Before moving abroad, whether it be for study, work, or even just for the thrill, it is important to consider costs, not only of getting there but of life once you’ve arrived at your destination (or new home).  There is always great debate on what are the most expensive countries and cities to visit and live in, often changing from year to year.  Is it Paris or Tokyo?  London or New York?  How much will that Starbuck’s Raspberry mocha cost me in Buenos Aires compared to San Francisco?

What about pedicures, gelato, and, of course, beer??

Fear not fellow travelers.  There is a great tool out there to find out how much life costs in over 1,900 cities spread out through over 200 countries (there are over 200 countries?!  My list of must-visits was only at 193!  Looks like I need some updating…).

The site Expatistan aims to help travelers compare prices of everyday commodities all over the world, before you even buy that plane ticket.  Expatistan explains that they are

“a cost of living calculator that allows you to compare the cost of living between cities around the world. The comparisons allow you to get a better understanding of the cost of living of any city before you move there.

What makes us unique is that we collect the prices that we use to calculate our cost of living index from visitors like you. Naturally, the more data entered, the more accurate the index and the calculations will be.”

There can’t be a more readily available or simpler tool to quickly find out how much money you’ll be needing throughout your sojourn abroad.  So with one more worry out of the way, get on that plane ticket, before prices go up!

“The number of relatively young, educated people voluntarily moving from country to country is growing. Their motivation is a combination of career related issues and a desire to experience a new culture. These people are commonly referred to as ‘expats’ and they have become a regular fixture in urban environments around the world.

Expats are faced with a number of specific problems, which locals do not face in terms of finding services and fulfilling needs, especially if they are not proficient in the local language. Expats’ difficulties begin even before they make the decision to move to a new city. Expats want answers to questions like, “how much money will I need in …..?” and “Will the salary that I have been offered in ….. allow me to maintain my current standard of living?” and they are generally not willing to pay large sums of money for answers.

Expatistan.com is dedicated to expats around the world. It’s designed to be a down-to-earth, realistic index that is free and easy to use. Expatistan.com is a collaborative effort – created by people for people around the world.”

-Expatistan.com