http://finance.yahoo.com/news/10-most-expensive-places-to-live-in-the-u-s–163648923.html

Manhattan is the most expensive city in America to live. Average home price is $1.35 million. That explains why planting a church in this city is vastly different from planting one in the midwest where house costs less than $200,000. Currently we live in Queens, Forest Hills, which ranks # 6 most expensive place to live in America with the housing costs averages $630,000.

We need a strategy that actually brings in the incarnation ministry of Christ into the city. No use living remotely like 1-2 hours commute from Manhattan where our church is located and our target group is. I have learnt remote pastoring doesn’t work. I know that our church planting effort requires funding that’s higher than all other cities. 

6. Queens, New York

Forest Hills Gardens (COMPLICATED/FLICKR)Queens, the third borough in New York in America’s 10 most expensive places to live, in 2012 had a cost of living index of 148.3. The indexes of all three sections of the Greater New York metropolitan area rose from the previous year. Staten Island and the Bronx make up the rest of New York City.

Market prices in Queens, New York:
Half-gallon of milk – $2.58 
Monthly rent – $2,152 
Home price – $630,189 
Gallon of gas – $3.879 
Haircut – $17.79 
Movie ticket – $12.48 
Bottle of wine – $8.96

1. Manhattan, New York

Afton Almaraz/Getty ImagesManhattan, New York, once again ranks as the most expensive place to live in the U.S. The city in 2012 had cost of living index of 225.4 — more than double the national average.

New York has remained America’s most expensive city since 2007, when the Cost of Living Index released the first edition of its annual report.

Market prices in Manhattan:
Half-gallon of milk – $2.34 
Monthly rent – $3,902 
Home price – $1,303,421 
Gallon of gas – $3.967 
Haircut – $22.21 
Movie ticket – $13.33 
Bottle of wine – $9.67