Addis Ababa, in Ethiopia, ranked as the most expensive city to live in Africa as of 2024, considering consumer goods prices. The Ethiopian capital obtained an index score of 46.7, followed by Harare, in Zimbabwe, with 37.4. Morocco and South Africa were the countries with the most representatives among the 15 cities with the highest cost of living in Africa.

In 2022, a loaf of fresh white bread weighted 500 grams cost 1.11 U.S. dollars in Uganda, the highest price among the selected African countries. By comparison, the price of a loaf of bread averaged 0.87 U.S. dollars in South Africa and 0.68 U.S. dollars in Mauritius.

Zimbabwe had the most expensive mobile internet in Africa as of 2023. One gigabyte cost on average 43.75 U.S. dollars in the African country, the highest worldwide. Overall, the cost of mobile data varied significantly across the continent. South Sudan and The Central African Republic also recorded elevated prices for mobile data, positioning among the 10 countries with the highest prices for data globally. By contrast, one gigabyte cost 0.38 U.S. dollars in Malawi, the lowest average price registered in Africa.

Determinants for high pricing

On average, one gigabyte of mobile internet in Sub-Saharan Africa amounted to 3.31 U.S. dollars in 2023, one of the highest worldwide, according to the source. In Northern Africa, the price for mobile data was far lower, 0.86 U.S. dollars on average. Few factors influence the elevated prices of mobile data in Africa, such as high taxation and the lack of infrastructure. In 2021, around 57.1 percent of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa lived within a range of 25 kilometers from fiber networks.

Mobile connectivity

Over 530 million people are estimated to be connected to the mobile internet in Africa as of 2022. The coverage gap has decreased in the continent but remained the highest worldwide in 2022. That year, 15 percent of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa lived in areas not covered by a mobile broadband network. Additionally, the adoption of mobile internet is not equitable, as it is more accessible to men than women as well as more spread in urban than rural areas.

One gigabyte of mobile internet in the Central African Republic cost, on average, 10.9 U.S. dollars in 2023. The country ranked among the most expensive for mobile data in Africa. Out of 19 data plans measured in the country, the lowest price observed was 2.72 U.S. dollars per 1GB for 30 days. In the most expensive plan, 1GB cost 27.24 U.S. dollars.

Consumers in Central African Republic paid the highest price for gasoline in Africa as of February 2024. One liter of the fuel cost on average 1.82 U.S. dollars in the country. In Zimbabwe and Senegal, the retail price for gasoline octane-95 reached on average 1.64 U.S. dollars per liter, the second-highest in the continent. On the other hand, consumers living in traditional crude oil producers in Africa, such as Nigeria, Algeria, Angola, Libya, and Egypt spent less money on gasoline. For instance, one liter cost 0.031 U.S. dollar in Libya, among the cheapest in the world.

As of 2023, the highest average cost of fixed-line broadband in Africa was registered in Eritrea, at approximately 338.2 U.S. dollars per megabyte. This was roughly double the monthly price in Burundi, the African country with the second most expensive cost per megabyte (159.2 U.S. dollars). On the other hand, in Egypt and Réunion fixed-line broadband cost less than 0.2 U.S. dollar for one megabyte. Overall, the ten countries with the highest fixed broadband prices were in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Cabo Verde recorded the highest electricity price for households in Africa. As of June 2024, one kilowatt-hour costs around 0.35 U.S. dollars in the country. Kenya and Sierra Leone followed, with households paying 0.26 and 0.25 U.S. dollars per kilowatt-hour, respectively. Mail, Burkina Faso, and Gabon also recorded relatively higher prices for electricity on the continent. On the other hand, Egypt, Zambia, Angola, and Libya registered the lowest prices for electric energy in Africa. Countries usually retain high prices for household and business electricity In Africa, countries with high electricity prices for households also tend to have higher prices for businesses. For instance, Cabo Verde, Burkina Faso, and Kenya’s energy prices for companies placed them among the most expensive four countries on the continent. As of late 2023, the electricity prices stood at around 0.2, 0.2, and 0.19 U.S. dollars per kilowatt-hour, respectively. Electricity access and reliability vary across the continent A significant share of Africans still live with no access to electricity. Although almost all of North Africa's population had access to electricity, the other regions had lower electricity access in 2021. Western, Southern, and Eastern Africa had just over 50 percent of their citizens living in electrified areas, while in Central Africa it stood at around 31 percent. Nevertheless, according to a survey, two Eastern African countries ranked highest with the most reliable electricity supply on the continent. Between 2021 and 2023, some 99 percent of Mauritians and 96 percent of Seychellois reported having a supply that worked most or all the time.

The citizens of Seychelles had the most powerful passports in Africa as of May 2024. The country received a visa-free score of 156 points. Mauritius and South Africa followed with a score of 151 and 108, respectively. In contrast, Libyan and Somalian citizens had the weakest passports on the continent. Africa and visa-free travel In 2021, Seychelles, Benin, and The Gambia emerged as the Africa Visa Openness Index leaders by providing visa-free access to visitors from all African countries. These nations demonstrated the most inclusive policies within the continent. However, the most visited destinations among travelers did not necessarily equate to visa-free travel. Furthermore, Egypt, Morocco, South Africa, and Tunisia were Africa's most popular travel destinations between 2019 and 2021. Most desirable passports based on visa-free travel Japan and Singapore held the top spots for the strongest passports in the world, providing visa-free entry to 192 countries. The official travel documents of German and South Korean citizens followed closely. However, based on a survey conducted in 2015 about the most sought-after additional nationalities, the British nationality held the top spot, with almost 20.4 percent of the respondents reporting that as a preference next to their own. Notably, the cost of passports does not directly reflect their ranking. The price of a passport doesn't always determine its power. While some of the world's most expensive passports are indeed powerful, there are weaker passports that can be more expensive in terms of the number of working hours required to afford them. For instance, in Mexico, a person needs to work 266 hours to be able to purchase a passport. 

Sending remittances to countries in Sub-Saharan Africa was significantly more expensive than countries like Ethiopia or South Africa, as of the first quarter of 2024. This is according to an average taken from different situation in which consumers send money worth 200 U.S. dollars from one country to the next - including cash, MTOs (money transfer organizations) or cards.

The average retail electricity prices in Africa vary widely across the continent from 490 U.S. dollars per megawatt hour in Liberia to 24.4 U.S. dollars per megawatt hour in Ethiopia.

Electricity reliability

Many African countries are trying to expand electricity output, however, those with access to the electricity grid are experiencing more blackouts and brownouts due to shortages in capacity as well as failures along the infrastructure systems. In turn, more consumers and businesses are turning to back-up generators as reliability remains uncertain. However, the use of these generators in daily life tends to be much more expensive than for those who have a more reliable grid connection.

Energy consumption

Energy consumption in Africa is expected to steadily rise, along with other developing markets. However, a large part of the population including the rural and urban poor populations, has limited or no access to electricity. Africa faces a paradox where raising electricity rates will further segregate those with no access, however, without the influx of funds, the industry is unable to improve the necessary infrastructure which would reduce prices.

Between 1970 and 2019, droughts cost Zimbabwe 0.14 percent of the country's GDP. Five of the 10 most expensive weather, climate, and water related disasters in Africa over the last decades were droughts. In 1990, a drought in South Africa resulted to be one of the two most expensive natural disasters of the last decades. Droughts are also the natural disaster that caused the highest number of deaths in Africa, much more than floods and landslides.

Businesses in Côte d'Ivoire paid the highest price for electricity in Africa, around 0.23 U.S. dollars for one kilowatt-hour as of September 2023. The amount was slightly higher of that registered in Cabo Verde and Burkina Faso, the second and third most expensive countries for business electricity on the continent. On the other hand, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Angola, and Libya recorded the lowest electricity prices for businesses in Africa in the same period.

Natural disasters leave enormous economic damages and innumerable human losses. Between 1970 and 2019, floods cost Mozambique 0.61 percent of the country's GDP. Two of the 10 most expensive natural disasters occurred in Africa over the last decades were floods.

Natural disasters leave enormous economic damages and innumerable human losses. Between 1970 and 2019, storms cost Madagascar 0.62 percent of the country's GDP. Three of the 10 most expensive natural disasters occurred in Africa over the last decades were storms. In 1977, storm Emilie hit Madagascar, leaving damages for 1.48 billion U.S. dollars.

Remitting from South Africa incurred a cost of roughly 13.2 percent in the first quarter of 2024, a decrease when compared to the previous year. The cost of sending money from the African country was at its highest in 2012, and generally declined since. The source adds that outgoing remittances from South Africa were noticeably more expensive than the average for the G20 countries, which was estimated at 6.39 percent for sending money worth 200 U.S. dollars.

A drought in South Africa in 1990 incurred an economic loss of about 1.96 billion U.S. dollars. Storm Idai, in Mozambique in 2019, also had an economic impact of 1.96 billion U.S. dollars. These two events resulted in the largest economic losses from climate disasters recorded in Africa between 1970 and 2019.

Drought risk in Africa

Droughts have caused an enormous number of human losses. The deadliest natural events in Africa are droughts and caused thousands of fatalities, especially in the 1970s and 1980s in the Horn of Africa and Eastern Africa. Many countries with the highest risk of droughts are in Africa. In 2020, Somalia was the most endangered country in the world. Among the ten countries most at risk of droughts, eight were African.

Economic impact of droughts

Between 1970 and 2019, droughts have impacted heavily the economies of various African countries, including Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Namibia, and South Africa. During the last decades, droughts cost Zimbabwe 0.14 percent of the country's GDP. Five of the 10 most expensive weather, climate, and water -related disasters in Africa over the last decades were droughts.

One gigabyte of mobile internet in South Africa cost, on average, 1.18 U.S. dollars in 2023. The country ranked 149 in 237 countries worldwide, from the cheapest to the most expensive for mobile data. Out of 46 plans measured in South Africa, the lowest price observed was 0.1 U.S. dollars per 1GB for a 30 days plan.

As of June 2023, Mauritius had the highest petrol price among selected African countries at 1.62 U.S. dollars per liter. Furthermore, Zambia and Kenya followed with 1.46 and 1.32 U.S. dollars per liter. On the other hand, Egypt and Algeria had the lowest petrol price on the continent at 0.37 and 0.34 U.S. dollars per liter.

Damascus in Syria was ranked as the least expensive city worldwide in 2023, with an index score of 13 out of 100. The country has been marred by civil war over the last decade, hitting the country's economy hard. Other cities in the Middle East and North Africa such as Tehran, Tripoli, and Tunis are also present on the list. Buenos Aires is the Latin American city with the highest costs of living, as Argentina has recently faced an economic crisis and rapidly rising inflation. On the other hand, Singapore and Zurich were ranked the most expensive cities in the world.

The most expensive countries in the world to send remittances to largely consisted of countries in Sub-Saharan Africa as of the third quarter of 2023. This is according to an average taken from different situation in which consumers send money worth 200 U.S. dollars from one country to the next - including cash, MTOs (money transfer organizations) or cards. The source adds that incoming remittances were estimated at 6.39 percent on average for the G20 countries during this timeframe.