NOTE: External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views contained therein.
| The State Department web site below is a permanent electronic archive of information released prior to January 20, 2001. Please see www.state.gov for material released since President George W. Bush took office on that date. This site is not updated so external links may no longer function. Contact us with any questions about finding information. NOTE: External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views contained therein. |
 |
U.S. Department of StateApril 1999 Quarterly ReportIndexes of Living Costs Abroad,Quarters Allowances, and Hardship Differentials |
Exchange Rate 1 Local 2 U.S. Government 3 Country and City Survey Foreign Number Date Unit per US$ Relative Index Relative Index Algeria: Algiers Jul-94 Dinar 37.7 84 89 81 91 6 Angola: Luanda Aug-98 Kwanza 369,235 171 179 129 132 Argentina: Buenos Aires Dec-97 Peso 1.00 130 142 114 127 Armenia: Yerevan May-97 Dram 480 97 103 90 97 Australia: Canberra Oct-98 Dollar 1.69 111 112 105 106 Austria: Vienna Mar-98 Schilling 12.6 156 147 130 126 Azerbaijan: Baku Jul-98 Manat 3,760 120 126 106 111 Bahamas: Nassau Dec-96 Dollar 1.00 132 134 121 122 Bahrain: Manama Apr-97 Dinar 0.3769 103 112 94 103 Bangladesh: Dhaka Mar-98 Taka 46.3 95 101 88 92 Barbados: Bridgetown Mar-97 Dollar 2.00 141 143 126 127 Belgium: Brussels Jan-99 Franc 34.3 154 150 128 127 Shape/ Chievres Jun-97 Franc 35 130 132 106 107 Belize: Belize City Jun-98 Dollar 1.99 108 119 96 106 Benin: Cotonou Apr-98 CFA Franc 612 87 91 85 90 Bermuda Feb-98 Dollar 1.00 159 160 137 137 Bolivia: La Paz May-97 Boliviano 5.23 84 90 78 84 Botswana: Gaborone Jan-98 Pula 3.82 86 91 83 88 Brazil: Brasilia Nov-97 Real 1.09 134 139 108 113 Brunei: Bandar Seri Begawan Jul-98 Dollar 1.63 101 116 97 112 Bulgaria: Sofia Jun-98 Leva 1753 93 101 87 95 Burkina: Ouagadougou Jun-97 CFA Franc 575 99 106 86 92 Burma: Rangoon Feb-98 Kyat 240 90 100 83 94 Burundi: Bujumbura Oct-96 Franc 317 149 148 125 122 Cambodia: Phnom Penh Feb-94 Riel 2,500 86 87 82 83 Cameroon: Yaounde Nov-98 CFA Franc 542 139 146 121 126 Canada: Ottawa Oct-97 Dollar 1.37 104 104 101 101 Toronto Jul-97 Dollar 1.38 110 110 104 104 Cent. African Rep.:Bangui May-98 CFA Franc 602 115 119 107 107 Chad: N'Djamena Nov-98 CFA Franc 542 146 154 121 126 Chile: Santiago Apr-98 Peso 446 120 131 107 117 4 4 China: Beijing Feb-98 Renminbi 8.27 121 127 103 109 Colombia: Bogota Mar-98 Peso 1348 99 102 93 96 Congo: Brazzaville Oct-96 CFA Franc 514 165 176 126 135 Congo, Dem. Republic of: Kinshasa Jul-95 New Zaire 6,013 189 204 134 148 Costa Rica: San Jose Jun-98 Colon 251 92 99 87 94 Cote d'Ivoire: Abidjan Jan-99 CFA Franc 558 137 145 114 121 Croatia: Zagreb Feb-98 Kuna 6.27 120 119 111 109 4 4 Cuba: Havana Jan-98 Dollar 1.00 124 131 116 122 Cyprus: Nicosia Apr-98 Pound 0.532 112 113 96 96 Czech Republic: Prague Sep-96 Koruna 26.6 110 106 99 96 Denmark: Copenhagen Feb-98 Kroner 6.96 148 142 127 122 Djibouti: Djibouti City Nov-98 Franc 177 149 160 128 138 Dominican Republic: Santo Domingo Apr-98 Peso 14.9 113 121 103 110 Ecuador: Quito Dec-96 Sucre 3,335 83 88 83 88 Egypt: Cairo Jun-96 Pound 3.40 82 99 73 91 El Salvador: San Salvador Jun-97 Colon 8.75 90 96 83 89 Eritrea: Asmara Oct-97 Birr 7.2 98 104 88 94 Estonia: Tallinn Sep-98 Kroon 13.6 97 96 93 93 Ethiopia: Addis Ababa Mar-97 Birr 6.24 102 111 86 95 Fiji: Suva Mar-98 Dollar 1.91 102 107 99 104 Finland: Helsinki Apr-97 Markka 5.14 150 149 123 123 France: Paris Apr-98 Franc 5.97 157 144 134 125 Gabon: Libreville Mar-98 CFA Franc 610 145 160 119 131 Gambia: Banjul Apr-96 Dalasi 9.8 103 110 92 99 Georgia: Tbilisi Jan-97 Lari 1.2 114 119 100 105 Germany: Berlin Jul-98 Mark 1.77 135 130 120 118 Bonn Dec-98 Mark 1.64 148 147 123 123 Frankfurt Mar-99 Mark 1.69 143 141 118 117 Munich Dec-98 Mark 1.64 153 150 130 131 Ghana: Accra Apr-98 Cedi 2317 104 111 96 103 Greece: Athens Nov-96 Drachma 239 136 136 113 113 Grenada Oct-95 Dollar 2.70 111 120 97 107 Guatemala: Guatemala City Dec-97 Quetzal 6.21 96 105 93 101 Guinea: Conakry Feb-98 Franc 1158 121 135 101 113 4 4 Guinea-Bissau: Bissau Jan-97 Peso 34,391 107 113 94 100 Guyana: Georgetown May-97 Dollar 144 74 78 75 80 Haiti: Port-au-Prince Feb-98 Gourde 17.4 107 114 95 101 Honduras: Tegucigalpa Jan-97 Lempira 13.05 74 79 71 76 Hong Kong Oct-98 Dollar 7.74 159 138 132 121 Hungary: Budapest Apr-97 Forint 176 102 98 92 89 Iceland: Reykjavik May-98 Kronur 71.8 162 164 120 121 India: New Delhi Dec-97 Rupee 39.3 84 87 87 89 Indonesia: Jakarta Jan-98 Rupiah 5366 93 106 86 99 Surabaya Aug-97 Rupiah 2,594 87 97 82 92 Ireland: Dublin Apr-98 Pound 0.7308 134 129 113 112 Israel: Tel Aviv Apr-97 New Shekel 3.4 161 163 120 121 Italy: Milan May-98 Lira 1,769 153 146 131 128 Naples Feb-99 Lira 1,662 125 122 111 111 Rome May-98 Lira 1792 153 147 133 128 Jamaica: Kingston Apr-98 Dollar 36.7 120 126 107 113 Japan: Osaka-Kobe Aug-98 Yen 137 159 152 140 136 Okinawa Jan-98 Yen 127 159 159 123 123 Tokyo Jun-98 Yen 132 158 152 133 130 Yokohama Sep-97 Yen 116 175 168 133 132 Yokosuka Jan-98 Yen 127 172 148 145 121 Jordan: Amman May-98 Dinar 0.7101 105 113 92 100 Kazakhstan: Almaty Mar-98 Tenge 76.3 134 141 106 114 Kenya: Nairobi Aug-98 Shilling 59 116 125 103 111 Korea: Seoul Jun-98 Won 1357 119 118 102 103 Kuwait: Kuwait City Apr-98 Dinar 0.2993 103 116 92 106 Laos: Vientiane Mar-96 Kip 925 94 119 89 115 Latvia: Riga Nov-96 Lats 0.5457 109 126 93 110 Lebanon: Beirut Oct-92 Pound 2,335 85 94 80 90 Lesotho: Maseru May-96 Maloti 4.35 78 78 77 78 Liberia: Monrovia Aug-97 Dollar 1.00 132 140 102 108 Lithuania: Vilnius Mar-98 Litas 3.98 105 112 93 99 Luxembourg: Luxembourg Feb-98 Franc 37.5 122 123 113 113 Macedonia, Former Yugoslav Republic of: Skopje Feb-98 Denar 56.1 97 97 87 88 Madagascar: Antananarivo Jan-97 Franc 4,353 94 101 80 86 Malawi: Lilongwe Feb-98 Kwacha 22.1 89 94 83 86 Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur Apr-98 Ringgit 3.55 98 109 87 98 Mali: Bamako Dec-98 CFA Franc 570 132 143 106 116 Malta Oct-98 Lira 0.368 116 117 109 109 Marshall Islands: Majuro Mar-96 Dollar 1.00 117 120 112 115 Mauritania: Nouakchott Dec-98 Ouguiya 204 123 133 106 112 Mauritius: Port Louis Jan-97 Rupee 19.8 98 105 