Manhattan is the second most expensive location in the Americas, with Managua in Nicaragua as the cheapest.
The Americas Top 10 Most Expensive Expat Destinations 2010 - 2015
Embark on a journey with Xpatulator, your guide to mastering global living standards. Explore the intricacies of relocating with our insights on cost of living, quality of life, and the unique challenges faced when moving across borders. Our calculators offer essential data for over 780 destinations worldwide, helping you navigate cost-of-living comparisons, purchasing power parity, and tailor international packages. Perfect for those seeking to balance lifestyle and expenses in new locations.
Showing posts with label COLA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label COLA. Show all posts
Monday, February 9, 2015
The Americas Still Hold The Top Spot For Most Expensive Expat City In The World
Caracas has retained this top spot for the last five years, even with the drop in the cost of living in the country, many factors ensure it's position.
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Here Are The Americas Most Expensive Expatriate Locations
With the relative strength of the US Dollar cities in the USA have continued to climb the expatriate cost of living rankings. This has also contributed to cities in other regions dropping in the rankings with Canadian cities moving out of the top ten.
The top five ranked locations in the Americas include: Caracas, Manhattan NY, Hamilton, Sao Paulo and George Town.
Xpatulator.com has been created to assist subscribers calculate expatriate pay using the online calculators and extensive database of cost of living and hardship indexes, for 780 international locations. The cost of living ranking information is updated quarterly using data collected by Xpatulator.com over the past 12 months.
For the full list of the rankings go here.
This article may be freely copied as long as reference is made to http://www.xpatulator.com/
The top five ranked locations in the Americas include: Caracas, Manhattan NY, Hamilton, Sao Paulo and George Town.
Xpatulator.com has been created to assist subscribers calculate expatriate pay using the online calculators and extensive database of cost of living and hardship indexes, for 780 international locations. The cost of living ranking information is updated quarterly using data collected by Xpatulator.com over the past 12 months.
For the full list of the rankings go here.
This article may be freely copied as long as reference is made to http://www.xpatulator.com/
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Differing Levels of Expatriate Compensation
The question revolved around the Cost of Living Allowance Analysis and whether it took into account the differing levels of compensation that an expat can receive.
Essentially the Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) is a salary supplement paid to employees to cover differences in the cost of living, particularly as a result of international assignments.
It the cost of living difference is 30% then in order to have the same purchasing power the COLA would be the amount paid to compensate for the 30% higher cost of living. The salary amount should only be the salary that is exposed to the cost of living difference (typically 40% of home net salary.) For example if 60% of the salary remains in the home country and 40% is paid in the host country, then the COLA would only apply to the 40% salary in the host country.
The formula for calculating the cost of living allowance is as follows: (Net Spendable Salary x Cost of living Index x Hardship Index x Exchange Rate) LESS (Net Spendable Salary x Exchange Rate) = NET COLA
Cost of Living Allowance Calculator (COLA): Download Demo COLA Report
The COLA report calculates how much additional allowance (over and above your current salary) you need to earn in another location to compensate for a higher cost of living, hardship and the exchange rate, in order to have the same relative spending power and as a result have a similar standard of living as you have in your current location. Each new COLA report uses 1 credit ($99). Recommended for calculation of a cost of living allowance for short-term assignments.
1 credit costs $99. Register, then login using your email address and password, and buy your credits online. Please note that credit card verification time is usually a few minutes, but can take a few hours. Once you have your credits you can run the premium content calculators and receive your reports online within minutes.
To get started Register Now.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
How to Calculate an International Cost of Living Allowance
A Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) is a salary supplement paid to employees to cover differences in the cost of living, particularly as a result of an international assignment.
The amount of COLA should enable an expatriate to be able to purchase the same basket of goods and services in the host location as they could in their home country. The basis for calculating a COLA is the Cost of Living Index (COLI) which indexes the costs of the same basket of goods and services in different geographic locations. COLA is a simple accurate method of measuring fluctuating salary purchasing power and ensuring parity.
Cost of Living Index
Our cost of Living Indexes measure the cost of 230 products and services across 13 different basket groups in 276 cities across the globe. The data is gathered by a team of research analysts who survey comparable items that are available internationally. A minimum of 3 prices for the same brand/size/volume of product is used to determine the average price for each item in each location. The items are priced on a quarterly basis and tend to rise and fall with inflation. The 13 different basket categories are as follows:
The amount of COLA should enable an expatriate to be able to purchase the same basket of goods and services in the host location as they could in their home country. The basis for calculating a COLA is the Cost of Living Index (COLI) which indexes the costs of the same basket of goods and services in different geographic locations. COLA is a simple accurate method of measuring fluctuating salary purchasing power and ensuring parity.
