NAIROBI, Kenya, June 26, 2019-/African Media Agency (AMA)/- Mercer, a global consulting leader in advancing health, wealth and careers, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE: MMC), has released the results of its 2019 Cost of Living survey, ranking cities around the world.
Generally the cost of living in Nairobi, Kenya is moderate compared to other expat destinations. Last year, the Mercer Cost of Living report ranked it as a mid-range expense location (123rd out of 209 cities). However according to this year’s report, Nairobi has gone up from 123 to 97 on the ranking for the most costly cities.
N’Djamena, Chad takes the lead as the highest-ranking city in Africa. Kinshasa, Dem. Rep. of Congo (22) is in second place, rising fifteen places. Libreville, Gabon (24) is the next African city on the list, followed by Lagos, Nigeria (25), which moved up seventeen places. And despite dropping about 20 places, Luanda, Angola (26) still remains in fifth place.
“Each African country has its own unique economy and this is why multinationals need not approach their expatriate packages for Africa with one single strategy. Let’s look at it this way, while a city like N’Djamena in Chad has been listed as the 11th most expensive city in the world, whereas Mali comes in at the 124th position in terms of cost of living,” said Yolanda Sedlmaier, Principal Leader – Africa Mobility at Mercer.
In a rapidly changing world, mobility programs have become a core component of multinational organizations’ global talent strategy. Organizations realize that to thrive they must embrace change, adapt to new technologies, and build emerging skills to attract, motivate, and enhance talent.
“In a skill-focused economy driven by digital disruption and the need for a globally connected workforce, deploying expatriate employees is an increasingly important aspect of a competitive business strategy for global companies,” said Ilya Bonic, President of Mercer’s Career business. “There are numerous personal and organizational advantages for sending employees overseas, including career development, global experience, new skillsets, and re-allocation of resources. By offering fair and competitive compensation packages, organizations can facilitate moves that drive business results.”
Mercer’s 25th annual Cost of Living Survey finds that a number of factors, including currency fluctuations, cost of inflation for goods and services, and volatility in accommodation prices, contribute to the overall cost of expatriate packages for employees on international assignments.
Global ranking
Mercer’s 2019 Cost of Living Survey finds that eight out of the top ten of the world’s most expensive cities for expatriates are Asian cities, resulting from high costs for expatriate consumer goods and a dynamic housing market. Tokyo (2), Singapore (3) and Seoul (4) top the list, while the costliest city in the world for the second consecutive year is Hong Kong (1). Other cities appearing in the top ten are Zurich (5), Shanghai (6), Ashgabat (7), Beijing (8), New York City (9), and Shenzhen (10). The world’s least expensive cities for expatriates are Tunis (209), Tashkent (208), and Karachi (207).
Mercer’s widely recognized survey is one of the world’s most comprehensive, and is designed to help multinational companies and governments determine compensation allowances for their expatriate employees. New York City is used as the base city for all comparisons, and currency movements are measured against the US dollar. The survey includes over 500 cities throughout the world; this year’s ranking includes 209 cities across five continents and measures the comparative cost of more than 200 items in each location, including housing, transportation, food, clothing, household goods, and entertainment.
Mercer produces individual cost of living and rental accommodation cost reports for each city surveyed. For more information on city rankings, visit https://mobilityexchange.mercer.com/Insights/cost-of-living-rankings.
Notes for Editors
The figures for Mercer’s cost of living and rental accommodation cost comparisons are derived from a survey conducted in March 2019. Exchange rates from that time and Mercer’s international basket of goods and services from its Cost of Living Survey have been used as base measurements.
Governments and major companies use data from this survey to protect the purchasing power of their employees when transferred abroad; rental accommodation costs data is used to assess local expatriate housing allowances. The choice of cities surveyed is based on demand for data.
