India, Hyderabad Cost of Living April 2010

Posted on June 17, 2010 by Xpatulator

Country Full Name: Republic of India.

Location: India is in Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan.

Country Climate: Varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north.

Country Terrain: Upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north.

Major Languages: Hindi, English and at least 16 other official languages.

Major Religions: Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism.

Country Population: 1186.3 million (2008 est.) 1203.3 million (2009 est.).

Country Economy: The economy of India is the twelfth largest economy in the world by nominal value and the fourth largest by purchasing power parity (PPP). In the 1990s, following economic reform from the socialist-inspired economy of post-independence India, the country began to experience rapid economic growth, as markets opened for international competition and investment. In the 21st century, India is an emerging economic power with vast human and natural resources, and a huge knowledge base.

Currency: Indian Rupee (INR).

Country Inflation: 8.3% (2008 est.) 8.7% (2009 est.).

City: Hyderabad is the capital and the most populous city of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

City Economy: Hyderabad has developed into a major hub for the information technology industry in India. The city is home to the world’s largest film studio, the Ramoji Film City as well as the Telugu Film Industry, the second-largest in India, known popularly as Tollywood.

Cost of Living: Hyderabad 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. Hyderabad is currently ranked 164 overall, most expensive place in the world for expatriates to live, out of 282 international locations.

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Maldives, Male Cost of Living April 2010

Posted on June 17, 2010 by Xpatulator

Country Full Name: Republic of Maldives.

Location: The Maldives is in Southern Asia, and consists of a group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India.

Country Climate: Tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August).

Country Terrain: Flat, with white sandy beaches. With an average ground level of 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in) above sea level, it is the lowest country on the planet.

Major Languages: Divehi.

Major Religions: Islam.

Country Population: 0.3 million (2008 est.) 0.3 million (2009 est.).

Country Economy: The mixed economy of the Maldives is based on the principal activities of tourism, fishing and shipping.

Currency: Maldive Rufiyaa (MVR).

Country Inflation: 11.9% (2008 est.) 5.5% (2009 est.).

City: Male is the capital and largest city (in terms of population) in the Republic of Maldives.

City Economy: The central part of the Male city is formed by Male Island. Three more islands are part of the city. Slightly less than one third of the nation’s population lives in the capital city. Many, if not most, Maldivians and foreign workers in Maldives find themselves in occasional short term residence on the island since it is the only entry point to the nation and the centre of all administration and bureaucracy.

Cost of Living: Male 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. Male is currently ranked 167 overall, most expensive place in the world for expatriates to live, out of 282 international locations.

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Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur Cost of Living April 2010

Posted on June 17, 2010 by Xpatulator

Country Full Name: Federation of Malaysia.

Location: Malaysia is a peninsula in South Eastern Asia bordering Thailand and northern one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia, Brunei, and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam.

Country Climate: Tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons.

Country Terrain: Coastal plains rising to hills and mountains.

Major Languages: Malay (official), English, Chinese dialects, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam.

Major Religions: Islam, Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, Christianity, Sikhism.

Country Population: 27.3 million (2008 est.) 27.8 million (2009 est.).

Country Economy: The economy of Malaysia is a growing and relatively open state-oriented market economy. The state plays a significant but declining role in guiding economic activity through macroeconomic plans.

Currency: Malaysian Ringgit (MYR).

Country Inflation: 5.4% (2008 est.) -0.1% (2009 est.).

City: Kuala Lumpur (KL) is the capital and largest city of Malaysia.

City Economy: Kuala Lumpur is the cultural and economic centre of Malaysia.

Cost of Living: Kuala Lumpur 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. Kuala Lumpur is currently ranked 251 overall, most expensive place in the world for expatriates to live, out of 282 international locations.

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Malawi, Lilongwe Cost of Living April 2010

Posted on June 17, 2010 by Xpatulator

Country Full Name: The Republic of Malawi.

Location: Malawi is in Southern Africa, east of Zambia.

Country Climate: Sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November).