Cost of Living Index
Our cost of Living Indexes measure the cost of 230 products and services across 13 different basket groups in 276 cities across the globe. The data is gathered by a team of research analysts who survey comparable items that are available internationally. A minimum of 3 prices for the same brand/size/volume of product is used to determine the average price for each item in each location. The items are priced on a quarterly basis and tend to rise and fall with inflation. The 13 different basket categories are as follows:
Alcohol & Tobacco: Alcoholic beverages and tobacco products
- Alcohol at Bar
- Beer
- Cigarettes
- Locally Produced Spirit
- Whiskey
- Wine
Clothing: Clothing and footwear products
- Business Suits
- Casual Clothing
- Children’s Clothing and footwear
- Coats and hats
- Evening Wear
- Shoe Repairs
- Underwear
Communication
- Home Telephone Rental and Call Charges
- Internet Connection and service provider fees
- Mobile / Cellular Phone Contract and Calls
Education
- Crèche / Pre-School Fees
- High School / College Fees
- Primary School Fees
- Tertiary Study Fees
Furniture & Appliances: Furniture, household equipment and household appliances
- DVD Player
- Fridge Freezer
- Iron
- Kettle, Toaster, Microwave
- Light Bulbs
- Television
- Vacuum Cleaner
- Washing Machine
Groceries: Food, non-alcoholic beverages and cleaning material
- Baby Consumables
- Baked Goods
- Baking
- Canned Foods
- Cheese
- Cleaning Products
- Dairy
- Fresh Fruits
- Fresh Vegetables
- Fruit Juices
- Frozen
- Meat
- Oil & Vinegars
- Pet Food
- Pre-Prepared Meals
- Sauces
- Seafood
- Snacks
- Soft Drinks
- Spices & Herbs
Healthcare: General Healthcare, Medical and Medical Insurance
- General Practitioner Consultation rates
- Hospital Private Ward Daily Rate
- Non-Prescription Medicine
- Private Medical Insurance / Medical Aid Contributions
Household: Housing, water, electricity, household gas, household fuels, local rates and residential taxes
- House / Flat Mortgage
- House / Flat Rental
- Household Electricity Consumption
- Household Gas / Fuel Consumption
- Household Water Consumption
- Local Property Rates / Taxes / Levies
Miscellaneous: Stationary, Linen and general goods and services
- Domestic Help
- Dry Cleaning
- Linen
- Office Supplies
- Newspapers and Magazines
- Postage Stamps
Personal Care: Personal Care products and services
- Cosmetics
- Haircare
- Moisturiser / Sun Block
- Nappies
- Pain Relief Tablets
- Toilet Paper
- Toothpaste
- Soap / Shampoo / Conditioner
Recreation and Culture
- Books
- Camera Film
- Cinema Ticket
- DVD and CD’s
- Sports goods
- Theatre Ticket
Restaurants, Meals Out and Hotels
- Business Dinner
- Dinner at Restaurant (non fast food)
- Hotel Rates
- Take Away Drinks & Snacks (fast Food)
- Transport: Public Transport, Vehicle Costs, Vehicle Fuel, Vehicle Insurance and Vehicle Maintenance
- Hire Purchase / Lease of Vehicle
- Petrol / Diesel
- Public Transport
- Service Maintenance
- Tyres
- Vehicle Insurance
- Vehicle Purchase
Each basket category does not count equally and are weighted in the final calculation based on expatriate spending patterns.
In order to calculate an accurate cost of living index for a specific individual the basket items that are not relevant to the individual should be excluded from the calculation. For example if education and housing is provided by the employer these basket categories would be excluded from the cost of living index calculation. This increases the accuracy of the cost of living index and makes it possible for each individual to have their own customized cost of living index based on their specific arrangements rather than using an overall “generic” index which is likely to contains costs that are not relevant to the individual.
The formula for calculating the specific cost of living index for an international assignment is as follows:
Cost of Living Index = Customized Cost of Living Index for Host City / Customized Cost of Living Index for Home City
When moving to a higher cost of living host city, the index will be greater than 1 (positive). When moving to a lower cost of living host city the index will be less than 1 (negative). Where the index is negative it means that in real terms the cost of living in the host city is lower than the home city. This means that if the negative index where to be applied to the employee’s salary, they would actually be paid proportionately less spendable salary in the host city. It is important to note that the majority of organizations do not apply a negative cost of living index because it makes it difficult to persuade an employee to take up an assignment as they tend to see it as a reduction in salary.
