Poland, Warsaw Cost of Living April 2010

Posted on June 23, 2010 by Xpatulator

Country Full Name: Republic of Poland.

Location: Poland is in Central Europe, east of Germany.

Country Climate: Temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers.

Country Terrain: Mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border.

Major Languages: Polish.

Major Religions: Christianity.

Country Population: 38.1 million (2008 est.) 38.1 million (2009 est.).

Country Economy: The economy of Poland is considered to be one of the healthiest economies of the post-communist countries, and is currently the fastest growing country within the EU.

Currency: Polish Zloty (PLN).

Country Inflation: 4.2% (2008 est.) 3.4% (2009 est.).

City: Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland.

City Economy: Warsaw is home to many national institutions and government agencies, as well as to many domestic and international companies. Warsaw produces 12% of Poland’s national income. Warsaw has the biggest concentration of electronics and high-tech industry in Poland.

Cost of Living: Warsaw 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. Warsaw is currently ranked 129 overall, most expensive place in the world for expatriates to live, out of 282 international locations.

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Philippines, Manila Cost of Living April 2010

Posted on June 23, 2010 by Xpatulator

Country Full Name: Republic of the Philippines.

Location: Philippines is an archipelago in South Eastern Asia, between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam.

Country Climate: Tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to October).

Country Terrain: Mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands.

Major Languages: Filipino, English (both official) .

Major Religions: Christianity.

Country Population: 90.5 million (2008 est.) 92.2 million (2009 est.).

Country Economy: The economy of the Philippines is a mixed economic system, and one of the newly industrialized emerging market economies of the world. Important sectors of the Philippine economy include agriculture and industry, particularly food processing, textiles and garments, and electronics and automobile parts.

Currency: Philippine Peso (PHP).

Country Inflation: 9.3% (2008 est.) 2.8% (2009 est.).

City: Manila is the capital of the Philippines.

City Economy: Manila is one of the world’s largest and most densely populated cities in the world. Manila’s economy is diverse and multifaceted and serves as the nation’s chief seaport.

Cost of Living: Manila 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. Manila is currently ranked 198 overall, most expensive place in the world for expatriates to live, out of 282 international locations.

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Peru, Lima Cost of Living April 2010

Posted on June 23, 2010 by Xpatulator

Country Full Name: Republic of Peru.

Location: Peru is in Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Chile and Ecuador.

Country Climate: Varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west; temperate to frigid in Andes.

Country Terrain: Western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center (sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva).

Major Languages: Spanish, Quechua, Aymara.

Major Religions: Christianity.

Country Population: 28.7 million (2008 est.) 29.1 million (2009 est.).

Country Economy: The economy of Peru is an emerging market-oriented economy characterized by a high level of foreign trade. Peru’s economy has experienced significant growth in the last 15 years.

Currency: Peruvian Nuevo Sol (PEN).

Country Inflation: 5.8% (2008 est.) 3.2% (2009 est.).

City: Lima is the capital and largest city of Peru.

City Economy: Lima is the industrial and financial center of Peru, home to many national companies. It accounts for more than two thirds of Peru’s industrial production and most of its tertiary sector.

Cost of Living: Lima 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. Lima is currently ranked 220 overall, most expensive place in the world for expatriates to live, out of 282 international locations.

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Paraguay, Asuncion Cost of Living April 2010

Posted on June 22, 2010 by Xpatulator

Country Full Name: Republic of Paraguay.

Location: Paraguay is in Central South America, northeast of Argentina.

Country Climate: Subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west.

Country Terrain: Grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran Chaco region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the river, and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere.

Major Languages: Spanish, Guarani.

Major Religions: Christianity.

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

Country Economy: Paraguay has a market economy characterized by a large informal sector. Agriculture dominates the economy, but unequal land distribution has resulted in a large class of peasant farm laborers. A large portion of the population is uninvolved in the formal economy, instead existing as subsistence farmers.

Currency: Paraguay Guaraní (PYG).

Country Inflation: 10.1% (2008 est.) 2.8% (2009 est.).

City: Asuncion is the capital and largest city of Paraguay.

City Economy: Asuncion is the home of the national government, principal port, and the chief industrial and cultural centre of the country. Local manufacturing production includes footwear, textiles, and tobacco products.

Cost of Living: Asuncion 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. Asuncion is currently ranked 264 overall, most expensive place in the world for expatriates to live, out of 282 international locations.

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Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby Cost of Living April 2010

Posted on June 22, 2010 by Xpatulator

Country Full Name: The Independent State of Papua New Guinea.

Location: Papua New Guinea is in Oceania, and consists of a group of islands including the eastern half of the island of New Guinea between the Coral Sea and the South Pacific Ocean, east of Indonesia.

Country Climate: Tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March), southeast monsoon (May to October); slight seasonal temperature variation.

Country Terrain: Mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling foothills.

Major Languages: English, Tok Pisin, Hiri Motu.

Major Religions: Christianity, indigenous beliefs.

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

Country Economy: The economy of Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural resources, but exploitation has been hampered by the rugged terrain and the high cost of developing infrastructure. Agriculture provides a subsistence livelihood for the bulk of the population.

Currency: Papua New Guinea Kina (PGK).

Country Inflation: 10.7% (2008 est.) 8.2% (2009 est.).

City: Port Moresby is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea.

City Economy: The city is often covered by a smoke haze that is created by the numerous small fires lit beside the road or in the bush by its inhabitants. The city experiences high levels of rape, robbery, murder and large areas of the city are controlled by gangs.

Cost of Living: ort Moresby 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. Port Moresby is currently ranked 25 overall, most expensive place in the world for expatriates to live, out of 282 international locations.

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Panama, Panama City Cost of Living

Posted on June 22, 2010 by Xpatulator

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

Country Climate: Tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May).

Country Terrain: Interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills.

Major Languages: Spanish, English.

Major Religions: Christianity.

Country Population: 3.4 million (2008 est.) 3.5 million (2009 est.).

Country Economy: The Economy of Panama is free market economy with a history of low inflation. It is based mainly on the services industry, heavily weighted toward banking, commerce, and tourism.

Currency: Panamanian Balboa (PAB).

Country Inflation: 8.8% (2008 est.) 2.3% (2009 est.).

City: Panama City is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama.

City Economy: Panama City has more than 80 banks, more than 15 of them being national. The city also boasts several tourist attractions, and is a stopover for other nearby destinations in the country as well as a tourist destination in its own right.

Cost of Living: Panama City 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. Panama City is currently ranked 245 overall, most expensive place in the world for expatriates to live, out of 282 international locations.

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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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