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Third year running
Moscow: Eurovision 2009 host city most expensive in the world!
The top 10 list of the most expensive cities, according to the Mercer Human Resource Consulting research, is the following:
1. Moscow, Russia
2. Tokyo, Japan
3. London, UK
4. Oslo, Norway
5. Seoul, South Korea
6. Hong Kong, China
7. Copenhagen, Denmark
8. Geneva, Switzerland
9. Zurich, Switzerland
10. Milan, Italy
Some recent Eurovision host cities are in the top 50. Copenhagen came as nr. 7, Helsinki - 21, Istanbul - 23, Athens - 25, Kiev - 42, and Riga - 44.
This rating was concluded by calculating an average price for about 200 goods and services. Among other goods the average tourist traditionally spends money on, were taxi fares, accommodation fees and restaurant bills. So, for example, it turned to be that the most expensive coffee is still in the Russian capital. An average price for this drink is about € 7 per cup including tips.
This fact could prove to be quite challenging for the loyal Eurofan's (usually limited) budget considering that an average stay during the contest lasts a week minimum, two weeks for those who wish to attend rehearsals as well. Considering also the ticket package prices, should the same system be retained next year, then fans are looking at a far greater sum required than Helsinki and definitely Belgrade where prices were considerably lower.
A standard room at the fashionable Ritz-Carlton-Moscow is about € 950 euros per night. Also Moscow is not really a good city for shopping because of the prices again. Many Muscovites prefer to fly to Turkey, Italy, England or Germany to buy good new clothes at better prices.
Of course the social level of the citizens is different which results in quite a large choice. Not everyone goes to Pushkin Restaurant where an average bill is € 200. You may choose McDonald's, Yolki-Palki or Mu-Mu, where you will spend € 10-12 for lunch. The Moscow metro is another example. One trip there costs 19 rubles, that is just € 0,50 which is 2-4 times cheaper than in Western Europe.
An article by Anton Kudrevich
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talking of cheap coffee...there is one by my uni in Belgrade, 0,85 cents! 
Talking of Moscow, i was there recently, i didnt mention anything weird about the prices...seemed normal to me,as much as any other city. The 6 euros coffee is probably in the posh areas and cafes of Moscow. You can find coffee for as much as 7 euros in Belgrade...
I dont get articles like this, it looks like open sabotage from esctoday on Moscow...dont pay any attention to it!
Today I had a cup of coffee at 0.9 euros in Stockholm.
Mina,
Some girls in the Pride park last night said they were going to spend their holidays in Lesvos 
** The second sentence in my last post, the one starting with "seeing as" was for Mina, sorry I didn't make it clear!
lol Marc you're right, nothings free. Because if you get given something for free you still have to put the wrapping/waste in your bin and you pay tax on rubbish!! Nothings free!
Seeing as "v" & "b" are near each other on the keyboard, by any chance did you mean "lesbos"? Becuase if you did then I would understand why you said "no jokes please!"
Anyway, judging by all of our opinions cheap/free coffees are always the best! Although i'm not a massive coffee drinker myself, I like to stick to tea!
Seeing as "v" & "b" are near each other on the keyboard, by any chance did you mean "lesbos"? Becuase if you did then I would understand why you said "no jokes please''
LOL Lesvos/Lesbos is the same island..it's pronounced lesvos in greek 
The best coffee I ever had was in a cafe in Lesvos (no jokes please )...cheap, great, and awesome view 
Johnny best ... I ever had, was at home and it was absolutely free........ Although when I think about it, it's never free , is it ?
The best coffee i've ever had was at a fish and chip shop in Littlehampton and it cost me less than a £1!
Tomorrow I'll be in Moscow. I'm very curious to see if this is true! 
)
I think Brussels must be one of the cheapest capitals in the world....
And also Dubai, come to think of it
I would expect to see Rekjarvik (I know that is spelt wrong!) on that list- are things really expensive in Iceland?
Friends, most expensive coffee I ever had in my life was in ....Zurich (Switserland), about 10 euro and they didn't even give me a sweet with it.... Best coffee is without any doubt at Marchese in Milan (Christina, you know that place ?)
Im so proud to live in a city (Jerusalem) who is not expensive.
to drink coffee in an amazing cafe house, the best quality one (lavazza,illy,davidof,starbuck s...etc..etc...) and to pay only 1.5 euro. insted of 6 euros like they asked me in Monte Carlo (and very bad quality i must say).
im so proud to live in a city (Jerusalem, Tel-Aviv) where you can go out for a night-life (dinner in great resturants,Club, Drinks,taxi) and it all will be after all 30 euros and somtimes less. insted of a city like Berlin where i needed to pay 60-100 euros for the same. (and i must say Tel-Aviv clubs and resturants are better then Berlin).
conclution......if you look for the best place for your summer vacation, come to Israel.
