Raphael Stevens

CNBC Travel

While Michelin-starred meals can cost just $1.50 per plate, most restaurants that have earned the prestigious award charge much more.
Many cost $300-$400 for one meal, but some command even higher rates.

To find the most expensive Michelin-starred restaurants, the cooking website Chef’s Pencil researched dinner tasting menus in more than 450 restaurants around the world, according to its website.

The top 10

According to Chef’s Pencil, the 10 most expensive restaurants* that have either received a Michelin star — or are helmed by a chef that has — are:
1. Sublimotion, Ibiza, Spain — $1,740
2. Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet, Shanghai, China — $1,422
3. Kitcho Arashiyama Honten, Kyoto, Japan — $910

4. Azabu Kadowaki, Tokyo, Japan — $825
5. Masa, New York City, United States — $800
6. (Tie) Joel Robuchon, Tokyo, Japan — $637
6. (Tie) Kikunoi Honten, Kyoto, Japan — $637
6. (Tie) Gion Maruyama, Kyoto, Japan — $637
9. Guy Savoy, Paris, France — $615
10. Piazza Duomo, Alba, Italy — $580* Priced per person, usually not including beverages and service charges.
Japan is the only country that appears more than once on this list, and its restaurants — located in Kyoto and Tokyo — dominate half the 10 spots. It’s worth noting, however, that Tokyo-based Joel Robuchon, which tied for No. 6 on the list, serves French cuisine.
The United States’ only restaurant to make the top 10, Masa, is also a Japanese restaurant.
Japan is home to the highest number of Michelin restaurants per capita in the world, with Tokyo having more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other city, according to Chef’s Pencil.

Why Japanese restaurants can be so expensive

There are reasons why many Japanese restaurants are expensive, said Chef Masaharu Morimoto, known to millions as the star of the television cooking shows “Iron Chef” and “Iron Chef America.”
“Japanese restaurants source seasonal fish from all over the world, which increases the cost of the ingredients,” he said. “There is also a cost of proper shipping and storage for these ingredients, considering fresh seafood has a short shelf life.”

Chef Masaharu Morimoto has 15 restaurants around the world, from Tokyo to New York City.
Dave Kotinsky | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images

Morimoto said “the skills the chef has — the precision and artistry in making and serving the dishes” are other factors.
Japanese restaurants can be quite small, with diners receiving personal attention from the chef.
“Restaurants with a limited number of seats usually try to provide an intimate and meaningful food experience for their guests,” said Morimoto. “Many notable sushi restaurants have a maximum of eight seats — no servers or additional staff.”

A chef prepares sushi at a restaurant in Tokyo, Japan.
BEHROUZ MEHRI | AFP | Getty Images

Many meals at high-end Japanese restaurants are served omakase-style, where chefs choose what to serve. That lets chefs prepare “an adventure unlike any other” for “an unforgettable multi-course dining experience that features the freshest fish and various other special ingredients that are reserved for this truly unique meal,” said Morimoto.

Most expensive meals by country

Despite dominating the list of most expensive restaurants, Japan may not be the most expensive country overall for people who seek a top Michelin-star experience.
A separate analysis by Chef’s Pencil published in September analyzed the prices of the most expensive tasting menus at restaurants with two and three Michelin stars.
Japan was fourth on that list.

Denmark is home to Noma, the No. 1 restaurant in the world in 2021, according to The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
THIBAULT SAVARY | AFP | Getty Images

Denmark is the most expensive country to dine at a top Michelin-starred restaurant, with tasting menus averaging $404 per person. The restaurants in Singapore average $364, and in Sweden $327.
The average cost to dine at a two or three Michelin-starred restaurant in Japan is $322, according to the report.

A meal for $1,740?

While Japanese restaurants are often simple, the most expensive restaurant on Chef Pencil’s restaurant list is the opposite.
Located on the Spanish island of Ibiza, Sublimotion is the world’s first “gastronomic performance,” said founder Eduardo Gonzales.

