NYC, LA Top List of Most Expensive U.S. Cities

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed)
Oct 18th 2009 at 4:01PM

The list of the most expensive cities in the United States is now out, and unsurprisingly, New York has taken the top spot, with a cost of living that's double its closest follower. Of course, the financial crisis has put a bit of pressure on real estate prices and the cost of goods all over the country, but there are still some places that just cost a fortune.

New York: a two-bedroom luxury apartment (unfurnished) now costs a mere $4,300, off $200 from last year. And, there are other signs that the most expensive city is becoming less expensive, including the shuttering of Café des Artistes and the opening of our first J.C. Penney (ugh).

Los Angeles: this is where you go if you can afford only half the cost of living in New York. Unlike the most expensive city in the country, it makes sense to have a car out there, but get a nice one: you'll be spending a lot of time in it. LA has some of the longest commutes in the country.

Washington, D.C.: in this part of the country, take advantage of a 3.8 percent unemployment rate for the metro area. That's a hell of a lot better than the nationwide 9.8 percent (expected to break 10 percent early next year).

Boston: it's pretty expensive to live there, and the flow of kids through the city's many universities brings plenty of new residents and their parents' cash.

In a world marred by recession, several U.S. cities have moved higher on the world's list of most expensive places to live. New York is now #8, up from 22 a year ago, and Los Angeles has advanced 27 spots to #23. White Plains moved from #89 to #31, and San Francisco is now #34 instead of #78. Honolulu moved from #77 to #41 on the worldwide list

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