Country Terrain: Narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains.

Major Languages: English, Chichewa (both official).

Major Religions: Christianity, Islam.

Country Population: 13.7 million (2008 est.) 13.9 million (2009 est.).

Country Economy: The economy of Malawi is among the world’s least developed and most densely populated. The economy is heavily agriculture-based, with around 85% of the population living in rural areas. More than one-third of GDP and 90% of export revenues come from agriculture.

Currency: Malawi Kwacha (MWK).

Country Inflation: 8.7% (2008 est.) 8.6% (2009 est.).

City: Lilongwe is the capital of Malawi.

City Economy: Lilongwe is the political centre of Malawi while Blantyre is the economic capital.

Cost of Living: Lilongwe 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. Lilongwe is currently ranked 156 overall, most expensive place in the world for expatriates to live, out of 282 international locations.

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Honduras, Tegucigalpa Cost of Living April 2010

Posted on June 17, 2010 by Xpatulator

Country Full Name: Republic of Honduras.

Location: Honduras is in Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North Pacific Ocean), between El Salvador and Nicaragua.

Country Climate: Subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains.

Country Terrain: Mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains.

Major Languages: Spanish, indigenous languages, English.

Major Religions: Christianity.

Country Population: 7.7 million (2008 est.) 7.8 million (2009 est.).

Country Economy: .

Currency: Honduran Lempira (HNL).

Country Inflation: 11.4% (2008 est.) 5.9% (2009 est.).

City: Tegucigalpa is the capital city of Honduras and is also the country’s largest city.

City Economy: Tegucigalpa, as a colonial city, has several barrios in the oldest districts of the city and Comayaguela, and colonias in the new ones. None of them have well-defined limits or even town-centers.

Cost of Living: Tegucigalpa 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. Tegucigalpa is currently ranked 196 overall, most expensive place in the world for expatriates to live, out of 282 international locations.

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Madagascar, Antananarivo Cost of Living April 2010

Posted on June 17, 2010 by Xpatulator

Country Full Name: Republic of Madagascar.

Location: Madagascar is an island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique.

Country Climate: Tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south.

Country Terrain: Narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center.

Major Languages: Malagasy (official), French.

Major Religions: Indigenous beliefs, Christianity.

Country Population: 20.2 million (2008 est.) 20.7 million (2009 est.).

Country Economy: The economy of Madagascar is reliant on agriculture, including fishing and forestry, accounting for 34 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and contributing more than 70 percent to export earnings. Industry features textile manufacturing and the processing of agricultural products.

Currency: Malagasy Ariary (MGA).

Country Inflation: 9.2% (2008 est.) 9.9% (2009 est.).

City: Antananarivo is the capital and largest city in Madagascar.

City Economy: Antananarivo is the political and economic capital of Madagascar. The city is guarded by two forts built on hills to the east. Including an Anglican and a Roman Catholic cathedral, there are more than 5,000 churches in the city and its suburbs.

Cost of Living: Antananarivo 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. Antananarivo is currently ranked 235 overall, most expensive place in the world for expatriates to live, out of 282 international locations.

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Macedonia, Skopje Cost of Living April 2010

Posted on June 17, 2010 by Xpatulator

Country Full Name: Republic of Macedonia (listed by the UN as The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia).

Location: Macedonia is in South Eastern Europe, north of Greece.

Country Climate: Warm, dry summers and autumns; relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall.

Country Terrain: Mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys; three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by the Vardar River.

Major Languages: Macedonian, Albanian.

Major Religions: Christianity, Islam.

Country Population: 2.1 million (2008 est.) 2.1 million (2009 est.).

Country Economy: The economy of Macedonia has undergone considerable economic reform since independence. The country has developed an open economy with trade accounting for more than 90% of GDP in recent years.

Currency: Macedonian Denar (MKD).

Country Inflation: 8.3% (2008 est.) -0.5% (2009 est.).

City: Skopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia.