Mercer Cost of Living Survey – Worldwide Rankings 2019 |
|||
Rank as of March |
City |
Country/Region |
|
2018 |
2019 |
||
1 |
1 |
HONG KONG |
Hong Kong (SAR) |
2 |
2 |
TOKYO |
Japan |
4 |
3 |
SINGAPORE |
Singapore |
5 |
4 |
SEOUL |
South Korea |
3 |
5 |
ZURICH |
Switzerland |
7 |
6 |
SHANGHAI |
China |
43 |
7 |
ASHGABAT |
Turkmenistan |
9 |
8 |
BEIJING |
China |
13 |
9 |
NEW YORK CITY |
United States |
12 |
10 |
SHENZHEN |
China |
8 |
11 |
NDJAMENA |
Chad |
10 |
12 |
BERN |
Switzerland |
11 |
13 |
GENEVA |
Switzerland |
21 |
14 |
VICTORIA |
Seychelles |
16 |
15 |
TEL AVIV |
Israel |
28 |
16 |
SAN FRANCISCO |
United States |
15 |
17 |
GUANGZHOU |
China |
35 |
18 |
LOS ANGELES |
United States |
23 |
19 |
OSAKA |
Japan |
14 |
20 |
COPENHAGEN |
Denmark |
26 |
21 |
DUBAI |
United Arab Emirates |
37 |
22 |
KINSHASA |
Dem. Rep. of the Congo |
19 |
23 |
LONDON |
United Kingdom |
18 |
24 |
LIBREVILLE |
Gabon |
42 |
25 |
LAGOS |
Nigeria |
6 |
26 |
LUANDA |
Angola |
17 |
27 |
MOSCOW |
Russia |
25 |
27 |
NANJING |
China |
22 |
29 |
NOUMEA |
New Caledonia |
24 |
30 |
ABIDJAN |
Côte d’Ivoire |
31 |
30 |
CHENGDU |
China |
29 |
32 |
TIANJIN |
China |
40 |
33 |
ABU DHABI |
United Arab Emirates |
41 |
33 |
NAGOYA |
Japan |
27 |
35 |
TAIPEI |
Taiwan |
45 |
35 |
RIYADH |
Saudi Arabia |
51 |
37 |
CHICAGO |
United States |
54 |
38 |
HONOLULU |
United States |
19 |
39 |
BRAZZAVILLE |
Congo |
52 |
40 |
BANGKOK |
Thailand |
36 |
41 |
QINGDAO |
China |
56 |
42 |
WASHINGTON |
United States |
32 |
43 |
DUBLIN |
Ireland |
60 |
44 |
MIAMI |
United States |
33 |
45 |
MILAN |
Italy |
38 |
45 |
SHENYANG |
China |
34 |
47 |
PARIS |
France |
66 |
47 |
DHAKA |
Bangladesh |
70 |
49 |
BOSTON |
United States |
29 |
50 |
SYDNEY |
Australia |
39 |
51 |
VIENNA |
Austria |
43 |
52 |
YAOUNDE |
Cameroon |
65 |
53 |
BEIRUT |
Lebanon |
48 |
54 |
BANGUI |
Central African Republic |
46 |
55 |
ROME |
Italy |
79 |
56 |
WHITE PLAINS |
United States |
77 |
57 |
MANAMA |
Bahrain |
50 |
58 |
AMSTERDAM |
Netherlands |
73 |
59 |
DJIBOUTI |
Djibouti |
86 |
59 |
HOUSTON |
United States |
47 |
61 |
OSLO |
Norway |
85 |
62 |
DALLAS |
United States |
63 |
63 |
ACCRA |
Ghana |
90 |
64 |
SEATTLE |
United States |
53 |
65 |
HELSINKI |
Finland |
73 |
66 |
DOUALA |
Cameroon |
55 |
67 |
MUMBAI |
India |
57 |
67 |
MUNICH |
Germany |
95 |
69 |
ATLANTA |
United States |
75 |
70 |
MONTEVIDEO |
Uruguay |
97 |
70 |
MORRISTOWN |
United States |
62 |
72 |
DAKAR |
Senegal |
95 |
72 |
SAN JUAN |
Puerto Rico |
68 |
74 |
FRANKFURT |
Germany |
49 |
75 |
ST. PETERSBURG |
Russia |
94 |
75 |
AMMAN |
Jordan |
67 |
77 |
BRUSSELS |
Belgium |
102 |
78 |
MINNEAPOLIS |
United States |
58 |
79 |
MELBOURNE |
Australia |
69 |
79 |
SANTIAGO |
Chile |
71 |
81 |
BERLIN |
Germany |
64 |
82 |
MADRID |
Spain |
97 |
83 |
PORT OF SPAIN |
Trinidad & Tobago |
71 |
