Britain: Third most expensive lifestyle in world

The British lifestyle is the ‘thrid most expensive’ in the world, according to research published this month. The study by the bank HSBC found that money in every other country in the world, apart from Norway and France, would go further.

It examined how long the typical British salary would last if people maintained their standard of living, including eating out in a restaurant twice a week. It found that the average British salary would run out after 11 months and one week in Norway, while in France it would run out after 11 months and two weeks.

At the other end of the scale, a year’s British salary would last four years in Iran, two years and ten months in India and more than two years in Peru, Egypt, Argentina and Costa Rica.

Britons moving to the most popular overseas destinations of Australia and Spain would also be able to maintain their current lifestyle on a lower budget, the survey showed. One year’s annual expenditure in the UK would last 14 months and one week in Australia and 15 months and three weeks in Spain.

‘Britons who live abroad, especially those who do so for only a few months each year, and often not willing to compromise on their standard of living,’ said Enrique Roche, the head of HSBC’s Premier service in the UK.

‘This research gives great insight into those countries that will allow your cash to stretch the further and in turn, those countries that may shrink it.’

According to figures from the Foreign Office, 500,000 Britons live abroad for part of the year, while 5.5 million British nationals are based overseas permanently.