1980년대 후반~2000년대 초반까지 세계에서 가장 물가가 비쌌던 일본의 수도 도쿄 / 오늘날 물가가 가장 비싼 도시는 북미는 뉴욕, 아시아는 싱가포르, 유럽은 스위스 취리히

 https://www.visualcapitalist.com/2026-global-cost-of-living-index/ 

What was the cost of living ranking of countries in 1987 and 1991 and 1997 and 2001? List only top.1 to 10 in respective years 

Gemini said 

Historically, "Cost of Living" rankings are measured at the city level by organizations like the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) and Mercer. Because living costs vary significantly between a city like New York and rural Ohio, these city rankings are the standard proxy for country-level expense.

The late 80s through the early 2000s were dominated by the Japanese "Bubble Economy" and high exchange rates, keeping Japanese cities at the top for nearly two decades.

1987 Ranking

In 1987, Japan’s economic boom was in full swing. Northern Europe and Switzerland rounded out the top 10, while the U.S. remained relatively affordable due to a weaker dollar compared to the Yen and Swiss Franc.

Rank	City	Country
1	Tokyo	Japan
2	Osaka	Japan
3	Oslo	Norway
4	Geneva	Switzerland
5	Zurich	Switzerland
6	Copenhagen	Denmark
7	Helsinki	Finland
8	Taipei	Taiwan
9	Paris	France
10	Stockholm	Sweden

---

1991 Ranking

By 1991, Japan still held the top two spots. A notable entrant in the early 90s was Libreville, Gabon. It frequently appeared in top rankings not because the country was wealthy, but because the cost for expatriates to maintain a "Western" standard of living (imported goods, secure housing) was astronomically high.

Rank	City	Country
1	Tokyo	Japan
2	Osaka	Japan
3	Libreville	Gabon
4	Oslo	Norway
5	Zurich	Switzerland
6	Geneva	Switzerland
7	Stockholm	Sweden
8	Helsinki	Finland
9	Taipei	Taiwan
10	Paris	France

---

1997 Ranking

In 1997, the "Asian Tiger" economies were highly visible. Hong Kong rose to near the top just as it was being handed back to China. London began its steady climb into the top 10 as the "Cool Britannia" era and a strong Pound Sterling drove up local costs.

Rank	City	Country
1	Tokyo	Japan
2	Hong Kong	Hong Kong (SAR)
3	Osaka	Japan
4	Zurich	Switzerland
5	Geneva	Switzerland
6	Oslo	Norway
7	Libreville	Gabon
8	London	United Kingdom
9	Paris	France
10	Copenhagen	Denmark

---

2001 Ranking

By 2001, the ranking reflected the rise of mainland China’s economic centers and the high cost of living in post-Soviet Moscow. Japan remained the most expensive place on Earth, a title it held until the mid-2000s when the Euro's strength finally pushed European cities to the top.

Rank	City	Country
1	Tokyo	Japan
2	Osaka	Japan
3	Hong Kong	Hong Kong (SAR)
4	Beijing	China
5	Shanghai	China
6	Moscow	Russia
7	Seoul	South Korea
8	Geneva	Switzerland
9	Zurich	Switzerland
10	London	United Kingdom

Note on Methodology: These rankings primarily use the EIU Worldwide Cost of Living Index, which compares the price of a "basket of goods" (bread, wine, rent, transport) against a base city, usually New York City.

Would you like me to compare how these historical costs compare to the current 2026 rankings?

You said 

Cost of living is so cheap in taiwan now escrpt for the rent price why was it so high back then? 

Gemini said 

The reason Taiwan (specifically Taipei) ranked as one of the most expensive places in the world during the late 80s and early 90s—but feels relatively "cheap" today—comes down to a "perfect storm" of currency spikes, an massive economic bubble, and subsequent wage stagnation.

1. The "Super" Currency (TWD Appreciation)

In the mid-1980s, Taiwan was under heavy pressure from the U.S. to reduce its massive trade surplus. This led to a dramatic appreciation of the New Taiwan Dollar (TWD).

• 1985: $1USD\approx 40TWD$

• 1989: $1USD\approx 26TWD$ Because cost-of-living rankings are calculated in U.S. Dollars, a 35% jump in currency value almost overnight made everything in Taiwan appear 35% more expensive to the rest of the world, even if the price of a bowl of noodles hadn't changed locally.

2. The "Republic of Casino" (The 1980s Bubble)

During the late 80s, Taiwan experienced one of the greatest asset bubbles in modern history. The island was "flooded with hot money" from its export success.

• The Stock Market: The TAIEX (stock index) went from 1,000 points in 1986 to over 12,000 in 1990.

• Real Estate: Property prices in Taipei tripled between 1987 and 1989 alone.

• Luxury Consumption: During this "bubble" era, Taipei became a global leader in luxury spending. It was briefly the second-largest market for Mercedes-Benz in the world, and high-end restaurants were packed with people spending "easy money" from the stock market, driving up the "basket of goods" prices used in global rankings.

3. Why it feels "Cheap" now (Except for Rent)

The reason for the disconnect you feel today is a phenomenon known as Taiwan’s "Stagnant Decades."

• Wage Stagnation: While the cost of living in cities like London, Singapore, and New York skyrocketed over the last 30 years, wages in Taiwan remained largely flat. To keep the economy competitive, local prices for food, transport, and services were kept low.

• Low Inflation: Taiwan has maintained remarkably low consumer inflation (often under 2%) for decades. While a meal in NYC might have tripled in price since 1991, a meal in a Taipei night market has grown at a much slower pace.

• The Rent Outlier: You noticed rent is still high. This is because, even after the 1990 crash, real estate remained the primary way Taiwanese families store wealth. Low property taxes and a cultural preference for owning land mean that housing prices (and thus rents) have stayed decoupled from local salaries.

---

Summary Table: Then vs. Now

Factor	Late 1980s / Early 90s	Mid-2020s (Now)
Currency	Rapidly Strengthening	Stable / Relatively Weak
Stock Market	Wildly speculative "Bubble"	Mature / Tech-driven
Global Context	One of the few "Rich" Asian Tigers	Overtaken by China/Singapore in cost
Daily Goods	Expensive relative to the world	Very cheap relative to the world

Would you like me to look into how Taiwan’s current Purchasing Power Parity (PPP)compares to other Asian countries to see how much "bang for your buck" you actually get there today?