Examples of Cost of Living Index Calculations using our data:
Example 1) An Australian employee moving from Perth to London where healthcare and communication will be provided by the employer
More Expensive in London:
- Alcohol & Tobacco +4.77%
- Clothing +21.85%
- Education +31.53%
- Furniture & Appliances +16.03%
- Groceries +16.35%
- Household +50.72%
- Miscellaneous +137.47%
- Personal Care +11.18%
- Recreation & Culture -6.82%
- Restaurants Meals Out and Hotels +34.99%
- Transport +19.80%
The overall difference in cost of living moving from Perth and London is +28.06%.
In this case the cost of living index is positive and would be applied as it is.
Example 2) A British employee moving from London to Mumbai where the employer will provide housing and education
More Expensive in Mumbai:
- Alcohol & Tobacco -37.53%
- Clothing -9.58%
- Communication -44.92%
- Furniture & Appliances -19.31%
- Groceries -24.03%
- Healthcare -31.24%
- Miscellaneous -72.43%
- Personal Care -24.94%
- Recreation & Culture -35.73%
- Restaurants Meals Out and Hotels -33.11%
- Transport is -27.99%
The overall difference in cost of living moving from London Mumbai is -30.53%.
In this case the cost of living index is negative and would not be applied.
Net Spendable Salary
Differences in cost of living only impact the portion of the salary that is spendable in the host country. Items in the home country such as retirement funding, medical insurance and other home based costs are not impacted by the cost of living in the host country.
To determine the Net Spendable Salary establish what amount / portion of the current salary (in home currency) is spent in maintaining the employee’s current standard of living / lifestyle. What will the expatriate need to spend their salary on in the host country? For example will accommodation be provided or will the employee pay rent, will healthcare be provided etc. Deduct all items that are either provided in kind or are spendable in the home country. Deduct the hypothetical amount of tax, social contributions and any other statutory deductions applicable in the home country from the Spendable Salary. What is left is the Net Spendable Salary.
Cost of Living Allowance (COLA)
The formula for calculating the cost of living allowance using the above inputs is as follows:
(Net Spendable Salary X Cost of Living Index X Hardship Index X Exchange Rate) less (Net Spendable Salary X Exchange Rate) = COLA
Examples of COLA Calculations using our data
Example 1) An Australian employee with a net spendable salary of AUD$100,000 moving from Perth to London where healthcare and communication will be provided by the employer
($100,000.00 X 1.2806 X 1 X 0.4768) less ($100,000.00 X 0.4768) = COLA of £13,379.44 (GBP)
Based on all the above factors a person would require a Cost of Living Allowance of £13,379.44 (GBP), in addition to their current salary of 100,000.00 Australian Dollar (AUD) to compensate for relocating from Perth to London. This Cost of Living Allowance compensates for the overall cost of living difference of +28.06% and the relative difference in hardship of 0%.
Example 2) A British employee with a net spendable salary of £18,000 moving from London to Mumbai where the employer will provide housing and education
Note: Because the Cost of Living Index is negative it is not applied.
(£18,000.00 X 1 X 1.3 X 67.2852) less (£18,000.00 X67.2852) = COLA of 363,340.32 Indian Rupee
Based on all the above factors a person would require a Cost of Living Allowance of 363,340.32 (INR ), in addition to their current salary of £18,000.00 British Pound (GBP ) to compensate for relocating from London to Mumbai. This Cost of Living Allowance compensates for the overall cost of living difference of [-30.53%] and the relative difference in hardship of 30%.
COLA Payment
The COLA is paid as a salary supplement (i.e. as an additional allowance) net of tax in the host country. If the COLA is a taxable allowance in the host country it should be grossed up in order that the full amount of calculated COLA is paid net of tax given that the basis of the calculation is Net Spendable Salary. The COLA is often accompanied by other allowances and benefits such as flights home, relocation / settling in allowance, and furnishing allowance.
Exchange Rate Fluctuations
Significant changes in the exchange rate can make a considerable difference in the COLA calculation. In 2008 some of the major global exchange rates changed by as much as 30-40%.
The cost of living index reflects the changes caused by inflation and exchange rates. In the short-term there may be disequilibrium between inflation and the exchange rate (the one pushes the other), however over time the cost of living index provides the most accurate view of the cost of living.
It is important to remind expatriates that when the cost of living difference is negative, and the negative value has not been applied, they have higher purchasing power in the host country than they would at home.
