Palau, Melekeok Cost of Living April 2010

Posted on June 22, 2010 by Xpatulator

Country Full Name: Republic of Palau.

Location: Palau is in Oceania, and consists of a group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines.

Country Climate: Tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November.

Country Terrain: Varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs.

Major Languages: Palauan, English.

Major Religions: Christianity, Modekngei (indigenous belief).

Country Population: 0.02 million (2008 est.) 0.02 million (2009 est.).

Country Economy: The economy of Palau consists primarily of tourism, subsistence agriculture, and fishing. Tourist activity focuses on scuba diving and snorkeling in the islands’ rich marine environment, including its barrier reefs walls and World War II wrecks. The government is the major employer of the work force, relying heavily on financial assistance from the US.

Currency: US Dollar (USD).

Country Inflation: 2.7% (2005 est.).

City: Melekeok is a town in the State of Melekeok.

City Economy: Republic of Palau’s Capitol Complex is located on a hill, northwest of the village of Melekeok.

Cost of Living: Melekeok has an overall cost of living index which equates it with high cost of living locations. The overall cost of living index is comprised of the prices for defined quantities of the same goods and services across all 13 Basket Groups. Melekeok is currently ranked 83 overall, most expensive place in the world for expatriates to live, out of 282 international locations.

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Pakistan, Lahore Cost of Living April 2010

Posted on June 22, 2010 by Xpatulator

Country Full Name: Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

Location: Pakistan is in Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north.

Country Climate: Mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north.

Country Terrain: Flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest; Balochistan plateau in west.

Major Languages: English, Urdu, Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, Balochi.

Major Religions: Islam.

Country Population: 161 million (2008 est.) 163.8 million (2009 est.).

Country Economy: The economy of Pakistan is a semi-industrialized economy, which mainly encompasses textiles, chemicals, food processing, agriculture and other industries. The structure of the Pakistani economy has changed from a mainly agricultural base to a strong service base. Agriculture now only accounts for roughly 20% of the GDP, while the service sector accounts for 53% of the GDP.

Currency: Pakistan Rupee (PKR).

Country Inflation: 12.0% (2008 est.) 20.8% (2009 est.).

City: Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in Pakistan .

City Economy: Lahore has shifted in recent decades from manufacturing to service industries. Some 42% of its work force is employed in finance, banking, real estate, community, cultural, and social services. The city is the country?s largest software producing center, and hosts a growing computer-assembly industry.

Cost of Living: Lahore has an overall cost of living index which equates it with low cost of living locations. The overall cost of living index is comprised of the prices for defined quantities of the same goods and services across all 13 Basket Groups. Lahore is currently ranked 269 overall, most expensive place in the world for expatriates to live, out of 282 international locations.

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Pakistan, Karachi Cost of Living April 2010

Posted on June 21, 2010 by Xpatulator

Country Full Name: Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

Location: Pakistan is in Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north.

Country Climate: Mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north.

Country Terrain: Flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest; Balochistan plateau in west.

Major Languages: English, Urdu, Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, Balochi.

Major Religions: Islam.

Country Population: 161 million (2008 est.) 163.8 million (2009 est.).

Country Economy: The economy of Pakistan is a semi-industrialized economy, which mainly encompasses textiles, chemicals, food processing, agriculture and other industries. The structure of the Pakistani economy has changed from a mainly agricultural base to a strong service base. Agriculture now only accounts for roughly 20% of the GDP, while the service sector accounts for 53% of the GDP.

Currency: Pakistan Rupee (PKR).

Country Inflation: 12.0% (2008 est.) 20.8% (2009 est.).

City: Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the financial capital of Pakistan.

City Economy: Karachi is Pakistan’s premier centre of banking, industry, and trade. Karachi is also home to Pakistan’s largest corporations, including those that are involved in textiles, shipping, automotive industry, entertainment, the arts, fashion, advertising, publishing, software development and medical research.

Cost of Living: Karachi has an overall cost of living index which equates it with low cost of living locations. The overall cost of living index is comprised of the prices for defined quantities of the same goods and services across all 13 Basket Groups. Karachi is currently ranked 273 overall, most expensive place in the world for expatriates to live, out of 282 international locations.

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Pakistan, Islamabad Cost of Living April 2010

Posted on June 21, 2010 by Xpatulator

Country Full Name: Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

Location: Pakistan is in Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north.

Country Climate: Mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north.

Country Terrain: Flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest; Balochistan plateau in west.