84 |
LUXEMBOURG |
Luxembourg |
99 |
85 |
ABUJA |
Nigeria |
58 |
86 |
SAO PAULO |
Brazil |
61 |
87 |
PERTH |
Australia |
106 |
88 |
CONAKRY |
Guinea |
81 |
89 |
AUCKLAND |
New Zealand |
116 |
90 |
DETROIT |
United States |
79 |
91 |
BARCELONA |
Spain |
82 |
92 |
DUSSELDORF |
Germany |
114 |
93 |
PANAMA CITY |
Panama |
122 |
94 |
ST. LOUIS |
United States |
93 |
95 |
LISBON |
Portugal |
77 |
96 |
CANBERRA |
Australia |
83 |
97 |
PRAGUE |
Czech Republic |
123 |
97 |
NAIROBI |
Kenya |
125 |
97 |
PITTSBURGH |
United States |
88 |
100 |
HAMBURG |
Germany |
117 |
100 |
JEDDAH |
Saudi Arabia |
106 |
102 |
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN |
Brunei |
84 |
103 |
BRISBANE |
Australia |
117 |
103 |
MUSCAT |
Oman |
117 |
105 |
JAKARTA |
Indonesia |
125 |
106 |
CLEVELAND |
United States |
130 |
107 |
PORTLAND |
United States |
142 |
108 |
PHNOM PENH |
Cambodia |
87 |
109 |
ADELAIDE |
Australia |
138 |
109 |
MANILA |
Philippines |
92 |
111 |
RIGA |
Latvia |
109 |
112 |
VANCOUVER |
Canada |
137 |
112 |
HANOI |
Vietnam |
101 |
114 |
WELLINGTON |
New Zealand |
109 |
115 |
TORONTO |
Canada |
115 |
115 |
DOHA |
Qatar |
91 |
117 |
YANGON |
Myanmar |
103 |
118 |
NEW DELHI |
India |
121 |
119 |
KUWAIT CITY |
Kuwait |
124 |
120 |
HO CHI MINH CITY |
Vietnam |
99 |
121 |
RIO DE JANEIRO |
Brazil |
132 |
121 |
LIMA |
Peru |
105 |
123 |
LYON |
France |
120 |
124 |
BAMAKO |
Mali |
104 |
125 |
POINTE A PITRE |
Guadeloupe |
108 |
126 |
STUTTGART |
Germany |
89 |
127 |
STOCKHOLM |
Sweden |
111 |
128 |
COTONOU |
Benin |
112 |
128 |
ATHENS |
Greece |
128 |
128 |
CASABLANCA |
Morocco |
113 |
131 |
BRATISLAVA |
Slovakia |
141 |
131 |
SAN JOSE |
Costa Rica |
76 |
133 |
BUENOS AIRES |
Argentina |
165 |
133 |
HAVANA |
Cuba |
128 |
135 |
BIRMINGHAM |
United Kingdom |
130 |
136 |
GUATEMALA CITY |
Guatemala |
134 |
137 |
ABERDEEN |
United Kingdom |
161 |
138 |
WINSTON SALEM |
United States |
147 |
139 |
MONTREAL |
Canada |
140 |
140 |
TALLINN |
Estonia |
145 |
141 |
KUALA LUMPUR |
Malaysia |
132 |
142 |
LJUBLJANA |
Slovenia |
138 |
143 |
ZAGREB |
Croatia |
157 |
144 |
MEXICO CITY |
Mexico |
134 |
145 |
LOME |
Togo |
134 |
145 |
OUAGADOUGOU |
Burkina Faso |
148 |
145 |
GLASGOW |
United Kingdom |
156 |
148 |
QUITO |
Ecuador |
143 |
149 |
NIAMEY |
Niger |
173 |
150 |
KIEV |
Ukraine |
145 |
151 |
NUREMBERG |
Germany |
148 |
152 |
VILNIUS |
Lithuania |
154 |
153 |
CALGARY |
Canada |
144 |
154 |
CHENNAI |
India |
163 |
154 |
ISTANBUL |
Turkey |
150 |
156 |
LEIPZIG |
Germany |
164 |
157 |
KINGSTON |
Jamaica |
152 |
158 |
BELFAST |
United Kingdom |
179 |
159 |
MAPUTO |
Mozambique |
165 |
160 |
RABAT |
Morocco |
153 |
161 |
LIMASSOL |
Cyprus |
160 |
161 |
OTTAWA |
Canada |
161 |
161 |
PORT LOUIS |
Mauritius |
151 |
164 |
BUDAPEST |
Hungary |
125 |
165 |
PORT AU PRINCE |
Haiti |
172 |
166 |