Part of a 20-course meal at Ibiza’s Sublimotion restaurant.
Courtesy of Sublimotion

Its priciest tasting menu costs $1,740 per person for a 20-course meal. Seating 12 at a time, the restaurant uses virtual reality and special effects to add light and sound elements to the meal, he said.
In addition to chefs, a team of engineers, illusionists, scriptwriters and composers worked together “for more than 10 years with the aim of maximizing the pleasure of sitting at the table,” Gonzales said.
The restaurant, opened in 2014, is helmed by Michelin-starred Chef Paco Roncero, though it has yet to receive a star itself. More

Antonio Brown removed his shoulder pads and jersey, ran across the end zone and headed to Tampa Bay’s locker room midway through the third quarter of Sunday’s game at MetLife Stadium against the New York Jets.
Bruce Arians said: “He is no longer a Buc. That’s the end of the story.”

Antonio Brown #81 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks on against the New York Jets during the game at MetLife Stadium on Jan. 2, 2022 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Elsa | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images

Antonio Brown is no longer a Tampa Bay Buccaneer, says head coach Bruce Arians, after the wide receiver left the field during Sunday’s 28-24 win against the New York Jets.
Brown removed his shoulder pads and jersey, ran across the end zone and headed to the team’s locker room midway through the third quarter of Sunday’s game at MetLife Stadium.

The Buccaneers trailed 24-10 at the time and were driving downfield on offence, but Brown was not among the players in the game.
Asked about Brown in his post-match news conference, Arians said: “He is no longer a Buc. That’s the end of the story.”
According to the FOX broadcast, Brown “boiled over” about something and could not be convinced to stay with the team on the sideline.

Fellow receiver Mike Evans tried to keep Brown from taking off his shoulder pads, but to no avail.
Brown was seen standing in the end zone, making a “peace out” gesture to the crowd, while the teams were playing on the other side of the field.

Brown had three receptions on five targets for 26 yards at the time he left. He has 42 catches for 545 yards and four touchdowns in seven games this season.
The 33-year-old has a trail of off-the-field incidents, distractions and legal trouble dating to the start of his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Most recently, Brown was suspended for three games by the NFL this season for falsifying a COVID-19 vaccine card.
Brown spent the first half of the 2020 season suspended for multiple violations of the NFL’s personal conduct policy. He turned himself in to police in Florida in January 2020 due to charges of battery, burglary of an unoccupied conveyance and criminal mischief.
He was released by the New England Patriots after one game in 2019 due to allegations of sexual misconduct and threatening text messages sent to his accuser. New England picked up Brown after he was released by the then-Oakland Raiders before he played in a game due to multiple controversies.

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Tesla just published its fourth-quarter vehicle production and deliveries report for 2021, and it handily beat analysts’ expectations.
Tesla deliveries amounted to 308,600 electric cars in the fourth quarter and full-year deliveries amounted to 936,172 vehicles.
According to a consensus compiled by FactSet, Wall Street analysts had anticipated Tesla deliveries of 267,000 in the fourth quarter and 897,000 for all of 2021.

A parking lot of predominantly new Tesla Model 3 electric vehicles is seen in Richmond, California, U.S. June 22, 2018.
Stephen Lam | Reuters

Tesla on Sunday said it delivered 308,600 electric vehicles in the fourth quarter of 2021, beating its previous single-quarter record as well as analysts’ expectations. The automaker produced 305,840 fully electric vehicles total during the same period.
For the full year, Tesla delivered 936,172 vehicles, an 87% increase versus 2020 when it reported its first annual profit on deliveries of 499,647.

In the third quarter of 2021, vehicle deliveries reached 241,300, Tesla’s previous best quarter.
According to a consensus compiled by FactSet, Wall Street analysts had anticipated Tesla deliveries of 267,000 in the fourth quarter and 897,000 for all of 2021.
Deliveries are the closest approximation of sales reported by CEO Elon Musk’s electric car company.
Tesla combines delivery numbers for its higher-priced Model S and X vehicles, and lower-priced Model 3 and Y vehicles. The company does not break out sales or production numbers by region.

Read more about electric vehicles from CNBC Pro

Deliveries of its flagship Model S sedan and Model X falcon wing SUV represented just under 3% of Tesla’s total deliveries in 2021. Model 3 and Model Y deliveries amounted to 296,850 in the final quarter of 2021, and 911,208 for the full year.

Tesla makes Model 3 and Model Y vehicles at its factory in Shanghai and in Fremont, California, but only produces the Model X and S in Fremont.

