World's Most Expensive Cities For International Residents (PHOTOS)

In a sign that the global economy is shifting, a recent list of the world's most expensive cities contained some surprises.

A new cost of living survey from ECA International, an employer information firm, determined that Tokyo, Japan is the most expensive city for international residents to live in. Surprisingly low down on the list are cities like Paris (ranked 42) and Manhattan (36), which were were deemed less expensive than a number of Asian cities such as Hong Kong (32), Beijing (22) and Shanghai (26).

The ECA's findings are consistent with a number of reports that confirm Asia's increasing economic influence worldwide. A U.S. intelligence report released on Monday found that Asia will overtake North America and Europe's combined global power by 2030.

The list was calculated by measuring the cost of basic day-to-day goods and services like groceries, drinks, clothing and meals out in each city.

Check out ECA's top 10 most expensive city for expats here: