10-01-2001


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Pricing in Africa  (with fond memories of my time spent in Pricing at OC!)
10-1-01 

It's so hard to explain the difference in cost of living here vs. the US.  I thought I'd make a list of common items with their local prices so you can compare.  The money here is called cfa - Central Francs Afrique?  All of the French-speaking West African countries use it.  Checks and credit cards are rarely used.  Everything (refrigerators, airplane tickets, ...) is purchased in cash.

Currently there are about 700cfa to a US dollar.  The smallest coin I ever receive is 5cfa (less than 1cent).  The largest bill is 10,000cfa ($14.29).  When you are going to spend lots of money, you end up carrying a huge wad of bills with you since 10,000cfa is as high as they go!  If you really want to test out your budgeting skills, remember I earn about 200cfa (137,000cfa) each month!  And I'm "middle class!"

In general, it seems to me that "necessities" - food and African clothing - are cheap.  But "luxuries" - anything from toilet paper to computers - are expensive, especially given the income level.  The other funny thing is the small amounts you can purchase - 1 cigarette, 1 stick of gum, 1/4 cup cooking oil, 2 cups laundry detergent, etc...  You realize that people really earn, shop, eat, and live day-to-day.

Item cfa US $
Toilet paper - 4 rolls 1,000 cfa $ 1.40
1 egg 50 cfa $ .07
5 medium tomatoes 50 cfa $ .07
1 smallish pineapple 65 cfa $ .09
Oscillating fan 12,000 cfa $ 17.00
4 dinner plates 1,000 cfa $ 1.40
4 plastic drinking cups 300 cfa $ .40
2 yards cotton fabric (cheapest) 1,000 cfa $ 1.40
5 meters (6.3 yds) cotton fabric for curtains 5,000 cfa $ 7.15
1 pair of cheap flip-flops 1,200 cfa $ 1.70
African broom (bundle of straw w/o a stick) 200 cfa $ .29
American broom (softer bristles w/ a stick) 2,000 cfa $ 2.90
Labor & thread to hem curtains 2,500 cfa $ 3.50
1 bottle coke 250 cfa $ .35
1 bottle beer 500 cfa $ .70
1 kg (2.2 lbs) rice 400 cfa $ .57
1 baguette French bread (hot from oven or stale) 125 cfa $ .18
Twix bar 700 cfa $ 1.00
1 day's unskilled labor (farming, hauling, ...) 1,000 cfa $ 1.40
1 day's skilled labor (mason, wood-worker, ...) 2,000 cfa $ 2.85
Weekly newspaper 250 cfa $ .35
CD/Cassette/Radio (cheapest available) 94,000 cfa $ 135.00
15cm Foam Double-Mattress 29,000 cfa $ 41.40
Deposit to hook up electricity 6,000 cfa $ 8.57
Deposit to hook up water (28 day's unskilled labor!) 28,000 cfa $ 40.00
Postage for in-country letter 200 cfa $ .29
Postage for international letter 620 cfa $ .89

Hope that gives you some insight into life and money here in Cote d'Ivoire!

Love,
Kate