85 92 Mexico: Mexico, D.F. May-98 Peso 8.6 96 100 92 95 Micronesia: Pohnpei Sep-98 Dollar 1.00 96 99 91 94 Moldova: Chisinau May-98 Leu 4.69 99 103 93 96 Morocco: Casablanca Sep-94 Dirham 8.92 108 109 94 96 Mozambique: Maputo Oct-96 Metical 11,230 117 126 97 106 Nepal: Kathmandu Feb-98 Rupee 62.2 99 107 89 97 Netherlands: The Hague Feb-98 Guilder 2.05 134 130 113 112 Brunssum Jan-96 Guilder 1.61 137 139 105 105 Rotterdam Feb-98 Guilder 2.05 120 118 113 112 Netherlands Antilles: Curacao Jul-97 Florin 1.78 115 117 103 104 New Zealand: Wellington Nov-96 Dollar 1.43 124 125 110 111 Nicaragua: Managua Mar-97 Cordoba 9.11 100 110 93 103 Niger: Niamey Dec-98 CFA Franc 570 116 126 103 111 Nigeria: Lagos Oct-98 Naira 94.1 107 115 96 103 Norway: Oslo Oct-97 Kroner 7.1 165 161 134 133 Oman: Muscat Nov-97 Rial 0.3849 108 118 102 111 Pakistan: Islamabad Apr-98 Rupee 44.2 85 98 76 89 Palau, Republic of: Koror Jul-97 Dollar 1.00 101 105 101 104 Papua New Guinea: Port Moresby May-98 Kina 2.05 105 115 95 104 Paraguay: Asuncion Nov-97 Guarani 2,194 106 110 95 99 Peru: Lima Nov-97 New Sol 2.71 123 130 109 116 Philippines: Manila May-96 Peso 26.2 97 106 90 99 Poland: Warsaw Jul-98 New Zloty 3.43 108 107 95 94 Portugal: Lisbon Mar-98 Escudo 185 118 117 104 103 Qatar: Doha Dec-98 Riyal 3.64 116 122 110 115 5 5 Romania: Bucharest Jun-97 Leu 7000 106 109 98 101 6 Russia: Moscow Jul-97 Ruble 5732 152 153 117 118 6 St. Petersburg Jan-97 Ruble 5,505 153 154 123 124 Vladivostok Jun-98 Ruble 6.16 115 116 103 103 Rwanda: Kigali May-97 Franc 306 117 126 94 103 Saudi Arabia: Al Khobar (Dhahran) Aug-98 Riyal 3.75 120 138 108 124 Jeddah Sep-97 Riyal 3.75 104 121 93 111 Riyadh Jun-97 Riyal 3.75 125 143 105 125 Senegal: Dakar Feb-98 CFA Franc 610 119 127 102 107 Serbia-Montenegro:Belgrade May-98 New Dinar 10.94 99 96 91 89 Sierra Leone: Freetown Jan-97 Leone 960 115 124 101 110 Singapore Apr-98 Dollar 1.68 114 122 97 107 Slovakia: Bratislava Sep-98 Korun 35.3 106 102 96 92 Slovenia: Ljubljana Jan-97 Tolar 141 118 118 104 103 South Africa: Johannesburg Oct-97 Rand 4.67 94 95 90 91 Spain: Barcelona May-98 Peseta 153 135 129 120 116 Madrid Feb-98 Peseta 154 125 121 114 111 Sri Lanka: Colombo Mar-98 Rupee 61.7 102 106 89 94 Sudan: Khartoum Feb-95 Pound 430 107 118 92 104 Suriname: Paramaribo Aug-97 Guilder 396 99 107 94 101 Swaziland: Mbabane Sep-97 Rand 4.69 79 85 76 83 Sweden: Stockholm Aug-98 Kroner 8.07 168 162 130 128 Switzerland: Geneva Nov-97 Franc 1.44 174 173 159 158 Syria: Damascus Dec-97 Pound 45.0 112 122 98 107 7 7 7 7 Taiwan: Taipei Mar-98 Dollar 32.7 140 140 115 116 5 5 Tajikistan: Dushanbe Oct-97 Ruble 850 93 98 86 90 Tanzania: Dar es Salaam Feb-98 Shilling 633 119 130 94 103 Thailand: Bangkok Mar-97 Baht 25.9 103 115 91 103 Togo: Lome Jun-96 CFA Franc 515 106 119 93 106 Trinidad/Tobago: Port-of-Spain Aug-93 Dollar 5.58 94 100 85 92 Tunisia: Tunis Feb-98 Dinar 1.16 111 114 101 105 Turkey: Istanbul Jan-98 Lira 200,000 120 126 102 108 Turkmenistan: Ashgabat Mar-97 Manat 5,250 102 109 102 108 Uganda: Kampala Aug-98 Shilling 1240 138 150 104 114 Ukraine: Kiev Jan-98 Hryvnia 1.83 123 129 106 