No. 19: Tel Aviv, Israel

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No. 19: Tel Aviv, Israel

Rank in 2009: 24

FOOD: Lunch at a restaurant: $26
Can of beer from grocer: $2.54
One kg of rice: $4.15
One dozen eggs: $4.65

ENTERTAINMENT: Movie ticket: $9.50

APPLIANCES: Washing machine: $867

Israel’s richest and most expensive city, Tel Aviv is home to a number of high-tech and venture capital companies. Israel’s consumer price index rose 3.9 percent in 2009, according to the Bank of Israel. While daily expenses are high, the average rents are lower than in many other cities: about $1,440 per month for a three-bedroom apartment, according to UBS.