City Economy: Skopje is a modern city and a center for metal-processing, chemical, timber, textile, leather, and printing industries. Industrial development of the city has been accompanied by development of the trade, logistics, and banking sectors, as well as an emphasis on the fields of culture and sport.

Cost of living: Skopje 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. Skopje is currently ranked 183 overall, most expensive place in the world for expatriates to live, out of 282 international locations.

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Martinique, Fort-de-France Cost of Living April 2010

Posted on June 17, 2010 by Xpatulator

Country Full Name: Martinique. Status: Overseas department of France.

Location: Martinique is an island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago.

Country Climate: Subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity; rainy season (June to October); vulnerable to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every eight years on average.

Country Terrain: Mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano.

Major Languages: French (official), Creole.

Major Religions: Christianity.

Country Population: 0.4 million (2008 est.) 0.4 million (2009 est.).

Country Economy: The economy is based on trade. Agriculture accounts for about 6% of GDP and the small industrial sector for 11%. Tourism has become more important than agricultural exports as a source of foreign exchange. The majority of the work force is employed in the service sector and in administration.

Currency: Euro (EUR).

Country Inflation: 3.2% (2008 est.) 0.4% (2009 est.).

City: Fort-de-France is the capital of Martinique.

City Economy: Fort-de-France is one of the major cities in the Caribbean. Exports include sugar, rum, tinned fruit, and cacao.

Cost of Living: Fort-de-France 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. Fort-de-France is currently ranked 137 overall, most expensive place in the world for expatriates to live, out of 282 international locations.

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Haiti, Port-au-Prince Cost of Living April 2010

Posted on June 17, 2010 by Xpatulator

Country Full Name: Republic of Haiti.

Location: Haiti is in the western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Dominican Republic.

Country Climate: Tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds.

Country Terrain: Mostly rough and mountainous.

Major Languages: Creole, French.

Major Religions: Christianity.

Country Population: 8.8 million (2008 est.) 8.9 million (2009 est.).

Country Economy: The economy of Haiti is amongst the poorest in the world. Two-thirds of all Haitians depend on the agriculture sector, mainly small-scale subsistence farming, and remain vulnerable to damage from frequent natural disasters, exacerbated by the country’s widespread deforestation. The country was devastated by a powerful earthquake in January 2010 which destroyed much of the infrastructure.

Currency: Haitan Gourde (HTG).

Country Inflation: 14.4% (2008 est.) 3.5% (2009 est.).

City: Port-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti.

City Economy: Port-au-Prince is the nation’s largest center of economy and finance, however it has suffered considerable damage in the January 2010 earthquake. The city exports its most widely consumed produce of coffee and sugar.

Cost of Living: Port-au-Prince 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. Port-au-Prince is currently ranked 100 overall, most expensive place in the world for expatriates to live, out of 282 international locations.

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Guyana, Georgetown Cost of Living April 2010

Posted on June 17, 2010 by Xpatulator

Country Full Name: Co-operative Republic of Guyana.

Location: Guyana is in Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela.

Country Climate: Tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to August, November to January).

Country Terrain: Mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south.

Major Languages: English, indigenous languages, Creole, Hindi, Urdu.

Major Religions: Christianity, Hinduism, Islam.

Country Population: 0.765 million (2008 est.) 0.767 million (2009 est.).

Country Economy: The economy of Guyana is mainly based on agriculture (production of rice and Demerara sugar), bauxite mining, gold mining, timber, shrimp fishing and minerals. Guyana is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. Chronic problems include a shortage of skilled labour and a deficient infrastructure.

Currency: Guyanese Dollar (GYD).

Country Inflation: 8.1% (2008 est.) 2.9% (2009 est.).

City: Georgetown is the capital and largest city of Guyana.

City Economy: Georgetown is Guyana’s largest city and it contains a large portion of the major businesses.

Cost of Living: Georgetown 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. Georgetown is currently ranked 223 overall, most expensive place in the world for expatriates to live, out of 282 international locations.

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