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The global nature of business today is creating more opportunities for executives to work and live in exciting cities like New York, Tokyo and Paris -- but at what cost?

The Worldwide Cost of Living Survey, conducted biannually by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EUI), compares prices and products in 126 cities around the world. Its purpose is to provide companies with an independent guide from which allowances can be calculated for executives and their families being sent overseas.

Here are the results of the most recent survey:

* London is the world's 7th most expensive city, and the most expensive in the EU, having overtaken Paris and Geneva during the past 12 months. The weak Euro, and comparative strength of the pound, has also seen Manchester climb the list to number 20, making it now more expensive than all of the German cities as well as Amsterdam and Helsinki.

* The two Japanese cities, Tokyo and Osaka, remain the most expensive in the world, as they have been since 1991. As the Japanese economy recovers, and the yen appreciates, Tokyo's comparative cost of living index has risen by 26% and made it more than 30% dearer than Hong Kong, which remains in third position despite negative inflation.

* Oslo and Zurich remain the most expensive cities in Europe, and joint fifth in the world. Most Euro-zone cities have dropped down the rankings, following the Euro's inauspicious performance in 1999. Paris is the most expensive Euro-zone city, at number eight, while Lisbon remains the least expensive, at number 68. Bucharest is now the least expensive city in Europe at 120th place on the ranking.

* The two Indian cities of New Delhi and Mumbai (formerly Bombay) have usurped Tripoli as the cheapest cities, with cost of living indices of just 41 and 42 respectively. Tripoli itself has made a monumental climb up the list to number 14 following the unification of the black market and official exchange rates, and the lifting of UN sanctions.

* New York is the most expensive North American city, with Chicago, which has risen 11 places, the second most expensive. The comparative strength of the dollar against the Euro has meant that the more expensive U.S. cities have risen in the rankings, as the Euro-zone cities have fallen. Atlanta is the cheapest U.S. city on the survey with an index of 74. Montreal and Vancouver are the most expensive Canadian cities, in 70th place. Calgary is the least expensive city in the North American survey.

* As the Australian dollar has strengthened over the past 12 months, the Australian cities have begun to climb in the rankings. Sydney, at 45th on the list is the most expensive. This means that it now has an equal cost of living to Cairo and Amman.

* Asian cities reside at both the top and the bottom of list, with Tokyo four times as expensive as New Delhi. Strengthening currencies have also led Taipei, Singapore and Seoul to rise in the rankings.