Skip to content
City PM
  • Germany
  • France
  • Europe
  • Markets
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • DE
  • Germany
  • France
  • Europe
  • Markets
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • DE
Wednesday 02 September 2015 10:15 am

From average salary and a monthly travelcard to a meal for two: Here’s what it’s like to work in global financial centres London, New York, Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo

By: Emma Haslett

Add as a preferred source on Google

London may be oft-cited as the world's top financial centre – but how what's it actually like to work in? And how does it compare with rival finance sectors?

We've looked at the basic costs of city (or City) life – from the price of a monthly train ticket to rent; from the price of a cappuccino to a meal for two – to compare what the real cost of working in global finance centres from London to Tokyo is. 

The findings? While London is among the priciest for transport – whether that's a daily cab journey or a monthly travelcard – it's far from the most expensive when it comes to treating yourself to a bottle of wine at the end of the day.

And although the capital is more expensive than most of its peers when it comes to property, it still can't beat New York, where a one-bedroom flat in the city centre sets renters back almost £2,000 a month. 

 

Share this article

  • Facebook
  • X
  • LinkedIn
  • WhatsApp
  • Email

Similarly tagged content:

Sections

  • News

Categories

  • Business

Related Topics

  • employment and wages
  • UK jobs

Trending Articles

  • Billionaire Easyjet founder in line for £800m payday from takeover

  • Burnham told to launch £100bn tax reform package

  • Construction sector cuts jobs again as house building slumps

  • Pension pressure to help swell UK debt to three times size of economy

  • Tickets for England World Cup quarter vs Norway on sale for $8m

More from City PM

  • Heatwave fans demand for aircon stocks

    Investing
  • Fideres Study Finds TfL Fare Zones Disproportionately Burden Ethnic Minority Commuters

    Business Wire
  • KBRA Relocates to Expanded London Offices to Support Growth

    Business Wire
  • Tale of two cities: London leaps ahead in global finance but domestic growth stalls

    Economics
    Getty Images number 2154617464 depicts a relevant scene for the articles unidentified content, suitable for business context.
  • Apple memory chip warning causes fresh Asia tech sell-off

    Markets
    Apple App Store with UK flag and warning sign about potential scams due to proposed CMA competition reforms
  • Reef Origin, Xange.com and NOXXO Founders Launch Origin Assets to Finance Sustainable Real-World Assets

    Business Wire
  • Mercedes-Benz slammed for swerving payout for car with ‘serious safety risk’

    Banking
    Mercedes (Photo by Thomas Niedermueller/Getty Images)
  • The Debate: Should we build a data centre on Brick Lane?

    Opinion
    Protesters rally at Brick Lane holding signs to oppose a data centre development plan, highlighting community concerns.

City PM — European politics, business and analysis.

Europe

  • Germany
  • France
  • Europe
  • UK & Ireland

Topics

  • Business
  • Markets
  • AI
  • Technology
  • Opinion
  • Energy

More

  • Politics
  • Economics
  • Fintech
  • Legal
  • Sport
  • Life

Company

  • About City PM
  • Editorial Policy
  • Corrections
  • Contact
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
© 2026 City PM · Published by CityPM Media, Bahnhofstrasse 65, 8001 Zürich, Switzerland
About · Editorial Policy · Corrections · Contact · Privacy