Overview
Monrovia is the capital city of the West African nation of Liberia. The city's economy is dominated by its harbour. Monrovia is Liberia's financial centre. Liberia is in Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone. The climate is tropical, hot and humid with dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights, and wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers. The official language is English. It is the language of business. The main religions are Christianity, Islam and indigenous beliefs. The economy of Liberia was negatively impacted by the civil war and government mismanagement, especially the infrastructure in and around the capital, Monrovia. Many businesses fled the country, taking capital and expertise with them, but with the conclusion of fighting and the installation of a democratically-elected government in 2006, some have returned. Business dress is relatively informal. Female expatriates should dress conservatively and be wary of walking alone in the capital Monrovia at any time of day or night. The security risk for expatriates in Liberia is medium overall, but high near the border with Cote d'Ivoire. Risks include opportunistic petty crime, violent robbery, ethnic violence, militia activities, and poor / non-existent infrastructure. The currency of Liberia is the Liberian Dollar (LRD). Credit cards are not accepted. Limited ATMs accept only some cards in Monrovia. Money exchange and banking facilities are limited. Medical facilities are poor. There is no effective medical emergency service. Malaria is present. The population of Monrovia is 1 Million (2018 est.), while the inflation rate (CPI) is 26.6% for Liberia as at October 2018. Xpatulator Hypothetical Tax for Liberia is based on the current personal income tax rates which are progressive up to 25%.
Cost Of Living
The cost of living for expatriates / professional migrants in Monrovia as at 1 January 2019 is very high in comparison to other places in the world. In Monrovia, the cost of each basket, based on local prices, compared to the international average, is categorized follows (Exact cost of living percentages only available in personalised reports): 1) Alcohol (where available) & Tobacco: Very High 2) Clothing: Very Low 3) Communication: High 4) Education: Average 5) Furniture & Appliances: Very High 6) Groceries: Very High 7) Healthcare: Very High 8) Household Accommodation: Very High 9) Miscellaneous: High 10) Personal Care: Very High 11) Recreation & Culture: Very High 12) Restaurants Meals Out and Hotels: Very High 13) Transport: Very Low Monrovia is for example 89% more expensive than Houston TX for groceries, 65.6% more expensive for household costs than Kuala Lumpur, and -14.8% cheaper for transport costs than Dubai.Monrovia is ranked as a extreme hardship location. The hardship premium for Monrovia for an expat from Perth, is for example 30%, i.e. host location (Monrovia) premium of 40% minus home (Perth) location premium of 10%.Want to know more about cost of living, hardship (quality of living) or expat salary in Monrovia? Register subscribe to your home location and Monrovia and run your personalised reports.