Expat life in a number of countries was said to have become a lot more expensive.
The annual Overseas Living Price index, brought out by the Overseas Guides Company, said that many European spots popular with expats had grown more pricey than ever.
Portugal was recognised as the cheapest location for restaurants and beer. Wine was found to be cheapest in Italy and Cyprus.
But the survey also showed that costs in the UK still remain higher than the most popular places abroad except for a handful of essential grocery items.
Canada and New Zealand, on the other hand, were found to be more expensive than life in the UK, especially for groceries. Although New Zealand offers low utility and petrol costs, other costs, such as public transport, are high.
Spain was the cheapest popular expat spot, followed by Italy, the USA and Turkey.
Portugal was in fifth place and then France in sixth position.
In France, food shopping cost less than in the UK except for some basic things, such as milk and pasta. But rising electricity and gas prices have begun to erode the country’s edge.
An estimated 4.7 million UK citizens currently live abroad, with 173,000 in France, 411,000 in Spain and 675,000 in Canada.
Last month, the FCO launched an initiative to urge Brits consider a move abroad to check out all the costs before taking the plunge.
Launching the campaign, FCO Minister Mark Simmonds explained: 'Our consular staff across the world have dealt with a high number of British expats requiring assistance for financial issues – whether as a result of a house purchase gone wrong, having inadequate funds to pay for medical bills or experiencing some other misfortune that has resulted in financial hardship.'
The price index takes into account the costs of basics in each country, such as fuel, utility bills, supermarket shopping, public transport and eating out.