Shrugging off shortages

At Tesla’s 2021 annual shareholder meeting, Musk bemoaned a year marked by supply chain problems that made it difficult to obtain enough microchips and other unspecified parts.
Throughout the second year of a global coronavirus pandemic, Tesla was able to increase vehicle deliveries by ramping up production at its first overseas factory in Shanghai, and by making technical changes to the cars that it produces in Fremont, California, so that it could ditch some parts altogether.
Notably, Tesla announced in May that it was removing radar sensors from Model 3 and Model Y vehicles built for customers in North America. Those cars now rely on a camera-based system to enable Tesla’s driver assistance features such as traffic-adjusted cruise control or automatic lane-keeping.

Looking ahead

Musk has proclaimed that he wants to increase Tesla’s vehicle sales volume to 20 million annually over the next nine years. In pursuit of that growth, Tesla is poised to start production of the Model Y crossover at its new factory in Austin, Texas, this year. It aims to open another factory in Brandenburg, Germany, after that.
The company recently moved its headquarters to Texas. The CEO announced the plan in October, and Tesla made it official in early December.

Last month, Musk wrote on Twitter, where he has about 68.4 million followers, “Giga Texas is a $10B+ investment over time, generating at least 20k direct & 100k indirect jobs.” According to public filings, Tesla plans to spend $1.6 billion on the Austin, Texas, factory in its first phase now underway.
Despite progress and ambitions in Texas, Tesla has delayed plans to start high-volume production of its Cybertruck, a distinctly angular pickup, until 2023. The company’s Semi and revamped Roadster are still in the works, too.

Industry outlook

The company now dominates battery electric vehicle sales in the U.S. and much of the world. But it is expected to lose overall market share as competitors bring out fully electric models of their own.
For example, Toyota has told investors it will invest $35 billion to bring 30 battery-electric vehicles out by 2030. Rivian recently began deliveries of its battery-electric pick-up and SUV. And Ford stopped taking reservations for its F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck after receiving 200,000 orders.
Tesla’s sales are still expected to rise with overall electric vehicle demand, which is partly driven by climate regulation.
Hoping to slash air pollution from transportation, states including California and New York, are following in the footsteps of several European countries and cities, by setting a date by which they will ban sales of most gas-powered vehicles.
By 2030, about 24% of new vehicles sold worldwide are likely to be fully electric, according to forecasts from Alix Partners.
—CNBC’s Jessica Bursztynsky and Jordan Novet contributed reporting.
CORRECTION: This article has been updated to show that Tesla makes Model 3 and Model Y vehicles at its factory in Shanghai and in Fremont, California, but only produces the Model X and Y in Fremont.

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The U.S. is considering recommending that individuals exposed to Covid end isolation if they’ve tested negative for the virus after five days, Dr. Anthony Fauci said Sunday.
The move could come after the CDC faced harsh feedback for its decision last week to change Covid-19 isolation periods for asymptomatic people to five days from 10.
“I think we’re going to be hearing more about that in the next day or so from the CDC,” Fauci said.

A man is getting a Covid-19 test at a Covid-19 testing center next to the Queens Hospital Center as hundreds of residents line up to get Covid-19 test in Queens of New York, on December 28, 2021 as Omicron rises around the country.
Tayfun Coskun | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images

The U.S. is considering recommending that individuals exposed to Covid end isolation if they’ve tested negative for the virus after five days, U.S. infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said Sunday.
The move could come after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention faced harsh feedback for its decision last week to reduce Covid-19 isolation periods for asymptomatic people to five days from 10, even if the individual continues to test positive.

“There has been some concern about why we don’t ask people at that five-day period to get tested,” Fauci said on ABC’s “This Week.” “That is something that is now under consideration.”
“The CDC is very well aware that there has been some pushback about that. Looking at it again, there may be an option in that, that testing could be a part of that. And I think we’re going to be hearing more about that in the next day or so from the CDC,” he added.
“I myself think that’s a reasonable thing to do,” Fauci later said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
The updated guidelines come amid a surge in new Covid-19 cases, driven by the highly contagious omicron variant. Some have criticized the move as putting business interests over science, since a surge in cases could exacerbate a nationwide labor shortage.
So far, U.S. health officials have been on the defense about the change.

“In the second half of the 10-day period, which would normally be a 10-day isolation period, the likelihood of transmissibility is considerably lower in that second half. For that reason, the CDC made the judgment that it would be relatively low risk to get people out,” Fauci said on CNN.
CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said last week that the agency avoided recommending testing out of isolation because the science was unclear on whether rapid antigen tests are a good indication of transmissibility. Meantime, PCR tests can show the illness for months.

