Deutsche Bank Names the Best Place for a Cheap Date

What do smartphones in Brazil, jeans in China, and cars in Singapore have in common? They’re all mind-bendingly expensive.

India, meanwhile, is the best place in the world for a cheap date, and Malaysia is the most affordable country for a weekend getaway.

Deutsche Bank has published its annual survey of the price of goods and services around the world, and the results shows how big swings in currency markets over the last year have shaken up prices across the globe.

Australia retains its crown as the world’s priciest country for the fourth year in a row (of the 19 countries included in the survey). But a big rally in the U.S. dollar has narrowed the gap between Australia and the United States—consistently the cheapest country in the developed world. Last year Australian prices were 137% of U.S. levels—now the figure is just 112%.

India remains the cheapest country overall, but Russia has seen a notable plunge in the last year. A collapse in the value of the ruble means Russian prices are now at 35% of U.S. levels, down from 54% a year earlier.

For some individual products, disparities in price are enormous.

According to Deutsche, a new iPhone 6 will set you back $1,254 in Brazil, more than double the price in the U.S.—the cheapest place to buy the Apple’s latest smartphone. Denim lovers should steer clear of China, with Shanghai pipping Paris to the title of most expensive city to buy a pair of Levi's 501s at $116.40 (compared with just $34.10 in Mumbai).

And a heavy tax burden pumps up the price of a new Volkswagen Golf in Singapore to an eyewatering $112,818, nearly five times the cost in New York.

Indian cities are the cheapest place for a date, with the Indonesian capital Jakarta not far behind (at least if, like Deutsche Bank, your idea of a date is a McDonald’s, a movie, and a couple of drinks).

For those interested in something more luxurious, Kuala Lumpur is the most affordable city for a high-end getaway. A couple of nights at a five star hotel and a host of extras costs just $480.20. But Australians looking for a weekend off may want to head for the countryside: in Sydney, the same getaway comes in at a hefty $2,164.0.