11 Most Expensive Countries in Africa

What are the 11 most expensive countries in Africa? Africa is the continent with the most low-income countries and one wouldn’t expect to find too many expensive countries there, given such an overall unlucky turn of events. Still, there are a few highly modernized, contrastingly prosperous chunks of land. By looking at some of these developed African countries’ neighbors, this contrast in nations’ wealth is even more pronounced.

This wealth inequality doesn’t have to go out of any respective country’s borders. In fact, the wide gap between the rich and poor can be observed in a number of African large cities, which is similar to the 11 most expensive countries in Asia. The most extreme examples currently are Luanda and N’Djamena – capitals of Angola and Chad respectively. These unlikely sources for extreme costs are driven by oil and their inhabitants are the ones paying the price. A severe lack of base goods in Luanda, which is a result of a still looming three-decade-long civil war, is driving the prices sky high. A can of soda for $30, hotel room for $500 per day and monthly rent of $15,000 for a three-bedroom apartment are up for grabs for the few with means to get them.

Still, the topic of this article isn’t the most expensive cities, but most expensive countries in Africa. As already seen from the above mentioned example, the African continent is full of contrasts when it comes to income. While some cities truly are expensive to live in, the entire country doesn’t necessarily have to be. We have taken into account the consumer price index for the most of 2015 (concluding with November where available), traced from trading economics. This is basically the only way to gauge a country’s average basic goods prices with precision as they tend to exhibit various rates in different parts of the respective country, and as we have seen, differences in Africa can be quite intimidating. Even more intimidating is the fact that most of the countries from our list of the 11 most expensive countries in Africa are still undeveloped, which puts large percentages of their population in a very real fight for survival.

11. Nigeria

Average 2015 CPI: 171.9

The consumer price index in the twelfth largest African country hasn’t changed much during the year 2015. It started at 165.8 and is 177.2 as of October. CPI growth tends to be linear, and if things continue this way, Nigeria might soon become more expensive than other countries from this list.

10. Botswana

Average 2015 CPI: 181.49

Botswana’s CPI was steady during the first three months of 2015 with an average of 179.23, but then it started rising. Between 181.3 in April and 183.6 in October, Botswana’s CPI only rose by a couple of index points, but it will likely continue to rise, however slowly.

9. Algeria

Average 2015 CPI: 183.97

Currently the largest African country, Algeria is starting to show signs of its slowly increasing CPI. The CPI was more or less flat until September when it rose by three and a half points. Since January, Algeria’s CPI has risen a total of six and a half points.

8. Malawi

Average 2015 CPI: 187.72

Malawi CPI’s graph is doing zigzags. First it rose by no less than 8 points between January and February, and then it took a dive of more than 14 points by July. That’s not all, as the latest reported CPI in Malawi (October) amounts to 198.5. That’s a rise of almost 20 points in just three months.

7. Mauritania

Average 2015 CPI: 204.52

This West African country is one of the few in the world with a CPI in decline. There weren’t too many differences between January’s CPI of 209.5 and March maximum one of 210.6, but the latest reported consumer price index (October) is only 201.3.

6. Uganda

Average 2015 CPI: 226.45

Uganda’s CPI has soared 21 index points from the beginning of 2015 up until November. This trend will likely continue, leaving Uganda a certain member of 11 most expensive countries in Africa for the foreseeable future.

5. Liberia

Average 2015 CPI: 228.18

The consumer price index in Liberia remained almost unchanged between January and May of 2015, but then it took a sharp rise of almost 10 index points in July alone. This is the latest reported month for this year’s CPI in Liberia, but judging by current trends, it will continue to rise.

4. South Sudan

Average 2015 CPI: 236.8

The newest African country — and why Sudan lost its claim as the largest African nation — South Sudan is showcasing staggering growth of its consumer price index. The CPI has grown from 165.57 points in January to 340.07 points in November for an astonishing 105% increase.

3. Sierra Leone

Average 2015 CPI: 243.4

The consumer price index in Sierra Leone is rising slowly but surely. It grew ten and a half index points between January and July of 2015, and it’s showing no signs of dropping or stagnating.

2. Madagascar

Average 2015 CPI: 368.1

Madagascar might be a tropical paradise in the Indian Ocean, but there’s nothing idyllic about its CPI. Between 357.8 in January and 375.1 in October, the consumer price index in Madagascar has been growing steadily with no signs of slowing down.

1. Sudan

Average 2015 CPI: 495.41

Sudan has never had a strong economy, but things have gone from bad to worse ever since 2008. It’s even worse in 2015 as the CPI has inflated from 472.5 points to 521.8 points in just nine months. With such high figures, it’s no wonder why a shopping basket in Sudan is so expensive and why the Saharan nation rates number 1 overall on our list of 11 most expensive countries in Africa.