket up the list. Another high-riser in this region is Caracas, jumping 40 places from 129th to 89th (score 79.3). High inflation in Venezuela has caused a sharp increase in the price of food and household products.
South America also has some of the lowest ranking cities globally. Asunción is the least expensive city for the sixth consecutive year (score 52.5), followed by Quito in Ecuador in 142nd (score 54.6), Buenos Aires in 138th (score 62.7) and Montevideo in 136th (score 63.2).
http://www.mercer.com/costoflivingpr
