with Singapore taking first place for the second year in a row.

其中新加坡連續兩年位居第一

The high cost of living beats out those in classically expensive cities like Paris and Oslo.

高昂的生活費超過那些一直以來消費都很高的城市像是巴黎和奧斯陸

So why is Singapore so expensive?

所以為什麼新加坡消費這麼高呢？

The EIC points to the high cost of groceries, basic amenities, and clothing, which often have a 50% premium markup over New York prices.

經濟學人智庫指出日常必需品、基礎設施的高成本和以及衣物價格常常比在紐約高出百分之 50

Additionally, Singapore is famous for their “sin tax”,

此外，新加坡還以他們的「罪惡稅」聞名

where “beer, wine and liquor, tobacco products, motor vehicles and petroleum products”

包括啤酒、葡萄酒和烈酒、煙製品、機動車和石化產品

are taxed at a much higher rate than other commodities.

都被課以比其他日用品還要高許多的稅

For example, a bottle of wine costs, on average, $25. Double what the next most expensive city, Paris, would charge. [All from EIC]

舉例來說，一瓶葡萄酒平均要價 25 元。這個價格是消費僅次於新加坡的城市巴黎的兩倍(資料來自經濟學人智庫)

But one of the most commonly cited reasons is the high cost of car ownership.

但最常被提到的原因之一擁有一輛汽車的費用

Singapore issues a limited number of car-buying certificates in order to restrict the total number of vehicles.

新加坡發行一定數量的汽車購買認證以管制車子的總量

Those certificates have ballooned the average price of a luxury car to roughly $260,000 dollars,

那些認證把一輛高級名車的價格提高到大約 260,000美金

compared to about $50,000 dollars in Europe.

相較之下在歐洲大約是 50,000美金

However, despite sky-high prices, it’s not just a city for millionaires.

然而，儘管有這些像天一樣高的消費，這個城市並沒有許多的百萬富翁。

Singapore is doing what it can to keep its low-income residents comfortable.

新加坡正盡其所能地讓低收入的居民生活可以無憂

In January, the government established a minimum salary of about $730 dollars a month for low-wage workers.

一月時，政府擬定了對低薪的勞工階級提供基本薪資一個月 730 美元的保障

They also significantly raised taxes on the wealthy, and increased social security payments for its elderly citizens.

他們也大幅提高對富人的稅，並且為照顧年長的居民，增加了社會安全方面的投資

Additionally, due to the existence of open air food markets called ‘Hawker centers’, selling inexpensive meals,

此外，由於有「小販中心」在露天食物市場販賣平價的餐點

it is quite possible to survive without a high income in the most expensive city in the world.

即便沒有高的收入，在這個全球消費最高的城市也可以生存下去

Be sure to check out our new sister channel Seeker Stories for some inspiring untold stories from around the globe,

請記得要去看看我們新的姊妹頻道 Seeker Stories 來接觸一些來自全球發人深省的未知故事

like this one about a family that decided to live on their own, entirely off the grid.

像是這則關於一個家庭決定要獨自生活，自給自足的故事

Check out that full video at the top of the description.

點擊這上面的「敘述」字樣去看看那部完整的影片吧

Thank you for watching TestTube, please subscribe.

TestTube 感謝您的收看，請訂閱我們的頻道吧