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Airlines have canceled more than 13,700 U.S. flights since Christmas Eve.
Bad weather worsened flight disruptions on the first day of the year.
Omicron infections among crews have thinned staffing at some carriers.

Travelers push their luggage past baggage claim inside the United Airlines terminal at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) during the holiday season as the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Omicron variant threatens to increase case numbers in Los Angeles, California, U.S. December 22, 2021.
Bing Guan | Reuters

Airlines canceled more than 2,600 U.S. flights on New Year’s Day as they faced severe weather across the country and a surge in omicron infections among staff that has disrupted air travel throughout the year-end holidays.
The issues won’t be resolved anytime soon. By Saturday afternoon, the airlines had already canceled more than 1,000 U.S. flights scheduled for Sunday. Since Christmas Eve, more than 13,700 U.S. flights have been scrapped and thousands more were delayed, according to flight-tracking site FlightAware.

The travel woes come during what airlines expected to be among the busiest days since the pandemic began. Last year, the Transportation Security Administration screened nearly 580 million people, up 79% from 2020 but still off about 30% from 2019 before the pandemic.
Southwest Airlines had largely escaped some of the severe disruptions that affected rivals over the holidays, but scrubbed 473 flights on Saturday, 13% of its schedule, according to FlightAware. More than 600 others were delayed. The airline suspended operations at Chicago’s airports as of 1 p.m. local time ahead of a severe winter storm.
Southwest has more than 200 daily departures from Chicago Midway International Airport. An airline spokeswoman said that the flights were cut because planners were “anticipating the gusty winds and blowing snow that decades of our history operating in this airport show us will slow down the airspace and also make deicing and getting aircraft back into the air very challenging.” The spokeswoman Southwest didn’t have staffing issues.
The Federal Aviation Administration also slowed traffic at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, American Airlines’ largest hub, due to staffing. Earlier this week, the agency warned disruptions would continue.
“Weather and heavy seasonal traffic are likely to result in some travel delays in the coming days,” the agency said in a statement Friday. “Like the rest of the U.S. population, an increased number of FAA employees have tested positive for COVID-19. To maintain safety, traffic volume at some facilities could be reduced, which might result in delays during busy periods.”

While weather drove many of the cancellations on New Year’s Day, carriers including United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and JetBlue Airways have canceled hundreds of flights over the holidays, citing omicron infections among crews for many of the disruptions.
Airlines have ramped up incentives for pilots and flight attendants to pick up trips and ease staffing shortages that some executives say could last several more weeks as Covid cases continue to rise.
The Air Line Pilots Association, United pilots’ union, negotiated triple pay for aviators who pick up open trips through most of January, CNBC reported Friday.  Flight attendants at United and both cabin crews and pilots at Spirit and others are also getting extra pay over the busy holiday period.
Airlines have tried to cancel flights ahead of time so that customers don’t get stuck at the airport, overwhelming ticket counters and scrambling to change their plans. JetBlue this week said it will cut 1,280 flights from its schedule through mid-January to avoid last-minute cancellations as omicron Covid infections sideline crews.
American, which operates a large hub out of Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, canceled 208 flights, or 7% of its operation on Saturday, FlightAware data showed. Chicago-based United canceled 158, 7% of its mainline flights. Delta canceled nearly 200 flights, 9% of its Saturday schedule.
Airlines executives have said they expect travel demand to surge in 2022 and had been preparing to grow their schedules and scrambling to hire.
Southwest exceeded its goal of hiring more than 5,700 employees, including onboarded staff and extended offers, Greg Muccio, Southwest’s senior director of talent acquisition, wrote in a staff note on Thursday. The airline aims to have another 8,000 more employees next year.
The omicron variant is a new challenge for carriers, however.
“While we’re expecting a full recovery in 2022, it is going to be a year of two halves,” said JetBlue’s CEO Robin Hayes in a New Year’s Day staff memo, which was seen by CNBC. “Our traditional trough periods, especially these next few weeks after the holidays and as COVID-19 cases climb, are going to be tough.”
But Hayes said that JetBlue is expecting an “exceptionally busy summer and are planning to take advantage of this opportunity as we continue to expand our fleet and bring low fares to more routes.”

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The pandemic is far from over, with the omicron variant driving cases of the virus to record levels.
The surge has sent businesses and schools scrambling to adjust as Americans enter the new year.

