Rex,

quote from that survey:
>>>>>>>
The biannual survey by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) compares the cost of goods and services in dollar terms. The rise of Oslo and other European cities partly reflects the long-term under performance of the U.S. currency.
<<<<<<

this means that it is useless to anyone not traveling from the US. I never understood these surveys that talk about the cost of living as related to one single currency (USD, of course). If you live in Oslo, zurich or wherever, you hardly car what is happening with the USD. Likewise, if you are travelling to zurich or vienna from the UK, the weakness of the dollar does not make these cities any more expensive for you.

these surveys are useful for US travelers but they are reported worldwide as true indicators for the expense of a city, when indeed, there usefulness is much less narrow.

Zürich McDonald's is certainly the most expensive of the four.

When I compare the fresh produce prices with the US, they are very close indeed. Clothes prices are comparable as well.

I believe walkinaround is correct.

Three of the four cities asked about by the original poster use the Euro and the RELATIVE cost won't change no matter what the exchange rate of the Euro with the USD. They will also retain their RELATIVE ranking no matter the currency you wish to compare it with, be it British Pounds or Swiss Francs.

They will change if the items being purchased change in Euros. If Paris imposes a 10% tax on hotel rooms, Paris becomes more expensive and its ranking will change relative to the other cities provided they don't add a comparable tax.

When you add Zurich to the comparison you add a dimension of cross currency trading that is too complex for this site.

BTW, it is senseless to compare costs unless you are comparing current costs. A hotel room in Rome in 2002 versus a hotel room in Paris in 2005 is not a valid comparison.