Cost of living in Luanda

Well I don't live in Lobito, but I can answer your above questions roughly with what many of the items cost in general in Luanda in most shops I shop at and its not even talking about the most expensive shop in the world called Casas dos Frescos. The ones I take about are small to big shops here in Luanda called Orlacar 1 and 2, Eat eat supermercado and off course Intermarket all in Luanda city.

- accomodation (appartment, or house) - can be anything from $6000 to $10000 per month for a proper flat where everything works including the generator, aircons and the elevator.
- water and electricity - cannot say since the employer pays this as part of the rent.
- public transport (metro, bus or taxi). There is only taxies which are not very save and buses, the bus would cost you about 30 kwanza for about a 15 km distance which really is the cheapest mode of transport here and 30 kwanza is nothing. Private transport is better or get a driver with their own vehicle, expect to pay about 1000 kwanza per week of to convert to dollar divide 1000 by 90 = $11. But it will depend on what you negotiate with the driver, they don't all charge the same.
- monthly household shopping - You can budget about $1000 to be save for a family of 3 which will be 2 adults and 1 small child. But this can depend on what you eat off course.
- average price for bread, butter, milk, eggs, kg of meat...
Bread - between $1.6 - $4.4 depending where you shop. Butter $4, Milk per liter of long life in a box - $3.8, eggs $4.4 for 12. I don't buy there meat, but its about $9 per kg which is imported from namibia, this is not local meat however, local meat is much cheaper but the quality is not good. 
- medical insurance - not sure, normally the employer handles this since they want you here.
- visit to the house doctor - About $120 per single consultancy and about $700 for a few x rays and another $700 to fill a tooth, you get the idea. If you can get all your medical problems sorted while back in your home country, its much cheaper.
- school fees (specify which school), Escola escolaangola.org for 3 months for a 4 year old child $17000, American dollars to be sure. But again the employer can pay for this.
- petrol - very very very cheap, diesel 27 kwanza per liter and petrol 40 kwanza per liter, its so cheap that I cant even compare it to the USD, to give you an idea. To fill an X Trail with about a 60 liter tank cost roughly 2000 kwanza which is about $22 at this stage. $1 gives you 90 kwanzas if you want to do the math.
- average price of a good menu in a traditional restaurant - Cheapest about $16 and most expensive probably around $66 per meal.
- a beer or a coffee in a bar or pub - beer very cheap between 60 Kwanzas to about 300 Kwanzas for 1. But thats at the local shops, at the restaurants these goes up an average of 10 times, really no jokes.
- a cinema ticket - The only place you will find this is at bellas shopping center in Tala Tona and  think they are about $22 per person which is crazy, rather watch DVDs and movies at home.

Hope this helps. i had to do allot of conversions to get you the dollar price per item.

Hi leroyswart! Thank you for this helpful information. This will be definitely a great help for our future expatriates.

Hi Leroy. Thank you for the excellent summary. We (my wife and I)were offered positions in Luanda, but looking at your estimated prices, we might have to think twice about the renumeration. Thanx again

hello, Leroyswart thanks for the information , my husband has an offer and planning to work there in the office but we do not have the idea about the salary he should have to be able to survive in a month. God Bless.

Hi All,
can anybody give me idea of the latest prices of everyday items ?

Thanks in advance.

Dinesh

Hi Dinesh

I have spent the last week in Luanda to check things out before my move there in a month or two.

Not much gets manufactured locally and that causes the prices to be sky high (by average doubled), bread and items that cannot withhold 3 weeks of road travel gets flown in and becomes unaffordable (up to 1000% higher).  Angola has no hectic taxes on liquor or cigarettes and those cost 3 times less than in SA.  Fuel is very cheap, in fact the cheapest in the world.

In conclusion, if you plant some veg (400% higher), bake your bread, eat more chicken (local product) and less red meat (400% higher), have company accommodation (very high), drink, smoke and party at home the high prices will not affect one too much.

At this stage Angola has the fastest growing economy in the world and a large number of manufacturing industries are in the process    of branching out there, which will bring the cost of items down considerably.

Kind regards
Maryna Hohls

Thanks Maryna,
That was very useful. I do follow a veg diet and stay away from
vices. But your post has helped me to prepare myself, to decide.
Warm Regards,
Dinesh

I am in Viana. The Inter Viana Supermarket is reasonably. The things are not that costly now. Local kiosks are little costly but they are near the house. The latest prices are
Milk UHT 1 lts - 180 Kwanza
Bread (Local) 25 Kwanza
Apple each - 50 Kwanza
Butter - 180 Kwanza, 250 gms
Milk Powder 500 Kwanza, 500 gms
Local Oranges, ( go for them, they are tasty ) 20 Kwanza Each
Tinned Chick peas, Green Peas, Corn etc 150 to 250 kwanza
Local soft drinks, (Very tasty ) 90 to 100 Kwanza
Local Cakes, 25 to 50 Kwanza ( Cup cake)
Basmati Rice from India, 200 Kwanza, 250 gms
Dal is not available there except for Red Lentils. Otherwise all types of cheese, Milk Powder etc are available.

Hi everyone, I have now been living happily in Luanda for the last 2 weeks and find prices not be so high if you shop around between the many big supermarkets and cash and carry wholesales.  I was also able to find all the grocery items, seeds, pet food, beauty products, sports equipment, furniture and appliances my family needed.

It was easy to make new friends, locals and expats and plenty of entertainment around, also not to difficult to communicate in basic English.  My teenage son has adapted well although he has not made any friends yet, presumably because of the school holiday and most expat children are away till end Aug when the international school reopens.