Where a negative cost of living index has not been applied (our recommended approach), and a change in the exchange rate indicates an upward adjustment in COLA may be required, it is recommended that the COLA should not be adjusted upward until the cost of living index becomes positive i.e. the cost of living reflects that there is a “real” increase in cost of living between home and host countries. This may mean that their would be no increase in the COLA as a result of exchange rate fluctuations for some considerable time. During this time the employee’s purchasing power decreases. But it is important to remember that until the cost of living difference becomes positive, the individual will still have a higher purchasing power than they do in their home country.
It is advisable to stipulate a currency protection rule, rather than reacting to every fluctuation in the exchange rate. For example the rule may state that COLA will be reviewed if exchange rates or local inflation move by more than +10% during a year. It is important to keep in mind that the prices of goods and services are unlikely to drop in local currency. This would only occur in a period of deflation (negative inflation). Therefore the currency protection rule would normally make provision for upward adjustments in COLA and not downward adjustments during an employee’s assignment. Downward adjustments to an existing COLA due to exchange rate fluctuations without a corresponding drop in the prices of local goods and services puts immense pressure on an employee’s host currency budget commitments and can lead to the employee experiencing financial difficulty.
Using an independent service provider provides an independent, objective basis for determining an employee’s COLA.
We recommend therefore that a COLA is calculated by applying the specific (customized) cost of living index to the net spendable salary at the beginning of the assignment and monitoring exchange rate fluctuations thereafter in addition to the annual salary review.
http://www.xpatulator.com
Sunday, January 25, 2009
How to Calculate a Cost of Living Allowance
A Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) is a salary supplement paid to employees to cover differences in the cost of living, particularly as a result of an international assignment.
The amount of COLA should enable an expatriate to be able to purchase the same basket of goods and services in the host location as they could in their home country. The basis for calculating a COLA is the Cost of Living Index (COLI) which indexes the costs of the same basket of goods and services in different geographic locations. COLA is a simple accurate method of measuring fluctuating salary purchasing power and ensuring parity.
Cost of Living Index
Our cost of Living Indexes measure the cost of 230 products and services across 13 different basket groups in 276 cities across the globe. The data is gathered by a team of research analysts who survey comparable items that are available internationally. A minimum of 3 prices for the same brand/size/volume of product is used to determine the average price for each item in each location. The items are priced on a quarterly basis and tend to rise and fall with inflation. The 13 different basket categories are as follows:
· Alcohol & Tobacco: Alcoholic beverages and tobacco products
Alcohol at Bar
Beer
Cigarettes
Locally Produced Spirit
Whiskey
Wine
· Clothing: Clothing and footwear products
Business Suits
Casual Clothing
Children’s Clothing and footwear
Coats and hats
Evening Wear
Shoe Repairs
Underwear
· Communication
Home Telephone Rental and Call Charges
Internet Connection and service provider fees
Mobile / Cellular Phone Contract and Calls
· Education
Crèche / Pre-School Fees
High School / College Fees
Primary School Fees
Tertiary Study Fees
· Furniture & Appliances: Furniture, household equipment and household appliances
DVD Player
Fridge Freezer
Iron
Kettle, Toaster, Microwave
Light Bulbs
Television
Vacuum Cleaner
Washing Machine
· Groceries: Food, non-alcoholic beverages and cleaning material
Baby Consumables
Baked Goods
Baking
Canned Foods
Cheese
Cleaning Products
Dairy
Fresh Fruits
Fresh Vegetables
Fruit Juices
Frozen
Meat
Oil & Vinegars
Pet Food
Pre-Prepared Meals
Sauces
Seafood
Snacks
Soft Drinks
Spices & Herbs
· Healthcare: General Healthcare, Medical and Medical Insurance
General Practitioner Consultation rates
Hospital Private Ward Daily Rate
Non-Prescription Medicine
Private Medical Insurance / Medical Aid Contributions
· Household: Housing, water, electricity, household gas, household fuels, local rates and residential taxes
House / Flat Mortgage
House / Flat Rental
Household Electricity Consumption
Household Gas / Fuel Consumption
Household Water Consumption
Local Property Rates / Taxes / Levies
· Miscellaneous: Stationary, Linen and general goods and services
Domestic Help
Dry Cleaning
Linen
Office Supplies
Newspapers and Magazines
Postage Stamps
· Personal Care: Personal Care products and services
Cosmetics
Haircare
Moisturiser / Sun Block
Nappies
Pain Relief Tablets
Toilet Paper
Toothpaste
Soap / Shampoo / Conditioner
· Recreation and Culture
Books
Camera Film
Cinema Ticket
DVD and CD’s
Sports goods
Theatre Ticket
· Restaurants, Meals Out and Hotels
Business Dinner
Dinner at Restaurant (non fast food)
Hotel Rates
Take Away Drinks & Snacks (fast Food)
· Transport: Public Transport, Vehicle Costs, Vehicle Fuel, Vehicle Insurance and Vehicle Maintenance
Hire Purchase / Lease of Vehicle
Petrol / Diesel
Public Transport
Service Maintenance
Tyres
Vehicle Insurance
Vehicle Purchase
Each basket category does not count equally and are weighted in the final calculation based on expatriate spending patterns.