A healthcare worker administers a COVID-19 PCR test at a free test site in Farragut Square on December 28, 2021 in Washington, DC.
Anna Moneymaker | Getty Images

A Covid-19 outbreak on a cruise in Lisbon. Thousands of flights canceled. Colleges going remote again.
It’s a new year but the pandemic continues to cause many of the same massive disruptions to American life that it has for almost two years now.

The most recent variant to blame is the omicron strain, which is highly transmissible and more likely to evade the protection of vaccines. Over the last week, a seven-day average of daily new cases of the virus topped 386,000, a doubling from the week prior, according to CNBC analysis of Johns Hopkins University data. Rates are likely even higher because there are delays in reporting over the holidays and an increase in at-home testing that may be keeping cases off the radar of officials.
The surge in new Covid-19 cases means that attempts by businesses and schools to resume normal operation after the holidays are being upended once again.
Companies are pushing back their return-to-work dates as cases peak, including Chevron, Apple, Google and Uber.
Dozens of colleges have announced they’re moving classes online. Harvard University said it would aim to move much of its work and learning remote for at least the first three weeks of January.
“Please know that we do not take this step lightly,” Harvard officials wrote in a letter to staff and students. “It is prompted by the rapid rise in COVID-19 cases locally and across the country.”

Other schools also making the change include The University of Chicago, George Washington University and Columbia University. Many colleges will likely require that students have had their booster vaccine to return in the spring, as breakthrough cases become more common.
Local school districts across the country are also reassessing their plans as well. Some districts are switching back to remote or hybrid learning, while others are trying to lessen the exposure children have to each other by having students attend classes on modified schedule, without a lunch period.Although New York City, which is the nation’s largest school district, has seen an explosion in Covid cases, the school system will be open as scheduled on Monday. The district is hoping to step up testing efforts to keep instruction in-person. The plan is to double the pace of testing, among both vaccinated and unvaccinated students. Students will be tested even if they don’t display sympton or have a record of having contact with someone who has been sickened by the virus.
One concern is that people will be returning from vacations and visits with family and friends over the holidays, and will have unknowingly been exposed to Covid.
As the rush home get underway, travel has also be upended both by the virus, and by stormy weather, which has grounded some planes.
By Saturday afternoon, more than 2,500 U.S. flights had been canceled, according to tracking service FlightAware. Some of the disruptions are also due to winter storms.
A cruise ship with over 4,000 people aboard has been stopped in Lisbon, Portugal due to a Covid-19 outbreak among crew members, the AP reported on Saturday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday that Americans avoid should cruises, regardless of their vaccination status.

– The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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The cost of clothes, groceries, furniture and other goods are rising in the year ahead.
Here’s what you can do about higher prices.

One thing is for sure: 2022 is going to cost you.
Between inflation and ongoing supply chain issues, prices are rising on consumer goods nearly across the board.

“I really don’t think there’s any way to escape,” said Julie Ramhold, a consumer analyst with DealNews.com.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t shop smarter for the things you need and want.
Here’s a list of some of the major items that will cost more in the year ahead, and what you can do about it now.
1. Housing
For some, buying a house has been one of the pandemic’s greatest challenges, even as mortgage rates hit record lows. Unfortunately, 2022 could be another year of new highs as home prices continue to appreciate two-to three-times faster than a year ago — across all cities, according to CoreLogic Deputy Chief Economist Selma Hepp. “An expected increase in mortgage rates next year will present further challenges,” she added.
Pro tip: Higher rates could help dampen demand for homes, at least a little, which may result in less dramatic home price growth and fewer bidding wars, eventually making it easier for some homebuyers to get in the door. And with rent prices going up, it will still be a good time buy.  

2. Food

A grocery store in New York on Dec. 7, 2021.
Wang Ying | Xinhua News Agency | Getty Images

