Looking for a cost-effective African city to call home? Here’s a breakdown of the top 10 most affordable destinations for ex-pats in 2024, based on the Mercer Cost of Living ranking:
10. Johannesburg, South Africa (Global Rank: 206)
Johannesburg’s cost of living saw a slight increase for expats, moving down one spot from 205th in 2023. This suggests a small rise in living expenses compared to the previous year.
9. Cape Town, South Africa (Global Rank: 209)
Cape Town offers a slightly more affordable option for expats in 2024, climbing one spot to 209th from 208th. This indicates a minor decrease in the cost of living for international workers.
8. Tunis, Tunisia (Global Rank: 210)
Tunis made a significant jump of nine places in the rankings, landing at 210th. This could be due to factors like stable local costs or a weakening Tunisian dinar, making the city 9% more affordable for expats with foreign currency salaries.
7. Lusaka, Zambia (Global Rank: 213)
Lusaka experienced a decrease in affordability, dropping 16 places to 213th. This translates to a roughly 7.5% increase in the cost of living for expats in Lusaka, possibly due to rising local costs or a strengthening Zambian kwacha.
6. Gaborone, Botswana (Global Rank: 215)
Gaborone showed a minor improvement, moving up one spot. This suggests that the cost of living in the Botswanan capital hasn’t changed dramatically for international workers.
5. Windhoek, Namibia (Global Rank: 218)
Windhoek also saw a small gain in affordability, climbing four places. This translates to roughly a 2% decrease in living expenses for expats in the city.
4. Durban, South Africa (Global Rank: 219)
Durban witnessed a minor improvement, moving up one spot. This suggests a very slight decrease in the cost of living for expats in Durban (around 0.5%).
3. Blantyre, Malawi (Global Rank: 221)
Blantyre dropped 23 places, positioning it among the most affordable cities for expats. This significant shift suggests a decrease in local living expenses or a depreciation of the Malawian kwacha.
2. Lagos, Nigeria (Global Rank: 225)
Lagos experienced a staggering drop of 178 places, ranking a highly affordable 225th. This translates to a massive 80.4% decrease in the cost of living for expats in Lagos. This is likely due to a weakening Nigerian naira.
1. Abuja, Nigeria (Global Rank: 226)
Abuja takes the top spot as the most affordable city for expats globally at 226th. While it dropped 86 places, Abuja’s cost of living increases, particularly in housing and utilities, haven’t kept pace with those in other major cities.
This, combined with the currency depreciation, makes Abuja a very cost-effective option for international workers in 2024, with a decrease of around 38.9% in living expenses compared to 2023.
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