TIRANA |
Albania |
174 |
166 |
SAN SALVADOR |
El Salvador |
188 |
166 |
CAIRO |
Egypt |
178 |
169 |
SANTO DOMINGO |
Dominican Republic |
168 |
170 |
BOGOTA |
Colombia |
180 |
171 |
DAR ES SALAAM |
Tanzania |
183 |
171 |
ADDIS ABABA |
Ethiopia |
154 |
173 |
WARSAW |
Poland |
158 |
174 |
BRASILIA |
Brazil |
169 |
175 |
KIGALI |
Rwanda |
176 |
176 |
BUCHAREST |
Romania |
175 |
177 |
SOFIA |
Bulgaria |
186 |
178 |
BAKU |
Azerbaijan |
170 |
179 |
BENGALURU |
India |
170 |
180 |
CAPE TOWN |
South Africa |
181 |
181 |
BELGRADE |
Serbia |
158 |
182 |
COLOMBO |
Sri Lanka |
192 |
183 |
KAMPALA |
Uganda |
195 |
184 |
ALGIERS |
Algeria |
177 |
185 |
JOHANNESBURG |
South Africa |
183 |
186 |
ASUNCION |
Paraguay |
193 |
187 |
MONTERREY |
Mexico |
165 |
188 |
HARARE |
Zimbabwe |
182 |
189 |
KOLKATA |
India |
189 |
189 |
GABORONE |
Botswana |
187 |
191 |
ALMATY |
Kazakhstan |
194 |
192 |
NOUAKCHOTT |
Mauritania |
204 |
193 |
BLANTYRE |
Malawi |
191 |
194 |
SARAJEVO |
Bosnia and Herzegovina |
199 |
195 |
LA PAZ |
Bolivia |
185 |
196 |
LUSAKA |
Zambia |
198 |
197 |
YEREVAN |
Armenia |
202 |
198 |
MINSK |
Belarus |
201 |
199 |
TEGUCIGALPA |
Honduras |
200 |
200 |
MANAGUA |
Nicaragua |
197 |
201 |
SKOPJE |
Macedonia |
203 |
202 |
TBILISI |
Georgia |
190 |
203 |
ISLAMABAD |
Pakistan |
196 |
204 |
WINDHOEK |
Namibia |
206 |
204 |
BANJUL |
Gambia |
207 |
206 |
BISHKEK |
Kyrgyzstan |
205 |
207 |
KARACHI |
Pakistan |
209 |
208 |
TASHKENT |
Uzbekistan |
208 |
209 |
TUNIS |
Tunisia |
Source: Mercer’s 2019 Cost of Living Survey
Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Mercer.
About Mercer
Mercer delivers advice and technology-driven solutions that help organizations meet the health, wealth and career needs of a changing workforce. Mercer’s more than 23,000 employees are based in 44 countries and the firm operates in over 130 countries. Mercer is a wholly owned subsidiary of Marsh & McLennan Companies(NYSE: MMC), the leading global professional services firm in the areas of risk, strategy and people. With 75,000 colleagues and annualized revenue approaching $17 billion, Marsh & McLennan helps clients navigate an increasingly dynamic and complex environment. Marsh & McLennan Companies is also the parent company of Marsh, which advises individual and commercial clients of all sizes on insurance broking and innovative risk management solutions; Guy Carpenter, which develops advanced risk, reinsurance and capital strategies that help clients grow profitably and pursue emerging opportunities; and Oliver Wyman, which serves as a critical strategic, economic and brand advisor to private sector and governmental clients.For more information, visit www.mercer-africa.com. Follow Mercer on LinkedIn Mercer Africa.
Media Contact
Zwile Nkosi
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