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For Western expats what are some of Sub-Saharan Africa's least expensive and safest cities? Luanda is one of the most expensive cities in the World so it shouldn't make the cut. Africa is by no means a cheap place to live. So, I'm curious where do you go for the bargain living?
For Western expats what are some of Sub-Saharan Africa's least expensive and safest cities? Luanda is one of the most expensive cities in the World so it shouldn't make the cut. Africa is by no means a cheap place to live. So, I'm curious where do you go for the bargain living?
Well what do your currently monthly incomes/expenses look like? Most I can do is post a comparison to here
Africa is a cheap place to live, as long as you don't need to live "like an American" when you are there. The famous global cost-of-living indices are based upon the cost of owning a car, employing a driver, having a suit dry cleaned, and ordering a French wine with dinner. While Africans live very cheaply. If the cost of living was higher in Kinshasa than in New York, you would see thrifty middle-class Africans economizing on their living expenses and using their savings to take their families to Disney World.
It is true, that housing would be very expensive, due to the intense pressure on the housing market by the rapidly urbanizing African demography. It would probably be nearly impossible to get off the plane and find a vacant place to live, other than one expressly designed for rich foreigners.. However, if you were really willing to live in African housing, you'd be able to find a family who would move out to live with relatives, and rent you their house, for a very small price.
Food is very expensive in the third world -- feeding one's family very often costs more than half the income of villagers. But it would still be cheap by American standards for the staples, as long as you don't need microwaveable pop-tarts and Kelloggs Special K. You'd need to cook over a kerosene stove on your dirt floor, the cost of energy is high, and it might cost a dollar an hour to keep a light bulb on, if you live in a city that even has a power grid.
Safety is the other issue. You would have personal safety, in that you would not be attacked. But theft is a crime of opportunity in most of the third world, and you would have a very hard time protecting your belongings. Even hired security guards (one of the elements in the high cost of ex-pat living) would methodically arrange for perpetual theft of your belongings, as you would be seen as a conspicuous and irresistible source of loot.
Africa is a cheap place to live, as long as you don't need to live "like an American" when you are there. The famous global cost-of-living indices are based upon the cost of owning a car, employing a driver, having a suit dry cleaned, and ordering a French wine with dinner. While Africans live very cheaply. If the cost of living was higher in Kinshasa than in New York, you would see thrifty middle-class Africans economizing on their living expenses and using their savings to take their families to Disney World.
It is true, that housing would be very expensive, due to the intense pressure on the housing market by the rapidly urbanizing African demography. It would probably be nearly impossible to get off the plane and find a vacant place to live, other than one expressly designed for rich foreigners.. However, if you were really willing to live in African housing, you'd be able to find a family who would move out to live with relatives, and rent you their house, for a very small price.
Food is very expensive in the third world -- feeding one's family very often costs more than half the income of villagers. But it would still be cheap by American standards for the staples, as long as you don't need microwaveable pop-tarts and Kelloggs Special K. You'd need to cook over a kerosene stove on your dirt floor, the cost of energy is high, and it might cost a dollar an hour to keep a light bulb on, if you live in a city that even has a power grid.
Safety is the other issue. You would have personal safety, in that you would not be attacked. But theft is a crime of opportunity in most of the third world, and you would have a very hard time protecting your belongings. Even hired security guards (one of the elements in the high cost of ex-pat living) would methodically arrange for perpetual theft of your belongings, as you would be seen as a conspicuous and irresistible source of loot.
Please stop generalising with the blanket term of Africa and Africans, it just doesn't work well when you're trying to indicate stats or facts :/
Also cost of living in SA is way cheaper than the USA...
Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed
Last edited by Yac; 04-14-2015 at 07:28 AM..
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