What are the 15 most expensive cities in Africa in 2022?

What are the 15 most expensive cities in Africa in 2022?

The most expensive cities in Africa will inspire you and take you out of your comfort zone. The developments and advancements happening in these regions will surprise you. Moreover, you will discover many lucrative opportunities.

Most expensive cities in Africa
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Source: UGC

The most expensive cities in Africa are located in the fastest developing countries. The rapid growth is mainly fuelled by technological advancements and an increasing supply of natural and human resources. These cities have numerous state-of-the-art amenities in transport, education, healthcare, hospitality/accommodation, etc.

Top 10 most expensive cities in Africa

The cost of living index score determines the most expensive cities in Africa. The parameter does not directly reflect these regions' development levels but is a scale for measuring their growth rates. Some of the factors that determine a region's cost of living are:

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Below is a list of the most expensive cities in Africa in 2022, based on their cost of living indices.

15. Kampala, Uganda - 35.98

most expensive cities in Africa
A cityscape of Kampala on 21st November 2015. Photo @Thomas Trutschel
Source: Getty Images

Kampala is the 15th most expensive city in Africa, with a 35.98 cost of living index score. The 189 km² city has over 6.7 million metropolitan population. The capital borders Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake.

14. Casablanca, Morocco - 36.59

most expensive cities in Africa
A skyline of Casablanca city in Morocco. Photo: @Pascal Parrot
Source: Getty Images

Casablanca's cost of living index score hit 36.59 in 2022. The city's Arabic name is Dar al-Bayda. The Mauresque architecture (Moorish style blended with European art deco)dominates the downtown side.

13. Tangier, Morocco - 36.85

most expensive cities in Africa
A view of a beach in Tangier, Morocco. Photo: @simplymorocco
Source: Facebook

The current 36.85 cost of living index score in Tangier makes it one of the most expensive cities in Africa. The city is located in northwestern Morocco and has a port. It has been an Africa-Europe strategic gateway since Phoenician times.

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12. Lagos, Nigeria - 37.33

most expensive cities in Africa
Students from Laurel Elementary School playing at Lagos de Moreno Park in Brea, CA, on 2nd September 2018. Photo: @Jeff Gritchen
Source: Getty Images

Lagos city is among Africa's major financial centres and technology hubs. The oil refinery city (oil and gas manufacturing is the primary economic activity) is growing rapidly and could soon top the list of the most expensive cities in Africa. The 1,171 km² city sprawls inland from the Gulf of Guinea across Lagos Lagoon. Lagos' cost of living index score is 37.33.

11. Accra, Ghana - 38.74

most expensive cities in Africa
Road traffic in Ghana's capital Accra. Photo: @Thomas Imo
Source: Getty Images

Accra is Ghana's capital city. It sits on an area of 225.67 km² and has over 4.2 million residents. Accra has 12 local governments and 11 municipalities. English is the common language. Public transport is the prevalent means of moving from one district to another. The city's cost of living index score is 38.74.

10. Marrakesh, Morrocco - 39.94

most expensive cities in Africa
A view of Jemaa el-Fna in Marrakesh, Morrocco. Photo: @tradi.marocain
Source: Instagram

Marrakesh in Morrocco is among the top 10 most expensive cities in Africa and the country's major economic centre. The city is home to palaces, mosques, and gardens. The cost of living index score in Marrakesh is 39.94. The city's area is 230 km².

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9. Durban, South Africa - 40.33

most expensive cities in Africa
Two tugboats at the Durban port in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Photo: @DeAgostini
Source: Getty Images

Durban's cost of living index score is 40.33. The coastal city in eastern South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province hosted soccer's 2010 World Cup. You should visit uShaka Marine World with an aquarium, the Durban Botanical Gardens, and the Moses Mabhida Stadium.

8. Cape Town, South Africa - 40.98

most expensive cities in Africa
A view of the skyscrapers and skyline in Cape Town city on 28th April 2013. Photo: @Thomas Trutschel
Source: Getty Images

Cape Town has a 40.98 cost of living index score. The 2,446 km² region is the port city on South Africa’s southwest coast, on a peninsula beneath the Table Mountain. The city is also the seat of the Parliament of South Africa.

7. Gaborone, Botswana - 42.70

most expensive cities in Africa
A Zebra crossing on Independence Avenue leads into the Main Mall in Gaborone, Botswana. Photo: @bennylatlhang
Source: Instagram

Gaborone is also among the most expensive cities in Africa, with a 42.70 cost of living index score. The city covers an area of 169 km². It has many tourist attraction sites, including the National Museum and Art Gallery, Gaborone Game Reserve, and the Mokolodi Nature Reserve.

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6. Pretoria, South Africa - 42.76

most expensive cities in Africa
A view of Pretoria on 20th November 2014. Photo: @Ute Grabowsky
Source: Getty Images

Living in Pretoria is quite expensive. It is among South Africa's three capital cities and hosts the executive branch of government. Moreover, all foreign embassies in South Africa are here. Pretoria's cost of living index score hit 42.76 in 2022. The city is 687.5 km² big and has over 2 million people.