I highly recommend living in Luanda.
Kindest regards
Maryna

Hi,
     I hope your doing well.
I have an offer in Luanda as an Oracle DBA.Salary is $US 600 +Food+ Accommodation+ Transportation.The thing is some of my friend are saying that there is no life secure.Could you please reply me it is sufficient salary or not as well as companies rules.I am waiting for ur valuable reply...

Hi, it seems very little as most qualified expats earn around $5000 per month.  A good meal at a nice restaurant will cost you $50 to give you an idea.  I feel very safe here.

Regards
Maryna

I think another expense we need to include in the list is the cost of communications. Basically, telephone calls and internet services. A $9 credit on my cellphone allows me to call my family back in Manila for like 2 1/2 minutes only. I do not know in other countries. But there are companies giving overseas phone allowances for their expat employees.
As to internet services, I pay like $72 for a 60-day subscription which I use home for normal checking of e-mails and regular video calls on Skype with friends and family around the world on weekends.
Cheap or expensive? Well it is really subjective. Mostly depends on how much one receives in terms of basic salary and allowances from the company.

There are some international internet telephone calling cards available here. I don´´t know the source but a Rwandan friend of mine, helped me to get it.

As far as India is concerned, it works out cheaper if the calls are made from India.

Hi  ,

Please advice if Metal Scrap Export is allowed from Angola??

i will appreciate if some one can advice me more details about this business in Angola as i am planning to start on May 13.


Regards
Anuj
Anuj26386[at]gmail.com

Dear Anuj,
It is difficult to confirm about this. Please get in touch with Embassy of India, in Luanda for detailed information.
The Industry is still young here.

Regards,
Dinesh

Hi all,
I managed a job of salary 67478.51 AOA. Company will provide food, accommodation & transportation (from company to house only).
Is the salary affordable as per daily living style in launda?
What's the situation there? How safe its to stay?
Pls reply.

Regards
Souvanic

Hi Souvanic,
If you are not going to spend on food, you still need to spend on telephone etc.
Is there any USD Saving ? It is not easy to send money from here to India.
The Salary is just comfortable. Not great.
Regards,
Dinesh

Hello Guys,

I've just read all your blogs and post just like me first timer to come in Luanda,Angola but i have some question.

1.) Cost of Living (Food and Drinks) to spend per month if for example budget of 500US$/month it is enough.

Note: Accomodation is Free.

2.) Temperature by Season - from January to December Please let me know.

3.) Average income to survive for example if your are earning 5-10,000 US $ it is enough? i mean for lifestyle

BR,

J

Hello Sister,

Ask ko po sana ung style ng pamumuhay sa luanda first time ko lang po paalis ako ng july.

Halimbawa ang swledo ay range from 5-10,000 US $ kaya na bang mag survive ang isang pinoy ng 500US$/month para sa pagkain nya..libre tirahan naman po.

Regards,

j

Hi j_angeles!

As this is the anglophone forum could you post in English please?

Thanks
Armand

Ola Armand. No problemo!buenas diaz

For cost of living numbeo.com

Hi all
I read all your blog messages on cost of living in Luanda, but I want to know the range for accommodation in a 2 bedroom?
thank you

Hi,

Could anybody please indicate the cost of:

1. A monthly rental of 3-bedroom flat - apartment in Luanda city.
2. Monthly cost of broad band internet facility
3. General cost of grocery items etc.
4. Any other important information on Luanda.

Thanks in advance.

Kaush

For cost of living try www.numbeo.com

hi friends !
this is great n too cool to read all these msgs posted,this is very sincere ,i love that type of help that everyone is doing here about every thing in luanda.. actually  i hv previously posted a post with subject of Doctor of Medicine.
actually i m graduating next year in Cuba n i wamt to do job in luanda n i dont know to whom contact or how to get a contract and a what salary for a Doctor ,all this conversation above helped me much.but please somebody guide me how to do the things to enter in the country y get a job there?is there any documentation required with ministery of luanda of my Degree or not .?
I would request u people and other conected with this field to help me in this concern.
1.how to get a contarct.
2.for what must i request for? fix term o permanent term?
3.how much salary i should demand?
4.any advise from u people?
thanks my friends. i hope a rapid reply

Hi Leroy. Hope you can help me. I want to know if one can buy a canopy for a bakkie in Luanda ? do you know if there is anyone selling them ?
Thanks Chris

Good day,
I have a job offer for Angola and would like to get additional information about the followings:

-cost of international schooling (3 children under 10, English speaking and some French)
-cost of normal supermarket
-is local market a valid alternative to imported food of supermarkets?

Accommodation would be provided by employer.

Looking forward recent information as I understand Luanda can be a highly expensive city if living the "expat way".

Thanks and Regards,

hello,

i have got a job offer from company sitauted in luanda, any one please help in regard of cost of living as reviews that i have seen on internet says its most expensive city for an expat to live in. so i am bit confused about cost of living there. How much should i go for as minimum salary in usd before joining them? I dont have family with me i will be living alone there. My package would include accomodation, conveyance and medical provided by the company.

wasif ali wrote:

hello,

i have got a job offer from company sitauted in luanda, any one please help in regard of cost of living as reviews that i have seen on internet says its most expensive city for an expat to live in. so i am bit confused about cost of living there. How much should i go for as minimum salary in usd before joining them? I dont have family with me i will be living alone there. My package would include accomodation, conveyance and medical provided by the company.

Try reading through the posts on this section of the forum or try www.numbeo.com

Hello Wasif,

My name is Afzal am also in same situation where are you right now can you share with me your email?

Regards

Its xxx

@wasif have you received my email?