Where the most credit card transactions per person takes place -- read: serious shopping addictions. While foreign luxury goods tend to get a hefty mark up, local boutiques tend to be cheap and very chic.
12. Seoul —
Where the most credit card transactions per person takes place -- read: serious shopping addictions. While foreign luxury goods tend to get a hefty mark up, local boutiques tend to be cheap and very chic.
courtesy korea tourism organization
Home to what many fashion industry insiders consider the world's most important fashion district, the Quadrilatero della Moda, Milan gave the world Prada, Versace, Dolce & Gabbana and many more high-fashion brands.
11. Milan —
Home to what many fashion industry insiders consider the world's most important fashion district, the Quadrilatero della Moda, Milan gave the world Prada, Versace, Dolce & Gabbana and many more high-fashion brands.
Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images
Madrid ranks third for best prices on luxury items in the Globe Shopper Index. We love it for the glorious sidewalks.
10. Madrid —
Madrid ranks third for best prices on luxury items in the Globe Shopper Index. We love it for the glorious sidewalks.
Courtesy madrid visitors convention bureau
Dubai is known for glamour and excess; the shopping here would have your Scottish/Chinese/Indian/Great Depression grandmother spinning in her inexpensive plywood coffin. Home to the world's largest mall, Dubai is also home to an indoor ski resort ... at a mall.
9. Dubai; United Arab Emirates —
Dubai is known for glamour and excess; the shopping here would have your Scottish/Chinese/Indian/Great Depression grandmother spinning in her inexpensive plywood coffin. Home to the world's largest mall, Dubai is also home to an indoor ski resort ... at a mall.
Courtesy emaar
Vienna's early closing hours don't have to be a total buzz kill. It has some of the best values in Europe, second on the index for total cost of luxury items.
8. Vienna —
Vienna's early closing hours don't have to be a total buzz kill. It has some of the best values in Europe, second on the index for total cost of luxury items.
dieter nagl/afp/getty
How many styles can you pack into one place? Buenos Aires is famous for leather and jewelry and style-obsessed citizens.
7. Buenos Aires —
How many styles can you pack into one place? Buenos Aires is famous for leather and jewelry and style-obsessed citizens.
luis davilla/cover/getty images
"Shopping is one of, if not the, major attraction in Hong Kong. The city ranks highly across most indicators, not least for convenience," says the Global Shopper Index, which deems Hong Kong the best shopping city in Asia. According to the research, 76% of shopping tourists "expressed above-average satisfaction on value for money in 2011."
6. Hong Kong —
"Shopping is one of, if not the, major attraction in Hong Kong. The city ranks highly across most indicators, not least for convenience," says the Global Shopper Index, which deems Hong Kong the best shopping city in Asia. According to the research, 76% of shopping tourists "expressed above-average satisfaction on value for money in 2011."
Courtesy HKTB
The best shops in Paris sell lifestyles. Case in point: Whimsical shop Merci stocks designer goods that fall under the category of utterly useless but absolutely irresistible.
5. Paris —
The best shops in Paris sell lifestyles. Case in point: Whimsical shop Merci stocks designer goods that fall under the category of utterly useless but absolutely irresistible.
Courtesy Meri
Bigger is better in the mind of Kuala Lumpur shopper's ethics. Three of the world's 10 largest malls are in Kuala Lumpur, and the number one mall Utama has more than 650 shops, Asia's largest indoor rock climbing facility and a massive rooftop garden.
4. Kuala Lumpur —
Bigger is better in the mind of Kuala Lumpur shopper's ethics. Three of the world's 10 largest malls are in Kuala Lumpur, and the number one mall Utama has more than 650 shops, Asia's largest indoor rock climbing facility and a massive rooftop garden.
Courtesy 1 Utama
London prices can destroy your will to live. But get over the sticker shock and you'll see London shopping at its best. Bold, eclectic and international, Liberty department store will inspire you to buy things you never knew existed.
3. London —
London prices can destroy your will to live. But get over the sticker shock and you'll see London shopping at its best. Bold, eclectic and international, Liberty department store will inspire you to buy things you never knew existed.
Courtesy Liberty
The best of Tokyo shopping can be found in the department store. Isetan's mammoth flagship in Shinjuku has shopping consultants who will advise customers on everything from shoes to fish.
2. Tokyo —
The best of Tokyo shopping can be found in the department store. Isetan's mammoth flagship in Shinjuku has shopping consultants who will advise customers on everything from shoes to fish.
Courtesy jnto
Where personal stylists and designer showrooms (and better yet, discounted designer showrooms) abound, New York's exclusive shopping experiences include curated vintage shopping, fashion history tours and discount mega-department stores.
1. New York City —
Where personal stylists and designer showrooms (and better yet, discounted designer showrooms) abound, New York's exclusive shopping experiences include curated vintage shopping, fashion history tours and discount mega-department stores.
Spencer Platt/getty