Africa Cost of Living Rankings October 2014

Although Africa is one of the poorest, least developed parts of the world, with a relatively low cost of living for local people, the cost of importing and transporting most almost everything for expatriates, results in these countries being extremely expensive to maintain an expatriate in the life style to which they are accustomed.

The Capital City of Angola remains at the top of the list for most expensive locations for expats in Africa according to Xpatulator.com, the world’s leading cost of living information provider and calculator for the management of assignments for employees around the world. Luanda remains costly due to its expensive accommodation where expatriate housing, imported produce and international private schooling are extremely high. Overall the cost of importing and transporting most produce into Luanda contributes to the high costs for expatriates.

Despite the obvious poverty and sprawling slums in Angola, accommodation for expatriates in is extremely costly. A rented house in a guarded community can cost between US$8 000 and US$12 000 per month, international private schooling up to US$40 000 a year and a cup of coffee almost US$4. Produce is imported for the growing expat community, 1kg of apples can cost US$10, a loaf of white bread US$1.25 and a pair of imported jeans can cost up US$115.

Bangui in the Central African Republic (CAR) is the 2nd most expensive city in Africa. The CAR possesses considerable agricultural, water and mineral resources. But corruption is rife and undermines the timber and diamond industries. The country is endowed with natural resources. Politically the CAR has been unstable since its independence from France in 1960 and is one of the least-developed countries in the world. In 2013 a coalition of rebel insurgents seized power and have disrupted the economy, and intensified the state of lawlessness. There is currently widespread violence, looting, and human-rights violations. Corruption is endemic. Diamonds account for about half of export earnings. Suitable accommodation for expatriates is almost impossible to find. The cost of importing and transporting most almost everything for expatriates has contributed to Bangui being extremely expensive to maintain a safe and secure expatriate life style.

N'Djamena in Chad is the 3rd most expensive city in Africa. N’Djamena is the capital of one of the poorest countries in the World. It suffers from almost non-existent infrastructure, chronic shortages of imported goods and regular influxes of refugees from the conflict in the neighboring Central African Republic. Economic growth together with a lack of local skills has resulted in a sharp rise in the expat population in the past few years. The cost of maintaining an appropriate expat standard of living is expensive as most goods and services used by expats are imported and in short supply. Appropriate white collar housing supply is low with the resulting tendency for high accommodation expenditure e.g US$6 000 for a three bed apartment in a central location, expensive expatriate imported goods and transportation costs, US$0.98 per liter of gas.

The cheapest African city is Tunis in Tunisia.

Xpatulator.com has been created to assist subscribers calculate expatriate pay using the online calculators and extensive database of cost of living and hardship indexes, for 780 international locations. The cost of living ranking information is updated quarterly using data collected by Xpatulator.com over the past 12 months.

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