Vatican City – Cost of Living

Posted on September 19, 2010 by Xpatulator

The Vatican has its own financial system and banks, with interests worldwide. The incomes of lay workers are sensibly better than those of correspondent counterparts who work in the city of Rome. Living standards may be different, at least in their public evidence, due to particular sober lifestyle required.

Vatican City is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome. The unique, noncommercial economy of Vatican City is supported financially by contributions (known as Peter’s Pence) from Roman Catholics throughout the world, the sale of postage stamps and tourist mementos, fees for admission to museums, and the sale of publications.

Vatican City 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.

The latest cost of living rank for each of the 13 Basket Groups is now available.

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Vanuatu, Port Vila – Cost of Living

Posted on September 19, 2010 by Xpatulator

The economy of Vanuatu is built on agriculture, tourism, offshore financial services, and cattle raising. There is substantial fishing activity although this industry doesn’t bring in much foreign exchange. Exports include copra, kava, beef, cocoa, and timber, and imports include machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, and fuels. Vanuatu is a tax haven, and offshore financing in Port Vila is an important part of the economy. Vanuatu is still dependent on foreign aid, most of which comes from Australia and New Zealand, although in recent years aid has also come from the People’s Republic of China.

Port Vila is the capital and largest city of Vanuatu. Port Vila is the economic and commercial centre of Vanuatu. Port Vila is Vanuatu’s most important harbour and the centre of the country’s trade. The international airport, Bauerfield International (VLI) is also located in the city. Major industries in the city remain agriculture and fishing. Tourism is also becoming important, especially from Australia and New Zealand.

Port Vila 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.

The latest cost of living rank for each of the 13 Basket Groups is now available.

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Uzbekistan, Tashkent – Cost of Living

Posted on September 19, 2010 by Xpatulator

The economy of Uzbekistan relies mainly on commodity production, including cotton, gold, uranium, potassium, and natural gas. Despite the declared objective of transition to a market economy, Uzbekistan continues to maintain rigid economic controls, which often repel foreign investors. Agriculture employs 28% of Uzbekistan’s labour force and contributes 24% of its GDP.

Tashkent is the capital of Uzbekistan and also of the Tashkent Province. Since 1991, the city has changed economically, culturally, and architecturally.

Tashkent 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.

The latest cost of living rank for each of the 13 Basket Groups is now available.

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Washington – Cost of Livng

Posted on September 19, 2010 by Xpatulator

Washington D.C. is the capital of the United States.

Washington, D.C. hosts 174 foreign embassies as well as the headquarters of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The headquarters of other institutions such as trade unions, lobbying groups, and professional associations are also located in the District. Washington has a growing, diversified economy with an increasing percentage of professional and business service jobs.

Washington DC 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.

The latest cost of living rank for each of the 13 Basket Groups is now available.

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Washington – Cost of Livng

Posted on September 19, 2010 by Xpatulator

Washington D.C. is the capital of the United States.

Washington, D.C. hosts 174 foreign embassies as well as the headquarters of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The headquarters of other institutions such as trade unions, lobbying groups, and professional associations are also located in the District. Washington has a growing, diversified economy with an increasing percentage of professional and business service jobs.

Washington DC 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.

The latest cost of living rank for each of the 13 Basket Groups is now available.

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Tampa – Cost of Living

Posted on September 18, 2010 by Xpatulator

Tampa is a Gulf Coast city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County and is the 53rd largest city in the United States.

Service, retail, finance, insurance and real estate play a vital role in the area’s economy. Many corporations, such as large banks and telecommunications companies, maintain regional offices in Tampa. Tampa’s port is now the seventh largest in the nation and Florida’s largest tonnage port, handling nearly half of all seaborne commerce that passes through the state.

Tampa 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.

The latest cost of living rank for each of the 13 Basket Groups is now available.

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St Louis – Cost of Living

Posted on September 18, 2010 by Xpatulator

St. Louis is an independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. The city is the principal municipality of Greater St. Louis which is the largest urban area in Missouri and 16th-largest in the United States.

St. Louis has 8 Fortune 500 companies. During the late 20th and early 21th century several corporate pillars left the city. The greater St Louis region is known as an academic and corporate center for the biomedical sciences, has built up a formidable health care industry and is home to some of the country’s largest privately held corporations.

St Louis 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.

The latest cost of living rank for each of the 13 Basket Groups is now available.

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Seattle – Cost of Living

Posted on September 18, 2010 by Xpatulator

Seattle is the Northernmost major city on the West Coast of the United States.

The major economic, cultural and educational center in the region, Seattle is the center of the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metropolitan area, the 15th largest in the United States, and the largest in the northwestern United States.

Seattle 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.

The latest cost of living rank for each of the 13 Basket Groups is now available.

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Salary Purchasing Power Parity

Posted on September 18, 2010 by Xpatulator

Internationally comparable cost of living data is crucial to forming sustainable expatriate pay policies and monitoring progress.  Market exchange rates give misleading comparisons because they do not reflect salary purchasing power differences. Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) accounts for price differences between countries and so measures real quantities.

 

The purpose of an expatriate pay program is to maintain employee spending power and standard of living irrespective of global location. Salary Purchasing Power Parity (SPPP) is the amount of salary that equalizes the purchasing power of different currencies given the relative cost of the same basket of goods (cost of living) at the exchange rate versus one US Dollar.  This means that a given salary, when converted into different currencies at the SPPP rates, will buy the same basket of goods and services in all countries.

 

Currency exchange rates are highly volatile as they are based on short-term factors and are subject to substantial distortions from speculative movements, economic outlook and government interventions. Currency exchange rates, on their own, do not in our view reflect cost of living changes in the short-term. Exchange rates, even when averaged over a period of time such as a year, are not a good measure of the comparative value of a salary in relation to its comparative international purchasing power. In the short to medium term at least, apparent changes in the comparative level of remuneration between one country and another may be principally a function of changes in the exchange rate as opposed to cost of living.

 

The basket of goods and services used in SPPP calculations is derived on an International basis and includes certain items often excluded from expatriate cost of living data (most notably housing costs), however any or all of the 13 basket groups can be included or excluded from a calculation.  SPPP’s provide a reasonably good picture of the differences in standards of living for individual’s resident and paid in different countries.

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San Jose – Cost of Living

Posted on September 18, 2010 by Xpatulator

San Jose is the third-largest city in California and the tenth-largest in the United States.

The large concentration of high-technology engineering, computer, and microprocessor companies around San Jose has led the area to be known as Silicon Valley. As the largest city in the valley, San Jose has billed itself the capital of Silicon Valley.

San Jose 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.

The latest cost of living rank for each of the 13 Basket Groups is now available.

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