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The TripAdvisor TripIndex Cities is based on the cost of a couple staying one night in a four-star hotel,cocktails,a two-course dinner with a bottle of wine,and return taxi fare of 3.2 kilometres each way.

South-east Asia,meanwhile,claimed three cities in the 10 least expensive destinations with Hanoi,Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur ranking No. 2,No .6 and No. 7 respectively.

But there were exceptions in both Asia and Europe,with Sofia in Bulgaria the cheapest city overall at $153.21 for a night of revelry.

"The list shows that Asia is the most affordable continent,while Europe is the most expensive,but some European cities – like Sofia,Warsaw and Budapest – are bucking this trend,"says a TripAdvisor spokesman.

"While Singapore was ranked as 10th most expensive last year,it falls four places to be ranked 14th most expensive of these worldwide cities."

While the cost of a hotel stay was the most expensive of any items of the night,the biggest disparity between cities was the return taxi trip.

Sofia also ranked No. 1 for the cheapest hotel room at $93.05 a night while New York City was the most expensive at $366.46 a night.

Comparing items,for the price of three taxis in Zurich a traveller can stay one night in a four-star hotel in Hanoi.

And one night's stay for two in a four-star hotel in Zurich was about the same price as three nights in Warsaw.

TripAdvisor's destination list of key cities from 49 countries is based on those that receive the largest number of international visitor arrivals according to data compiled by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).

Meanwhile,Geneva has taken over Paris as the most expensive city in the world to order the hotel staple of a Club Sandwich,at an average of $29.74,according to Hotels.com. Sydney ranked the ninth most expensive city,slipping one spot from last year.

10 most expensive cities

1. Oslo,Norway $561.26

2. Zurich,Switzerland $506.45

3. Stockholm,Sweden $504.30

4. New York City,US $498.58

5. Paris,France $494.96

6. Sydney,Australia $445.64

7. London,Britain $437.40

8. Copenhagen,Denmark $429.55

9. Cancun,Mexico $426.09

10. Punta Cana,Dominican Republic $420.91

10 cheapest cities

1. Sofia,Bulgaria $153.21

2. Hanoi,Vietnam $170.12

3. Warsaw,Poland $181.73

4. Sharm el Sheikh,Egypt $184.74

5. Budapest,Hungary $186.46

6. Bangkok,Thailand $194.79

7. Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia $210.30

8. Tunis,Tunisia $211.51

9. Cape Town,South Africa $212.49

10. Riyadh,Saudi Arabia $212.72

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