A recent international survey has ranked Nairobi as the most expensive city to live in within the East Africa region.
According to a survey titled: Cost of Living City Ranking conducted by global consultancy firm Mercer, Nairobi scooped the 21st slot among the most expensive cities in Africa.
The city, however, emerged 145th on a global scale- a significant drop from the 95th slot in the 2020 rankings.
Its counterparts in the East Africa region ranked as follows: Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania (167), Kampala, Uganda (171). Kigali, Rwanda managed to scoop the 175th position globally.
The survey examined 206 cities around the world from different continents and compared the rise/ drop in positions between the current ranking and the 2020 list.
Among the factors accounted for by the survey included currency fluctuations, cost inflation for goods and services, and instability of accommodation prices.
The survey seeks to provide all elements one needs in order to assess a fair cost of living on a global scale. Further, the information is vital for employees who are on international assignments.
The global company offered two approaches for cities to reduce their high cost of living:
- Multinational approach whereby a city calculates goods and services in different countries from similar brands and from similar retail outlets.
-Nationality-specific approach focuses on weighing the cost of living in a particular country and compare with people's living standards.
Despite the significant drop in ranking, the majority of Kenyans have constantly lamented the high cost of living in Nairobi- which has further worsened due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Further, an increase in taxes by the government has also attributed to basic commodities such as unga, rice, and bread, steadily rising.
Top Ranked African Cities: LIST
Lagos, Nigeria (19th position globally)
Libreville, Gabon (20)
Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire (24)
Bangui, Central African Republic (30)
Brazzaville, Congo (38)
Kinshasa, Congo, (41)
Yaounde, Cameroon (49)
Dakar, Senegal (56)
Abuja, Nigeria (85)
Accra, Ghana (87)
Niamey, Niger (99)
Cotonou, Benin (113)
Casablanca, Morocco (114)
Conakry, Guinea Republic (119)
Luanda, Angola (123)
Bamako, Mali (126)
Lome, Togo (136)
Cairo, Egypt (137)
Harare, Zimbabwe (141)
Ougadougou, Burkina Faso (145)
Nairobi, Kenya (145)
