Many people have come to this blog looking for the living costs in the Seychelles. You don't really want to know ...But if you must know, read on for some examples. I take no responsibility for any cardiovascular episodes. The first price is the approximate price in June 2006. The second is the price now in June 2008.
Powdered milk, medium size tin was Rs 30, is now between Rs 70 and 90, depending on the brand. (And forget about Nido; everyone here has forgotten what that is.)
Butter, 250 g, salted, was Rs 4.50, is now Rs 18 for a pack of Anchor. Last week I paid Rs 19 for 125 g of Italian butter. And that's when it's available at all...
Rice, 1 kg, good quality, was Rs 6, is now Rs 18.
Meat, fish and chicken are still reasonable. I bought a pork tenderloin at Supersave for approx. Rs 30, local chicken is still under Rs 30 for a packet of drumsticks or thighs and the price of fish depends on the monsoon as it always did in Seychelles.
The petrol prices rose again by Rs 4 /l last week.
Flats or houses are going for around Rs 6-8000 for a three bedroom house. That's if you can find one at all in Rs; everyone wants Forex these days and there are many "executive-style" places cropping up all over the island going for Euros 1200 for two bedrooms.
The official exchange rate is Rs 12 to the Euro and Rs 8 to the Dollar. Two years ago it was Rs 6 to the Euro; I can't remember the Dollar.
And this is what President Michel had to say about it at the recent food summit in Rome...
How much is petrol now?
ReplyDeleteMy first car in the Seychelles was a nearly new '79 Toyata Ceilca 2000,
sexy red with white leather interior.
The only fast car around; never shifted into 4th gear unless flying by the airport.
After a year my American edge began to smooth; traded the hot rod for a little pick-up with a canvas shell and a sail boat, :)
RichA.
Petrol is now Rs 16/litre. That's US$2, which is extremely pricey, especially when one considers how much people earn here.
ReplyDeleteAnd there wasn't even a highway then. People are still racing to Katiolo though ...
Wow! Petrol is half that price here in California but we are catching up.
ReplyDeleteYes, I watched the You-Tube videos of the Mahe racers. Times have certainly changed.
My favorite drive, Chemin-Montagne Posee. :)
RichA.
Oh boy...there goes my dearest father, cursing again...he is really good at that.
ReplyDelete$16/l is not cheap.
It's $1.44/l at the pump today...extremely expensive for us.
Seselwaz.
oops i meant SR16/l.
ReplyDeleteRich - The Montaigne Posee Road? Training for the Monte Carlo Rally? :-)
ReplyDeleteSeselwaz - I hope your $16 isn't prophetic... although the way things are going it may not be far off...
Here are some Seychelles facts and figures documented by America's "Men in Black":
ReplyDeletehttps://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/se.html
Some may contend the government is a true Democracy. :) lol
RichA.
Gee, $16/l seems out of this world. It would be chaotic.
ReplyDeleteThey are forecasting $2.30/l by the end of the year and I'm already getting nervous...my home is heated with oil. Time to get rid of the oil furnace and invest in an electric one perhaps.
Or better yet, time to move back to Seychelles. :) keeping in mind, I'll be doing a lot of walking instead of driving.
Seselwaz.
On second thought, I won't be able to afford housing and I cannot put up a tent...it's illegal. :)
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend.
Seselwaz.
RichA - I hadn't visited the CIA site in a while. There used to be some critical stuff there. No longer. It now really looks like it's paradise...
ReplyDeleteSeselwaz - You are allowed to put up a tent on private property. If you get really desperate, feel free to use my garden. If you don't mind the creepy crawlies...
Have a good Sunday!
L,
ReplyDeleteThe CIA sire is a reflection of the current Bush administration; they can't seem to get anything right!
I'm hoping we will have President Obama calling the shot in a few months.
As for camping in you garden, here is a way to get above the creepy crawlies:
http://hennessyhammock.com/
RichA.
RichA,
ReplyDeleteThose hammocks look really cool. I especially like the offer of "free snakeskins with each hammock ordered online". How many does one get, I wonder...
Obama? You and the rest of the world that is in the 21st century.
I read the article on Mr Michel and my comment was .. "If the Seychelles makes $15M a year from this trade Mr Michel - where is the money??? It's evidently not used to stock supermarket shelves, or invest in local industry or prevent crime or bolster your crumbling society. Maybe we will find it buried under the palatial homes of government/law officials or squirreled away on a North Queensland mango farm perhaps?"
ReplyDeletewhen you consider everyone who uses public service in seychelles such as free education for everyone and free health for everyone i dont think thats much to talk about, i mean just imagine you guys had to actually pay for those things, at least be greatfull for something!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for this! I've just emailed you asking you a similar question!
ReplyDelete