BigMac, Ikea & Ipod

It doesn't matter where you from. We all know these products very well because we all can find them in our countries. This can only mean one thing: globalization.

Our economies, societies and cultures are each day more integrated through a global network of communication, transportation and trade.

It is really interesting that we can compare the purchasing power of different countries through the BigMac, Billy bookshelf from Ikea and ipod.

Have a look:

The Economist's Big Mac index

Bloomberg Ikea Billy bookshelf index

Country               Catalogue       Local        Index
                     price (USD)    Currency
========================================================
Average Price            60.09      60.09  USD     100.0
========================================================
U.A.E.                   47.64     175.00  AED      79.3
U.K.                     49.34      29.90  GBP      82.1
Belgium                  49.91      34.95  EUR      83.1
Spain (mainland)         49.98      35.00  EUR      83.2
France                   49.98      35.00  EUR      83.2
Netherlands              49.98      35.00  EUR      83.2
Portugal                 49.98      35.00  EUR      83.2
Denmark                  51.60     269.00  DKK      85.9
Poland                   51.89     149.95  PLN      86.4
Malaysia                 52.60     185.00  MYR      87.5
Hungary                  52.79    9990.00  HUF      87.9
Germany                  54.26      38.00  EUR      90.3
Taiwan                   54.63    1795.00  TWD      90.9
Iceland                  54.86    6950.00  ISK      91.3
Singapore                54.86      79.00  SGD      91.3
Sweden                   55.11     395.00  SEK      91.7
Czech Republic           55.48     995.00  CZK      92.3
Ireland                  55.69      39.00  EUR      92.7
Italy                    55.69      39.00  EUR      92.7
Austria                  55.69      39.00  EUR      92.7
Finland                  55.69      39.00  EUR      92.7
Switzerland              56.24      59.95  CHF      93.6
Russia                   56.59    1790.00  RUB      94.2
Slovakia                 57.05      39.95  EUR      94.9
U.S.                     59.99      59.99  USA      99.8
Norway                   60.15     365.00  NOK     100.1
Japan                    62.50    5900.00  JPY     104.0
Greece                   64.26      45.00  EUR     106.9
Cyprus                   64.26      45.00  EUR     106.9
Canada                   64.33      69.99  CAD     107.1
Hong Kong                64.38     499.00  HKD     107.1
China                    65.72     449.00  CNY     109.4
Turkey                   66.49      99.00  TRY     110.7
Romania                  67.28     199.00  RON     112.0
Australia (2)            74.58      89.00  AUD     124.1
Saudi Arabia             78.67     295.00  SAR     130.9
Australia (1)            79.61      95.00  AUD     132.5
Kuwait                   90.28      26.00  KWD     150.2
Israel                  103.48     395.00  ILS     172.2
========================================================
NOTE: Billy bookshelf, white, W80 x D28, H202 cm.
USD conversions are calculated by Bloomberg using a
30-day moving average.
(1) Victoria, East and Queensland
(2) South and West Australia

The Ipod Index

Rank 2009	Cities	Hours of work needed to buy an iPod nano
1	New York	9.0
2	Zurich	9.0
3	Los Angeles	9.5
4	Sydney	9.5
5	Dublin	10.0
6	Geneva	10.0
7	Luxembourg	10.0
8	Miami	10.0
9	Montreal	10.5
10	Oslo	10.5
11	Toronto	10.5
12	Copenhagen	11.0
13	London	11.0
14	Stockholm	11.0
15	Chicago	11.5
16	Tokyo	12.0
17	Helsinki	12.5
18	Brussels	13.0
19	Amsterdam	13.5
20	Frankfurt	13.5
21	Munich	13.5
22	Berlin	14.0
23	Vienna	14.0
24	Lyon	15.0
25	Nicosia	15.0
26	Paris	15.0
27	Madrid	15.5
28	Auckland	16.0
29	Barcelona	16.0
30	Milan	16.0
31	Hong Kong	19.0
32	Lisbon	19.5
33	Rome	19.5
34	Dubai	20.0
35	Seoul	22.0
36	Tel Aviv	22.0
37	Manama	23.0
38	Taipei	23.5
39	Athens	24.5
40	Singapore	27.5
41	Ljubljana	32.0
42	Doha	35.0
43	Moscow	36.0
44	Tallinn	39.5
45	Johannesburg	41.5
46	Prague	43.0
47	Bratislava	45.5
48	Warsaw	45.5
49	São Paulo	46.5
50	Riga	51.0
51	Kuala Lumpur	52.0
52	Istanbul	56.0
53	Rio de Janeiro	56.0
54	Shanghai	56.5
55	Bogotá	62.5
56	Bucharest	63.5
57	Bangkok	66.0
58	Budapest	68.5
59	Santiago	69.5
60	Beijing	73.0
61	Vilnius	74.5
62	Sofia	78.0
63	Kiev	82.0
64	Lima	86.5
65	Jakarta	93.0
66	Mexico City	95.0
67	Caracas	97.0
68	Buenos Aires	99.0
69	Cairo	105.0
70	Delhi	122.5
71	Manila	128.5
72	Nairobi	160.0
73	Mumbai	177.0