Going to the grocery store is going to start eating away at your budget very quickly. It’s not just staples like eggs, meat and milk that are getting more expensive; Coca-Cola and PepsiCo also announced price increases, thanks to more supply-chain and labor problems. Even Oreo cookies, Ritz crackers and Sour Patch Kids will cost more in 2022, Mondelez CEO Dirk Van de Put recently told CNBC — starting with a 7% price hike in the beginning of the year.
Pro tip: It’ll be hard to avoid getting gouged on groceries. Watch for weekly sales and stock up when you can, Ramhold advised. And while clipping coupons may seen outdated, many stores have digital deals or membership discounts that will save you money.  A credit card with grocery rewards can help with your weekly spending, as well.
3. Clothing
Americans are finally ready to say goodbye to their sweatpants but this isn’t going to be the best time to shop. Even though clothing sales are expected to make a full recovery this year with many shoppers looking to refresh their pandemic-era wardrobes, supply chain pressures will drive retail prices higher by an average of 3.2%, according to a report on the Business of Fashion by McKinsey — and 15% of fashion executives expect to increase prices by 10% or more in 2022.
Pro tip: Before buying anything new, turn your old clothes into cash. You can consign in person or online through site like Tradesy, Poshmark and thredUP. 

4. Heating costs
Heating bills could put you in a cold sweat this season. Nearly half of households that heat with natural gas are projected to spend 30% more than they did last winter on average, according to the Winter Fuels Outlook 2021 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Propane users will spend 54% more, while heating oil users could see bills go up 43% and electricity users are expected to spend another 6%, according to the report.
Pro tip: Consider a home energy audit to spot and fix potential leaks and find areas for improvement, like sealing drafty windows, for starters. In some states, utility companies may even offer the service for free.
5. Gas

A gas station in Los Angeles on Dec. 10, 2021.
FREDERIC J. BROWN | AFP | Getty Images

After gasoline prices jumped a whopping 58.1% over the past year, it’s hard to imagine paying even more at the pump. And yet, in some states, including Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois and Kentucky, gas prices are likely to bump up even further “very soon” due, in part, to a rise in wholesale prices, according to GasBuddy.com.
Pro tip: Depending on where you live, there can be big price swings between gas stations. Even if the difference in price per gallon doesn’t seem like much, it can still add up to hundreds of dollars a year.
6. Dining out
Restaurants have been under pressure since the very start of the pandemic and ongoing staffing challenges aren’t going away anytime soon. As a result, most have had to raise wages to attract workers on top of paying more for food and that means menu prices will be going up, too.  
Pro tip: Look for weekly specials or dining deals, like two-for-one burger nights. Sometimes getting more for your money is a good way to add value even at a higher price.
More from Personal Finance:More Americans took on holiday debt this seasonHow to get back on track after blowing your budgetDo you think you have a spending problem?
7. Cars
New car prices are at an all-time high, while used car and truck prices, which used to be a good way to score a deal, have been driving the inflation burst, up 31.4% year over year, making this a particularly challenging time to shop for an automobile. 
Pro tip: You may not be able to get the price down, but dealers are paying more for used autos, which means you could get more on a trade-in, or a lower-than-market price in a lease buyout.
8. Computers and electronics
Computers, TVs and video game consoles have all been hard hit by the ongoing chip shortage and that means there’s much less inventory, even if you are willing to pay a premium — which many people are since it’s become basically impossible to buy a video game console during the pandemic-fueled boom for gaming.
Pro tip: Some the best sales of the year are coming up around Presidents’ Day and Super Bowl Sunday when retailers mark down last year’s models to make room for this year’s offerings. Otherwise, score what you can when it’s in stock, Ramhold said. These prices aren’t likely to come back down even when supply finally catches up with demand.  

9. Furniture
Sheltering at home sent most people into a renovation frenzy, but even small updates won’t come cheap. Furniture prices could rise by more than 10% in the year ahead due to higher container freight rates, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. Not to mention the price of building supplies for more major makeovers.
Pro tip: A good decluttering and a fresh coat of paint can provide a much-needed boost until some of the shipping delays and supply-side problems ease up on those bulkier items.
10. Medical care
Paying for health care was a problem long before the pandemic. Now, health costs are up 8.4% from 2020, according to a medical index published by consulting firm Milliman, pushing the cost of care just out of reach for many Americans.
Pro tip: Don’t delay going to the doctor. One way to help with the cost is to use tax-advantaged accounts for medical expenses — specifically, health savings accounts or flexible spending accounts. To be able to use an HSA, you need to be enrolled in a high-deductible health plan, or HDHP. Contributions then grow on a tax-free basis and you can invest that money to keep pace with or beat health-care inflation.
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Under the cloud of Covid-19, the world ushered in the new year.
Australia and New Zealand were among the first to ring in the new year, followed by countries in Asia, Europe and North America.

