New York tops the list of world's most expensive cities for business travel

New York remained the most expensive business trip destination in the world in 2022 as a post-pandemic surge in business travel and tourism drove up costs 8% from the prior year. 

The Big Apple took a bite out of business travelers at a rate of $796 per day, according to the consulting firm ECA International, which counted four-star hotels, meals, taxis, drinks and incidentals as part of its survey.

The US dominated the ranking overall, with Washington DC and San Francisco both making the top five on the leaderboard, while Switzerland chimed in with Geneva and Zurich.

Climbing inflation rates were a major factor in the increase in travel costs, while a pandemic-fueled drop in demand led to more affordable rates in places like China.

Hong Kong was the most expensive destination in Asia, with average daily costs of $520 — just $5 more than financial hub rival Singapore. London and Paris retained their top ten positions and Angola’s Luanda was the priciest place in Africa.