State of the world economy: the Guinness Index

You used to rate cities' cost of living by the Cheeseburger Index, the price of an average cheeseburger. And Seattle used to score well, though we doubt it does these days. So now comes the Guinness Index, thoughtfully compiled by The Wall Street Journal. It's a good guide to what's happening to world cities (though Seattle isn't on the list), and to the US dollar.
You used to rate cities' cost of living by the Cheeseburger Index, the price of an average cheeseburger. And Seattle used to score well, though we doubt it does these days. So now comes the Guinness Index, thoughtfully compiled by The Wall Street Journal. It's a good guide to what's happening to world cities (though Seattle isn't on the list), and to the US dollar.

You used to rate cities' cost of living by the Cheeseburger Index, the price of an average cheeseburger. And Seattle used to score well, though we doubt it does these days. So now comes the Guinness Index, thoughtfully compiled by The Wall Street Journal. It's a good guide to what's happening to world cities (though Seattle isn't on the list), and to the US dollar. Dublin, where Guinness stout comes from, ought to be the standard, and there the price of a pint of the inky brew is $6.49. Maybe it's all the Microsofties in Ireland driving up the price? In New York, that pint is only $4.67. Lowest on the list is Sydney, a town for drinkers, where the pint price is $3.84. Here are some other cities, starting with the most expensive (with taxes included): Seoul, $14.49. Manila, $9.99. Singapore, $9.66. Paris, $9.63. Tokyo, $8.47. Rome, $8.15. London, $6.57. Hong Kong, $6.21. Guinness is good for your health, but in some cities it's become bad for your wallet. Who knows a good place, and a good bargain, for Guinness in Seattle and Portland?

  

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