From Sydney to Shanghai and New York to Paris, the world ushered in 2022 with New Year celebrations that were largely overshadowed by pandemic concerns — even as uncertainty looms and the omicron variant continues to drive up infections globally.
Australia and New Zealand were among the first to ring in the new year, followed by countries in Asia, Europe and North America.

Under the cloud of Covid-19, the world ushered in New Year’s Day.

Sydney, Australia

Fireworks are seen over the Sydney harbor during New Year celebrations on Jan. 1, 2022 in Sydney, Australia. New Year’s Eve celebrations continue to be somewhat different as some Covid-19 restrictions remain in place due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Wendell Teodoro | Getty Images

Spectacular fireworks exploded over the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge as Australia welcomed 2022. Queues were already forming at many vantage points since early morning on Dec. 31, according to Reuters. Local media reported that the country’s most populous state New South Wales recorded 22,577 new Covid cases and four deaths, as the number of patients in intensive care increased.

Auckland, New Zealand

The Waka Hourua sails underneath a light show from the Skytower and Harbour Bridge during Auckland New Year’s Eve celebrations on Jan. 1, 2022 in Auckland, New Zealand. The light show named “Auckland Is Calling” replaces the normal fireworks due to government Covid-19 restrictions.
Dave Rowland | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images for Auckland Unlimited

In New Zealand, restrictions on public gatherings in Auckland were eased on Dec. 30 at 11:59 pm local time, ahead of New Year’s day. The traditional fireworks were canceled due to fears of revelers gathering. Instead, there was a light show over Auckland Harbour Bridge, the Sky Tower and the Auckland War Memorial Museum from 9 p.m. to midnight local time.
It comes as Covid-19 infections around the world surpass 287 million, and deaths top 5.4 million globally, according to data by Johns Hopkins University. Just two days earlier, the World Health Organization warned of a “tsunami of cases” as omicron and delta circulate at the same time.

New York, United States

Revelers celebrate New Year’s Eve in Times Square on Dec. 31, 2021 in New York City. Despite a surge in Covid-19 cases New Year’s Eve happened as planed but with only 15,000 vaccinated participants allowed, who were also required to be masked at all times.
Alexi Rosenfeld | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images

Celebrations took place in New York City on New Year’s Eve, although they were scaled down and the vaccinated crowd had to observe social distancing rules and wear masks. On-site spectators of about 15,000 people were allowed to gather in Times Square to witness the annual ball drop and welcome 2022.

Covid cases in the city and around the country may have hit record highs, but former New York Mayor Bill de Blasio told NBC on Thursday before he left office: “We want to show that we’re moving forward, and we want to show the world that New York City is fighting our way through this.”

Preparation for the New Year’s Eve Ball by installation of panels with new Waterford crystals named Gift of Wisdom on top of One Times Square. Side by side panels with 2021 crystals on the left (not replaced yet) and new 2022 crystals on the right.
Lev Radin | Pacific Press | LightRocket via Getty Images

Shanghai, China

People hold balloons to form the number “2022” at Xintiandi shopping on New Year’s Eve on Dec. 31, 2021 in Shanghai, China as the world prepared to welcome the new year.
VCG | Visual China Group | Getty Images

From Nanjing to Wuhan, Chinese cities canceled New Year’s Eve celebrations in a bid to stem the spread of infections, according to the South China Morning Post.
China continues to battle Covid-19 with its “zero tolerance” policy, and ended 2021 with the highest weekly Covid cases since taming the original epidemic about two years ago, according to Reuters.
The total number of local symptomatic cases in the mainland this past week reached 1,151, after 175 new community infections with clinical symptoms were reported for Dec. 31, the news agency said citing statistics from the National Health Commission.

Pyongyang, North Korea

People gather to watch a firework display to celebrate the new year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022.
Kim Won Jin | AFP | Getty Images

Paris, France

A couple kisses on the Champs-Elysees Avenue in Paris early on Jan. 1, 2022 as crowds gather to ring in the new year.
Martin Bureau | AFP | Getty Images

Madrid, Spain

Fireworks light up the sky as part of New Year celebrations at the Puerta del Sol in Madrid, Spain on Dec. 31, 2021.
Juan Carlos Rojas Rodriguez | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images

Krakow, Poland

People celebrate New Year at Krakus Mound in Krakow, Poland on Jan. 1, 2022.
Beata Zawrzel | NurPhoto | Getty Images

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