5. Johannesburg, South Africa - 44.87

most expensive cities in Africa
A view of Johannesburg on 20th November 2014. Photo: @Ute Grabowsky
Source: Getty Images

Talking of the most expensive cities in South Africa, Johannesburg (Jozi, Joburg, or The City of Gold) is among the top positions, with a 44.87 cost of living index score. It is the largest city in the country in both population (5.635 million in 2012) and landmass (1,645 km²). Moreover, the city has some of the most sophisticated infrastructures in the country

4. Harare, Zimbabwe - 45.69

most expensive cities in Africa
The monument to the war dead on the National Heroes Acre in Harare, Zimbabwe. Photo: @DeAgostini
Source: Getty Images

Harare's current cost of living index score is 45.69. It is the most populous city in Zimbabwe. It is located in a 960.6 km² area and had a 1.485 million population in 2012. The country's capital was formerly called Salisbury. It was founded in 1890 by Pioneer Column, a British South Africa Company.

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3. Abidjan, Ivory Coast - 47.04

most expensive cities in Africa
St Paul's Cathedral and administrative buildings in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Photo: @DeAgostini
Source: Getty Images

Abidjan covers a 2,119 km² area and has over a 4.395 million population. It is the third most expensive city in Africa, with a 47.04 cost of living index score. Abidjan's official language is French, and the most widely spoken indigenous languages are Cebaara Senufo, Bété, Baoulé, Dan, Dioula, and Anyin.

2. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - 50.49

most expensive cities in Africa
An overview of Bole Medhanealem in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Photo: @AMAZINGETHIOPIATOUR
Source: Facebook

Ethiopia's capital lies on the highlands bordering the Great Rift Valley. Addis Ababa's unofficial name, Finfinne, means natural spring. It is the country's commercial and cultural hub. The city's 50.49 cost of living index score makes it the second most expensive city in Africa in 2022. Addis Ababa is 527 km² big, and the metro population is over 4.567 million.

1. Dakar, Senegal - 50.87

most expensive cities in Africa
Independence square's overhead in Dakar, Senegal. Photo: @625222970
Source: Getty Images

Dakar is the most expensive city in Africa in 2022, with a 50.87 cost of living index score. It is also the capital and the largest city in Senegal. Dakar's metropolitan area has 2.45 million people. Dakar covers an area of 83 km². It first became a major town in the 15th century before becoming the capital city under the Portuguese regime.

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A recap of the top 10 most expensive cities in Africa in 2022

In summary, the top 10 most expensive cities in Africa are:

  • Dakar, Senegal - 50.87
  • Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - 50.49
  • Abidjan, Ivory Coast - 47.04
  • Harare, Zimbabwe - 45.69
  • Johannesburg, South Africa - 44.87
  • Pretoria, South Africa - 42.76
  • Gaborone, Botswana - 42.70
  • Cape Town, South Africa - 40.98
  • Durban, South Africa - 40.33
  • Marrakesh, Morrocco - 39.94

What is the most expensive country in Africa?

According to Business Insider Africa, the most expensive country to live in in Africa is Sudan, owing to its 258.40% inflation rate.

Which city is the most beautiful in Africa?

The 10 most beautiful African cities are:

  • Johannesburg, South Africa
  • Abuja, Nigeria
  • Tunis, Tunisia
  • Nairobi, Kenya
  • Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
  • Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
  • Abidjan, Ivory Coast
  • Windhoek, Namibia
  • Kigali, Rwanda
  • Port Louis, Mauritius

Is Ghana the most expensive country in Africa?

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Ghana is the 11th most expensive country in Africa. Its capital, Accra city, has a 38.74 cost of living index score.

Which is the most expensive city in the world?

The Worldwide Cost of Living Survey from the Economist Intelligence Unit gathered that the most expensive city in the world is Tel Aviv in Israel. The others are:

  • Paris, France
  • Singapore, Singapore
  • Zurich, Switzerland
  • Hong Kong, China
  • New York City, USA
  • Geneva, Switzerland
  • Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Los Angeles, USA
  • Osaka, Japan

What is the most expensive city in the USA?

The most expensive cities in the USA are:

  • New York City
  • San Francisco
  • Honolulu
  • Boston
  • Washington D.C.
  • Oakland
  • San Jose
  • San Diego
  • Los Angeles
  • Miami

What is the most expensive city to live in?

The 3 most expensive cities to live in are Tel Aviv, Paris, and Singapore.

Which American city has the most expensive houses?

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Here are the median asking prices for residential properties located in American cities with the most expensive houses:

  1. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA - $1,250,000
  2. San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA - $993,000
  3. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA - $968,000
  4. San Diego-Carlsbad, CA - $827,000
  5. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA - $677,000
  6. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH - $675,000
  7. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA - $608,000
  8. Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO - $600,000
  9. Sacramento-Roseville-Arden-Arcade, CA - $589,00
  10. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA - $555,000

The most expensive cities in Africa have sophisticated infrastructure and technology. As a result, most people living in these regions live better lives than those in other parts of their countries.

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The city has turned the simplest activities to fun-filled and adventurous undertakings. The city has a unique way of tuning your adventurous mode on so effortlessly that it will leave you with a different view of the city. These are some of the adventures in Cape Town that you should be part of whenever you get the chance to.

Source: Briefly News

Authors:
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Salma Rashid Salma Rashid is a journalist with over three years experience in the digital world space. She holds a Degree in Purchasing and Procurement Management from Mount Kenya University. Salma has been writing for Briefly since 2019 and has grown to become a specialist at creating stimulating blog posts. Email: salmarashidabdul@gmail.com