Mercer’s 2024 ranking found that Windhoek in Namibia tops the list of cheapest places to live in Africa, while Tunis was ranked second place.
This year’s ranking includes 227 cities across five continents and measures the comparative cost of more than 200 items in each location, including housing, transportation, food, clothing, household goods, and entertainment.
The rankings provide important insight for multinationals on the cost of recruiting or relocating an expatriate in Africa, and also help human resources leaders to structure a remuneration package to attract the right skills for an assignment, said senior associate at Mercer Africa Stevens Kawoubouga.
“This is because a more expensive destination for expatriates makes it costly to multinationals, since the cost of sending an employee on an assignment increases,” he said.
Globally, Mercer’s 2024 ranking found that Bangui in Central African Republic is the most expensive city in Africa, while Djibouti was ranked second place. Luanda was ranked third, Kinshasha in Cote d’Ivoire and Conakry in Guinea was ranked fourth and fifth respectively.
The Cheapest Places to Live in Africa According to Mercer, 2024
1. Windhoek, Namibia
Windhoek is the capital and largest city of Namibia. The city is the administrative, commercial, and industrial center of Namibia and its Official language is English.
According to the Mercer latest living rankings, Windhoek tops the list of the cheapest places to live in Africa.
2. Durban South Africa
Durban is the third-most populous city in South Africa after Johannesburg and Cape Town, and the largest city in KwaZulu-Natal. The city ranks second on the list of cheapest places to live in Africa 2024.
3. Tunis, Tunisia
Tunis is the heartland of the Tunisian economy and is the industrial and economic hub of the country. According to the latest cost of living rankings, Tunis is the third cheapest city to live in Africa.
4. Cairo, Egypt
Cairo is the capital of Egypt and is the country’s largest city, home to 10 million people. The city is associated with ancient Egypt, as the Giza pyramid complex and the ancient cities of Memphis and Heliopolis are located in its geographical area.
Tourism is an important sector of the economy.
According to the cost of living rankings, Cairo is the 4th cheapest city to live in Africa.
5. Gaborone, Botswana
Gaborone is the capital and largest city of Botswana with an estimated population of about 300,000. Gaborone is the economic capital as well as the government capital and the 5th cheapest city to live in Africa.
6. Cape Town, South Africa
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, after Johannesburg, and also the legislative capital of South Africa.
Cape Town is known for its harbour, for its natural setting in the Cape Floristic Region, and for landmarks such as Table Mountain and Cape Point. Capetown ranks 6th on the list of cheapest places to live in Africa.
7. Banjul, Gambia
Banjul also known as the City of Banjul, is the capital and fourth largest city of The Gambia.The city is the country’s economic and administrative centre and includes the Central Bank of the Gambia.
Banjul is the 7th cheapest place to live in Africa according to Mercer.
8. Algiers, Algeria
Algiers, capital of Algeria is known for the whitewashed buildings of the Kasbah, a medina with steep winding streets, Ottoman palaces and a ruined citadel.
Algiers is an important economic, commercial and financial center, with in particular a stock exchange with a capitalisation of 60 million euros. The city has the third lowest cost of living of any city in North Africa.
9. Johannesburg, South Africa
Johannesburg is the largest city in South Africa. The city is the economic and financial hub of South Africa. Most of the major South African companies and banks have their head offices in Johannesburg.
According to the latest rankings, Johannesburg is the 9th cheapest place to live Africa.
10. Blantyre, Malawi
Blantyre is a city in the Shire Highlands, in southern Malawi. The city is known for its British colonial architecture and nearby parks and reserves. The city is also the commercial and industrial capital of Malawi and is by far the major employment generator in the country.
According to the latest cost of living rankings, Blantyre is the tenth cheapest place to live in Africa.
11. Lusaka, Zambia
Lusaka is the capital and largest city of Zambia. It is also one of the fastest developing cities in southern Africa. The city’s population was about 3.3 million, while the urban population is estimated at 2.5 million in 2018. The city is the economic and financial hub of Zambia, serving as the country’s main gateway to the rest of the world and largest business centre. English is the official language of the city administration, while Nyanja and Bemba are the commonly spoken street languages. Lusaka is the 11th cheapest city in Africa as of 2024.
12. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Addis Ababa is the capital and largest city of Ethiopia with an estimated population of 5,005,524 inhabitants.
There are between 45 and 86 languages spoken in Ethiopia. Amharic is the government’s official language and a widely used lingua franca.
English is the most widely spoken foreign language which is also taught in many schools. The city is the 12th cheapest city in Africa.
13. Antananarivo, Madagascar
Antananarivo, is the capital and largest city of Madagascar. Land in Antananarivo is used for the cultivation of rice and other crops, raising of zebu and other livestock, the fabrication of bricks, and other traditional livelihoods. Access to land is guaranteed and protected by law for every resident of the city.
According to the latest rankings, Antananarivo is the 13th cheapest place to live Africa.
14. Kigali, Rwanda
Kigali is the capital and largest city of Rwanda. The city has been Rwanda’s economic, cultural, and transport hub since it became the capital following independence from Belgian rule in 1962. Kigali is the 14th cheapest place to live in Africa.
15. Port loius, Mauritius
Port Louis is the capital city of Mauritius. The city is the country’s economic, cultural and political centre, and most populous city.
The economy of the city is mostly dominated by its financial centre, port facilities, tourism and the manufacturing sector.
Port Louis in Mauritius is the 15th cheapest city to live Africa.
16. Accra, Ghana
Accra is the capital of Ghana and its centre for manufacturing, marketing, finance, insurance, and transportation.
According to the Mercer, Accra ranks 16th on the list of cheapest places to live Africa.
17. Rabat, Morocco
Rabat is the capital city of Morocco and the country’s seventh largest city with a population of approximately 2 million people. Rabat is the 17th cheapest city to live in Africa
18. Nairobi, Kenya
Nairobi is the capital and the largest city of Kenya. Home to thousands of Kenyan businesses and over 100 major international companies and organizations, including the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) and the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON), Nairobi is an established hub for business and culture.
Nairobi is the eighteenth cheapest place to live Africa, according to the Mercer.
19. Kampala, Uganda
Kampala is the capital and largest city of Uganda and is reported to be among the fastest-growing cities in Africa, with an annual population growth rate of 4.03 percent.
According to the Mercer 2024 Cost of Living Rankings, the city is the 19th cheapest city to live in Africa.
20. Nouakchott, Mauritania
Nouakchott is the capital and largest city of Mauritania. It is one of the largest cities in the Sahel. The city also serves as the administrative and economic center of Mauritania.
According to the Mercer, Nouakchott is one of the cheapest places to live in Africa.
21. Dar es Salam, Tanzania
Dar es Salaam is the largest city and Business capital of Tanzania. With over six million people, it is the largest city in East Africa and the fifth-largest in Africa. Dar es Salaam is also an important economic centre and one of the fastest-growing cities in the world.
The city which is Known for its beaches, islands, seafood is one of the cheapest places to live in Africa according to the Mercer.
22. Maputo, Mozambique
Maputo is the capital and most populous city of Mozambique. Maputo is a port city, with an economy centered on commerce. It is also noted for its vibrant cultural scene and distinctive, eclectic architecture.
The Most expensive Places to Live in Africa, 2024
1. Bangui, Central African Republic
2. Djibouti, Djibouti
3. Luanda, Angola
4. Kinshasa, The Democratic Republic of the Congo
5. Conakry, Guinea Republic
6. N’Djamena, Chad
7. Victoria, Seychelles
8. Lagos, Nigeria
9. Libreville, Gabon
10. Dakar, Senegal
Revised in November 2024
