OK, I’m not an economist - so what do I know?

Some people read the recent UBS survey to mean cost of living in Manila is quite cheap.

But I read this survey to mean Manila is one of the most expensive cities in the world. 

It takes 81 minutes of labor (using a weighted basket of 14 local professions) to purchase a Big Mac in Manila.  In L.A. it takes 11 minutes.

It seems to me that it is way cheaper to live in L.A. and eat a Big Mac than to do so in Manila.