Northern Mariana Islands, Saipan

Country Full Name: The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Location: The Northern Mariana Islands are in Oceania. They consist of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines.

Country Climate: Tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy season July to October.

Country Terrain: Southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic.

Major Languages: English, Chamarro, Carolinian.

Major Religions: Christianity.

Population: 0.048 Mil (2012 est.).

Country Economy: The economy of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands benefits from substantial subsidies and development assistance from the United States. The economy also relies on tourism, especially from Japan, and up until recently on the garment manufacturing sector.

Currency: US Dollar (USD).

Inflation: 2% (2011 est.).

Saipan is the largest island of the Northern Mariana Islands. The Commonwealth's centre of government is located in the village of Capital Hill on the island. Saipan is often referred to as the capital of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Tourism has long been a vital source of the island's revenue. In years past, the main economic driving force in Saipan was garment manufacturing, however there are no garment manufacturers left on the island.

The cost of living in Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands is in the middle compared to other places. The overall cost of living is determined using the prices for defined quantities of the same goods and services across 13 Basket Groups. Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands is currently ranked 449 overall out of 780 places (rank 1 is most expensive: rank 780 is least expensive). The cost of living rank for each of the 13 Basket Groups is as follows:

Alcohol & Tobacco costs are high compared to other places for items such as alcohol at a bar, beer, locally produced spirit, whiskey, wine (where alcohol is legally sold) and tobacco related products. There are 254 places that are more expensive, and 525 places that are less expensive for alcohol and or tobacco.

Clothing costs are average compared to other places for items such as business suits, casual clothing, children's clothing, coats, evening wear, footwear, hats, shoe repairs and underwear. There are 382 places that are more expensive, and 397 places that are less expensive for clothing.

Communication costs are average compared to other places for various communication costs such as call charges, home telephone rental, internet connection, mobile data costs, mobile phone contract and service provider fees. There are 435 places that are more expensive, and 344 places that are less expensive for communication.

Education costs are low compared to other places for items such as creche / pre-school fees, primary school fees, high school fees and tertiary study fees. There are 613 places that are more expensive, and 166 places that are less expensive for education.

Furniture & Appliance costs are average compared to other places for items such as DVD player, fridge freezer, furniture, household equipment, iron, kettle, light bulbs, microwave, television, toaster, vacuum cleaner and washing machine. There are 416 places that are more expensive, and 363 places that are less expensive for furniture and appliances.

Grocery costs are low compared to other places for items such as baby consumables, baked goods, baking, canned foods, cheese, cleaning materials, cleaning products, dairy, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, fruit juices, meat, oil & vinegars, pet food, pre-prepared meals, sauces, seafood, snacks, soft drinks, spices & herbs. There are 473 places that are more expensive, and 306 places that are less expensive for groceries.

Healthcare costs are low compared to other places for general healthcare, general practitioner consultation rates, healthcare/medical insurance, hospital private ward daily rate and non-prescription medicine. There are 575 places that are more expensive, and 204 places that are less expensive for healthcare.

Household Accommodation costs are average compared to other places for items such as accommodation, apartment, flat, house, villa, rent, electricity, household fuels, household gas, water, and local property rates / residential taxes / levies. There are 364 places that are more expensive, and 415 places that are less expensive for household accommodation.

Miscellaneous costs are very low compared to other places for items such as dry cleaning, general goods, general services, linen, magazines, maid, newspapers, office supplies, postage stamps and stationery. There are 638 places that are more expensive, and 141 places that are less expensive for miscellaneous items.

Personal Care costs are very low compared to other places for items such as cosmetics, hair care, moisturizer, nappies, pain relief tablets, shampoo, soap, sun block, toilet paper and toothpaste. There are 630 places that are more expensive, and 149 places that are less expensive for personal care.

Recreation and Culture costs are average compared to other places for items such as books, camera, cinema tickets, fitness/health club membership, sports goods and theatre tickets. There are 363 places that are more expensive, and 416 places that are less expensive for recreation and culture.

Restaurants, Meals Out and Hotel costs are average compared to other places for items such as a business dinner, dinner at a family restaurant (non fast food), 4 star and 5 star hotel rates and take away meal (fast food). There are 396 places that are more expensive, and 383 places that are less expensive for restaurants, meals out and hotels.

Transport costs are average compared to other places for items such as car hire purchase, car insurance, car lease, car maintenance, car rental, car service, diesel, petrol, tyres and public transport. There are 456 places that are more expensive, and 323 places that are less expensive for transport.

Personalized cost of living indexes for Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands are based on the basket groups and comparison location(s) selected in the Calculators.

In terms of the hardship people are likely to experience, assessed in global terms, Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands is ranked as extreme hardship with a hardship index of 40%.

Personalized hardship index premiums for Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands are based on the comparison location(s) selected in the Calculators.

Note: Xpatulator.com data is updated quarterly. The latest update is as at 1 April 2012. Create a personalized cost of living comparison report using the calculators:
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