London may be oft-cited as the world's top financial centre – but how what's it actually like to work in? And how does it compare with rival finance sectors?

We've looked at the basic costs of city (or City) life – from the price of a monthly train ticket to rent; from the price of a cappuccino to a meal for two – to compare what the real cost of working in global finance centres from London to Tokyo is.

The findings? While London is among the priciest for transport – whether that's a daily cab journey or a monthly travelcard – it's far from the most expensive when it comes to treating yourself to a bottle of wine at the end of the day.

And although the capital is more expensive than most of its peers when it comes to property, it still can't beat New York, where a one-bedroom flat in the city centre sets renters back almost £2,000 a month.