>Before you ask an employee to live in another country for an extended period of time, it would be wise to know what it's going to cost that worker to find adequate housing. Rental housing costs vary widely among countries, according to a study by Runzheimer.
Countries in Asia and Europe are at the top of the list, with Seoul, South Korea eight times as expensive as Montreal, Canada.
Annual
Rental Costs in Locations Around the World
Seoul,
S. Korea $102,527
Tokyo,
Japan $91,351
Moscow,
Russia $82,958
Geneva,
Switzerland $38,441
Madrid,
Spain $31,779
Mexico
City, Mexico $31,185
Sydney,
Australia $31,089
Rome,
Italy $31,007
Los
Angeles, USA $24,771
Munich,
Germany $23,816
Espoo,
Finland $20,812
Atlanta,
USA $18,309
Montreal,
Canada $12,532
*Costs are
based on an American family of two living in a 4-6 room rental unit,
and includes utilities and renter's insurance.
Source:
Runzheimer International
Airlines
Court Travelers From Smaller Companies
Larger corporations
are cutting back on travel spending abroad, so airlines are targeting
small and medium-size companies. According to the National Business
Travel Association, business sections on flights to Asia are much
emptier than in years past.
To compensate
for decreased travel, British Airways has created a loyalty program
specifically targeted at small businesses. Also, American Express
established a division of its travel-agency business that targets
small to medium-sized firms.
Expensive
Business Travel
If you're
going to send an employee to Kazakhstan, be prepared for a big expense
report. It costs an average of $462 per day for a business traveler
in Almaty, in Kazakhstan, according to a survey by ECA International.
In Europe,
London is the most expensive locale, with a per diem rate of $392
per day. One U.S city, New York, made the top 10, at No. 7.
Most
Expensive Cities for Business Travel
City *Rate
per day (US$)
Almaty,
Kazakhstan $462
Luanda,
Angola $446
Moscow,
Russia $444
Tokyo, Japan
$430
London,
UK $392
St. Petersburg,
Russia $389
New York,
USA $385
Kingston,
Jamaica $384
Caracas,
Venezuela $375
Paris, France
$365
*Rate includes
four-star hotel, continental breakfast, laundry, lunch, dinner, miscellaneous
costs and two taxi trips of 3 kilometers each.
Source:
ECA International
A
Web Site for Relocating Spouses
Here's another
source of information for U.S. workers and their families forced to
move to another country. A Web site, at www.expatspouse.com, offers
a broad range of data for those about to move.
The site
focuses on managing careers, offering moving tips and adapting to
new cities and cultures. There are also bulletin boards for people
to share their experiences.
Means the article is accessible only to our magazine subscribers.
