I can now afford bread

Or so says the Economist Intelligence Unit.

SINGAPORE (AFP) — The strong yen has made Tokyo and Osaka the world’s most expensive cities for expatriates while sharp currency declines lowered living costs in Australia and New Zealand, a survey showed.

…

France’s capital Paris is now the world’s third-most expensive city, down from number two in the EIU’s previous survey, followed by Copenhagen and former number one Oslo.

Chant with me, “We’re number 5!  We’re number 5!”

Iceland is the new Sweden?

After posting on its homepage that it would have a stand at an upcoming job fair in Reykjavik, the western state of Sogn og Fjordane has been flooded with calls and emails for Icelandic job seekers. 

Although the slowdown in the economy has also hit Norway, there is still a shortage of engineers and health workers in this country.

A recent survey showed that every third Icelander wants to leave Iceland to find work in another country.

These two facts indicate that Norway will likely receive a bunch of Icelandic workers.  Before the financial crisis, Iceland’s cost of living was as high as Norway’s, so it didn’t make sense for an Icelandic person to come here to work.  With the Icelandic Króna down over 50%, however, that is no longer the case. 

Just as Swedish workers are infamous for taking temporary jobs in the service industries in eastern Norway (because of Norway’s higher pay), Icelandic workers might soon be infamous in western Norway.  So your next Norway in a Nutshell tour might soon have an Icelandic ticket taker and captain.  Just an excuse to brush up on your Old Norse.

Side note–At least the Icelandic workers won’t have trouble adjusting to the Norwegian flag.