Major Languages: English, Urdu, Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, Balochi.

Major Religions: Islam.

Country Population: 161 million (2008 est.) 163.8 million (2009 est.).

Country Economy: The economy of Pakistan is a semi-industrialized economy, which mainly encompasses textiles, chemicals, food processing, agriculture and other industries. The structure of the Pakistani economy has changed from a mainly agricultural base to a strong service base. Agriculture now only accounts for roughly 20% of the GDP, while the service sector accounts for 53% of the GDP.

Currency: Pakistan Rupee (PKR).

Country Inflation: 12.0% (2008 est.) 20.8% (2009 est.).

City: Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan.

City Economy: Most of Pakistan’s state-owned companies are based in Islamabad.

Cost of Living: Islamabad has an overall cost of living index which equates it with low cost of living locations. The overall cost of living index is comprised of the prices for defined quantities of the same goods and services across all 13 Basket Groups. Islamabad is currently ranked 271 overall, most expensive place in the world for expatriates to live, out of 282 international locations.

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Oman, Muscat Cost of Living April 2010

Posted on June 21, 2010 by Xpatulator

Country Full Name: Sultanate of Oman.

Location: Oman is in the Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE.

Country Climate: Dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south.

Country Terrain: Central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south.

Major Languages: Arabic.

Major Religions: Islam.

Country Population: 2.8 million (2008 est.) 2.8 million (2009 est.).

Country Economy: The economy of Oman is based on oil, although in recent years, proven oil reserves have been holding approximately steady, although oil production has been decreasing. Oman has made active plans to diversify its economy and is placing a greater emphasis on other areas of industry, such as tourism and natural gas. Oman is known for its popular tourist attractions.

Currency: Omani Rial (OMR).

Country Inflation: 12.6% (2008 est.) 3.3% (2009 est.).

City: Muscat is the capital and largest city of Oman.

City Economy: Muscat’s economy is dominated by trade, petroleum and porting. The more traditional exports of the city included dates, mother of pearl, and fish.

Cost of Living: Muscat has an overall cost of living index which equates it with low cost of living locations. The overall cost of living index is comprised of the prices for defined quantities of the same goods and services across all 13 Basket Groups. Muscat is currently ranked 241 overall, most expensive place in the world for expatriates to live, out of 282 international locations.

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Norway, Oslo Cost of Living April 2010

Posted on June 21, 2010 by Xpatulator

Country Full Name: Kingdom of Norway.

Location: Norway is in Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden.

Country Climate: Temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers; rainy year-round on west coast.

Country Terrain: Glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north.

Major Languages: Norwegian.

Major Religions: Christianity.

Country Population: 4.8 million (2008 est.) 4.8 million (2009 est.).

Country Economy: The economy of Norway is a mixed economy, a prosperous capitalist welfare state featuring a combination of free market activity and large state ownership in certain key sectors. The country is richly endowed with natural resources including petroleum, hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals.

Currency: Norwegian Krone (NOK).

Country Inflation: 3.8% (2008 est.) 2.3% (2009 est.).

City: Oslo is the capital and largest city in Norway.

City Economy: Oslo’s port is the largest general cargo port in the country and its leading passenger gateway. Oslo is home to some of which are the world’s largest shipping companies, shipbrokers, and insurance brokers.

Cost of Living: Oslo has an overall cost of living index which equates it with high cost of living locations. The overall cost of living index is comprised of the prices for defined quantities of the same goods and services across all 13 Basket Groups. Oslo is currently ranked 5 overall, most expensive place in the world for expatriates to live, out of 282 international locations.

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Nigeria, Lagos Cost of Living April 2010

Posted on June 20, 2010 by Xpatulator

Country Full Name: The Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Location: Nigeria is in Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon.

Country Climate: Varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north.

Country Terrain: Southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north.

Major Languages: English (official), Yoruba, Ibo, Hausa.

Major Religions: Islam, Christianity, indigenous beliefs.

Country Population: 147.9 million (2008 est.) 151.9 million (2009 est.).

Country Economy: The economy of Nigeria is one of the fastest growing in the world but is struggling to leverage the country?s vast wealth in fossil fuels in order to displace the crushing poverty that affects about 57 percent of its population. The oil sector provides 80% of GDP, 95% of foreign exchange earnings, and about 65% of government revenues.

Currency: Nigerian Naira (NGN).

Country Inflation: 11.6% (2008 est.) 12.0% (2009 est.).

City: Lagos is a port and the most populous city in Nigeria.

