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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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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