For the second year in a row, Hong Kong is the most expensive city in the world in which to rent a luxury three-bedroom apartment.
According to the latest data from ECA International, a global consulting firm that releases the figures for companies sending employees to work abroad, Hong Kong's rental prices have dropped slightly from last year's high of $11,813, to $11,549.
But despite the decrease, Hong Kong still out-ranked the runners up — Caracas, New York, and Moscow — by a minimum of $2,000 a month.
So what makes for the sky-high rental prices?
"Strong demand and a limited supply of suitable rental properties are pushing up rents for high-end property – in some cases quite dramatically," said Lee Quane, regional director of ECA International in Asia, in a press release. "In other locations such as Hong Kong, demand has been considerable for some time, due to limited land or a burgeoning middle class."
Globally, rental prices for a three-bedroom have slipped from last year's average of $3,080 to $3,030 per month. Tokyo luxury rentals in particular are down 5 percent, and those in Mumbai have dropped an average of 12 percent in cost within the last year.
In Buenos Aires, the average rent for a 3-bedroom apartment is $4,170 per month.
Data refers to unfurnished, 3-bedroom apartments. Source: ECA International
The rental prices ECA used to make this list were collected in September 2012 and have been converted into US dollars for comparative purposes using the September 2012 exchange rate.
In Beijing, the average rent for a 3-bedroom is $4,203.
Data refers to unfurnished, 3-bedroom apartments. Source: ECA International
The rental prices ECA used to make this list were collected in September 2012 and have been converted into US dollars for comparative purposes using the September 2012 exchange rate.
In Paris, the average rent for a 3-bedroom apartment is $4,329 a month.
Data refers to unfurnished, 3-bedroom apartments. Source: ECA International
The rental prices ECA used to make this list were collected in September 2012 and have been converted into US dollars for comparative purposes using the September 2012 exchange rate.
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