City Economy: Lagos is Nigeria’s most prosperous city, and much of the nation’s wealth and economic activity are concentrated there. Most commercial, financial and business centers of Lagos and of Nigeria remains at the central business district in Lagos Island which is also typified with the presence of high rise buildings.

Cost of Living: Lagos has an overall cost of living index which equates it with high cost of living locations. The overall cost of living index is comprised of the prices for defined quantities of the same goods and services across all 13 Basket Groups. Lagos is currently ranked 64 overall, most expensive place in the world for expatriates to live, out of 282 international locations.

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Niger, Niamey Cost of Living April 2010

Posted on June 20, 2010 by Xpatulator

Country Full Name: The Republic of Niger.

Location: Niger is in Western Africa, southeast of Algeria.

Country Climate: Desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south.

Country Terrain: Predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains in south; hills in north.

Major Languages: French (official), Arabic, Hausa, Songhai.

Major Religions: Islam, indigenous beliefs.

Country Population: 13.8 million (2008 est.) 14.2 million (2009 est.).

Country Economy: The economy of Niger is based largely upon internal markets, subsitance agriculture, and the export of raw commodities: food stuffs to neighbors and raw minerals to world markets. Economic activity centres on subsistence agriculture, animal husbandry, re-export trade, and export of uranium.

Currency: CFA Franc (XOF).

Country Inflation: 11.3% (2008 est.) 4.8% (2009 est.).

City: Niamey is the capital and largest city of the West African nation of Niger.

City Economy: Niamey is the administrative, cultural and economic center. The city is located in a pearl millet growing region, while manufacturing industries include bricks, ceramic goods, cement and weaving.

Cost of Living: Niamey has an overall cost of living index which equates it with middle cost of living locations. The overall cost of living index is comprised of the prices for defined quantities of the same goods and services across all 13 Basket Groups. Niamey is currently ranked 138 overall, most expensive place in the world for expatriates to live, out of 282 international locations.

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Nicaragua, Managua Cost of Living April 2010

Posted on June 20, 2010 by Xpatulator

Country Full Name: Republic of Nicaragua.

Location: Nicaragua is in Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras.

Country Climate: Tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands.

Country Terrain: Extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes.

Major Languages: Spanish, English, indigenous languages.

Major Religions: Christianity.

Country Population: 6.2 million (2008 est.) 6.3 million (2009 est.).

Country Economy: The economy of Nicaragua has made significant progress toward macro-economic stabilization over the past few years. Nicaragua is primarily an agricultural country, but construction, mining, fisheries, and general commerce also have been expanding during the last few years.

Currency: Nicaraguan Cordoba Oro (NIO).

Country Inflation: 19.9% (2008 est.) 4.3% (2009 est.).

City: Managua is the capital city of Nicaragua.

City Economy: Managua is Nicaragua’s chief trading center for coffee, cotton, and other crops. It is also an important industrial center.

Cost of Living: Managua has an overall cost of living index which equates it with low cost of living locations. The overall cost of living index is comprised of the prices for defined quantities of the same goods and services across all 13 Basket Groups. Managua is currently ranked 247 overall, most expensive place in the world for expatriates to live, out of 282 international locations.

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New Zealand, Auckland Cost of Living April 2010

Posted on June 20, 2010 by Xpatulator

Country Full Name: New Zealand.

Location: New Zealand is in Oceania, and comprises islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia.

Country Climate: Temperate with sharp regional contrasts.

Country Terrain: Predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains.

Major Languages: English, Maori.

Major Religions: Christianity.

Country Population: 4.3 million (2008 est.) 4.3 million (2009 est.).

Country Economy: The Economy of New Zealand is a market economy which is greatly dependent on international trade, mainly with Australia, the European Union, the United States, China and Japan. It has only small manufacturing and high-tech sectors, being strongly focused on tourism and primary industries like agriculture (though both sectors are highly profitable).

Currency: New Zealand Dollar (NZD).

Country Inflation: 4.0% (2008 est.) 1.5% (2009 est.).

City: Auckland in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area.

City Economy: Most major international corporations have an Auckland office, as the city is the economic capital of the nation.

Cost of Living: Auckland has an overall cost of living index which equates it with middle cost of living locations. The overall cost of living index is comprised of the prices for defined quantities of the same goods and services across all 13 Basket Groups. Auckland is currently ranked 98 overall, most expensive place in the world for expatriates to live, out of 282 international locations.

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