111 United Arab Emirates: Abu Dhabi Mar-97 Dirham 3.65 99 112 94 108 United Kingdom: Belfast May-96 Pound 0.6438 141 142 126 125 Gatwick Feb-95 Pound 0.6186 144 145 133 134 London May-98 Pound 0.5814 162 151 137 132 Loudwater Apr-97 Pound 0.6012 153 155 127 129 Oxfordshire May-98 Pound 0.5848 139 140 122 122 Rochester Mar-97 Pound 0.5976 154 155 140 141 Uruguay: Montevideo Nov-98 Peso 10.59 152 163 127 137 Uzbekistan: Tashkent Jan-99 Som 108.9 136 138 113 115 Venezuela: Caracas Jul-98 Bolivar 542 115 125 100 110 Vietnam: Hanoi Oct-97 N Dong 11,640 103 103 96 96 Yemen: Sanaa Mar-96 Riyal 129.0 90 97 80 88 Zambia: Lusaka Dec-98 Kwacha 2200 106 118 100 110 Zimbabwe: Harare Mar-98 Dollar 16.29 73 74 72 74
|
1 The exchange rates shown are those used to calculate the indexes. They are usually the rates available to American citizens during the survey month. Current exchange rates may differ from the rates shown. Interim indexes adjusted for new exchange rates are not published. See Technical Notes for an explanation of how the local indexes may be adjusted for changes in exchange rates.
2 The local relative and local index measure living costs for private American citizens. The local relative is a comparison of the prices of goods and services at the foreign post and in Washington, D.C., with the price ratios weighted by the pattern of expenditure in Washington, D.C. Consequently, the local relative is a comparison of price levels at the post and in Washington, D.C., but not necessarily a comparison of the cost of living abroad. The local index is a comparison of prices at the foreign post and in Washington, D.C., with the price ratios weighted by the expenditure pattern of American employees living at the foreign post. It is, thereby, a measure of the cost of living for Americans at the foreign post compared with the cost of living in Washington, D.C. This is the index most appropriate for use by business firms and other private organizations to establish cost of living allowance for their American employees stationed abroad. 3 The U.S. Government relative and index include prices of goods imported to the post and price advantages available only to U.S. Government employees. The U.S. Government relative is a comparison of price levels but not necessarily of living costs abroad because the expenditure weights reflect only the Washington, D.C. expenditure pattern. The U.S. Government index reflects Federal employee foreign expenditure patterns and is used to compute foreign post allowances for Federal employees. 4 Local relative and local index comparisons include prices in hard currency or diplomatic stores. 5 Insufficient local retail price data to develop meaningful local relative and local index living cost comparisons. 6 Most prices were reported in U.S. dollars. 7 There are no U.S. Government employees in Taiwan. The figures listed in this column represent a living cost comparison for American employees of the American Institute in Taiwan, who have some duty-free and other special benefits that may not be available to other Americans in Taiwan. [end of document] |