"Many Muscovites prefer to fly to Turkey, Italy, England or Germany to buy good new clothes at better prices." - No, it's not true, there is a slight layer of nouveau riches who do it but in common Muscovites just can go shopping in shops with normal prices (not some exclusive boutiques) and buy some good clothes with ok price. Moscow is not more expensive in it than any other big city of Eastern Europe or Turkey.
Come on, guys! These are all prices for rich people. Moscow is not so expensive, and you can eat in loads of caffes kind of McDonalds and so on. Then dinner can cost about 10 euros for you if you won't choose expensive restaurants.
About hotels - yes, unfortunately it can cost much, but I think you will be able to find something 3* for 50 euros per night.
Don't know exactly situation about gays, I've heard skinheads are not so active nowadays in Moscow, but there are still cases when they attack gay people on the street so it can be dangerous. However there are a lot of gay people in Moscow and though I'm straight I know if you're not dressed defiant and not behave yourself defiant you are in safety. Now media warms russian folk's irritation by articles those present Eurovision like a big gay-parade, honestly I wouldn't say people here are quite tolerant to gays and as russian gay-organization already announced their will to organize gay-parade in Eurovision days it makes people more negative to contest. So I don't advise you to take part in actions like this parade.
Marc
Yes it is very very out of order that they can refuse HIV positive people 
And it seems Russia has a very long way to come on gay rights. They're gonna have to loosen up a bit because eurovision has a massive homosexual following, and if they're not willing to welcome them, then we'll be seeing a very empty arena or an arena full of Russians and no other nationalities!
Johnny,
I bet for every of those horrible people I met on holiday, you can find 1000 really nice Russians... It's just an experience, but talking to some other people in Egypt, Russia etc, lots of them had same experiences.... For me the worst was the hotel in Moscow. That was outreagous, can you imagine all us gays going there next year sharing rooms.... oh dear. It's the same about that message last week about Russia allowing HIV positiv people in during Eurovision... That' s so dreadfull, sa sad.... There shouldn't be any difference in treatment, they shouldn't even mention it. USA does tha same thing, you know. I was last week in NY for work, and I just wanted to check something on the webside of the American ambassy in London, and there also they mention that they had the right to refuse visa's to HIV positive people. Btw I am negative, but my blood is boiling just talking about it.
This article is a total bullshit
Marc
I see, your holidaying experiences don't seem to have too many positive experiences with Russians then
In Egypt when we went to Luxor we didn't actually meet any Russians, our hotel was 4* and was mostly full of French, Germans, Swedes and Brits. In fact, I don't think i've ever met a Russian face to face! We didn't spend very much time at the hotel anyway, because we went to visit the temples and the valley of the kings etc. virtually every day, so we didn't speak to many foreign people.
Johnny, been to Luxor and Sharm el Sheik. Both time in a great hotel. Luxor is the max. I am a huge diving fanatic, so normally go to the red sea. We stayed a few times in the Intercontinental (5*), only problem, it's an all inclusive. That's what you need to avoid. The Russians we saw there were horrible, and spoilt my holiday. That bad that 4 our of 7 days we went elsewhere. Seen with my own eyes : ripping bottles of alcohol out of hands of barstaff, throwing up at swimming pool, throwing with food, being pissed most of the time, shouting at us (because we are a gay couple), pushing people, never a smile or thank you, etc..... But like I said those are the nouveaux riches, who go on holiday and want to show off....
But last year I was working in Moscow, and as often my husband went with me, we went to a 4* star hotel, center Moscow, booked 2 months in advance and were refused a double room. Just based on our sexuality. When I complained, the lovely Russian woman literally told me to fu... off. Not satisfied, I could leave and look for another hotel.
I was already worried about going, but I guess i've been to Seoul and that wasn't too bad, so hopefully I can do Moscow!
Martin L:
".... Stockholm in 31st"
Thanks. I was looking for that figure. Anyway, I prefer tea
They don't vote for Russia though...LOL
they vote but the locals do not vote for Russia lol
And wow how we will travel to Moscow next year? It's sooo expensive!! And Kiev in 42th place. didn't expect that!
Oslo is really expensive.
Mina
lol, of course they didn't. Rich Russian businessmen are too upper class to watch a silly insignificant pop contest! They have other stuff to worry about, like who they will assassinate next, if the football club they own is doing well, and if their brothel is turning a profit! Thats what corrupt Russian businessmen do after all!
I have also heard reports about large numbers of Russian investors taking place in London, although thats nothing to do with tourism, they're just here for money
They don't vote for Russia though...LOL
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