In order to calculate an accurate cost of living index for a specific individual the basket items that are not relevant to the individual should be excluded from the calculation. For example if education and housing is provided by the employer these basket categories would be excluded from the cost of living index calculation. This increases the accuracy of the cost of living index and makes it possible for each individual to have their own customized cost of living index based on their specific arrangements rather than using an overall “generic” index which is likely to contains costs that are not relevant to the individual.
The formula for calculating the specific cost of living index for an international assignment is as follows:
Cost of Living Index = Customized Cost of Living Index for Host City / Customized Cost of Living Index for Home City
When moving to a higher cost of living host city, the index will be greater than 1 (positive). When moving to a lower cost of living host city the index will be less than 1 (negative). Where the index is negative it means that in real terms the cost of living in the host city is lower than the home city. This means that if the negative index where to be applied to the employee’s salary, they would actually be paid proportionately less spendable salary in the host city. It is important to note that the majority of organizations do not apply a negative cost of living index because it makes it difficult to persuade an employee to take up an assignment as they tend to see it as a reduction in salary.
Examples of Cost of Living Index Calculations using our data:
Example 1) An Australian employee moving from Perth to London where healthcare and communication will be provided by the employer
More Expensive in London:
Alcohol & Tobacco +4.77%
Clothing +21.85%
Education +31.53%
Furniture & Appliances +16.03%
Groceries +16.35%
Household +50.72%
Miscellaneous +137.47%
Personal Care +11.18%
Recreation & Culture -6.82%
Restaurants Meals Out and Hotels +34.99%
Transport +19.80%
The overall difference in cost of living moving from Perth and London is +28.06%.
In this case the cost of living index is positive and would be applied as it is.
Example 2) A British employee moving from London to Mumbai where the employer will provide housing and education
More Expensive in Mumbai:
Alcohol & Tobacco -37.53%
Clothing -9.58%
Communication -44.92%
Furniture & Appliances -19.31%
Groceries -24.03%
Healthcare -31.24%
Miscellaneous -72.43%
Personal Care -24.94%
Recreation & Culture -35.73%
Restaurants Meals Out and Hotels -33.11%
Transport is -27.99%
The overall difference in cost of living moving from London Mumbai is -30.53%.
In this case the cost of living index is negative and would not be applied.
Net Spendable Salary
Differences in cost of living only impact the portion of the salary that is spendable in the host country. Items in the home country such as retirement funding, medical insurance and other home based costs are not impacted by the cost of living in the host country.
To determine the Net Spendable Salary establish what amount / portion of the current salary (in home currency) is spent in maintaining the employee’s current standard of living / lifestyle. What will the expatriate need to spend their salary on in the host country? For example will accommodation be provided or will the employee pay rent, will healthcare be provided etc. Deduct all items that are either provided in kind or are spendable in the home country. Deduct the hypothetical amount of tax, social contributions and any other statutory deductions applicable in the home country from the Spendable Salary. What is left is the Net Spendable Salary.
Cost of Living Allowance (COLA)
The formula for calculating the cost of living allowance using the above inputs is as follows:
(Net Spendable Salary X Cost of Living Index X Hardship Index X Exchange Rate) less (Net Spendable Salary X Exchange Rate) = COLA
Examples of COLA Calculations using our data
Example 1) An Australian employee with a net spendable salary of AUD$100,000 moving from Perth to London where healthcare and communication will be provided by the employer
($100,000.00 X 1.2806 X 1 X 0.4768) less ($100,000.00 X 0.4768) = COLA of £13,379.44 (GBP)
Based on all the above factors a person would require a Cost of Living Allowance of £13,379.44 (GBP), in addition to their current salary of 100,000.00 Australian Dollar (AUD) to compensate for relocating from Perth to London. This Cost of Living Allowance compensates for the overall cost of living difference of +28.06% and the relative difference in hardship of 0%.
Example 2) A British employee with a net spendable salary of £18,000 moving from London to Mumbai where the employer will provide housing and education
Note: Because the Cost of Living Index is negative it is not applied.
(£18,000.00 X 1 X 1.3 X 67.2852) less (£18,000.00 X67.2852) = COLA of 363,340.32 Indian Rupee
Based on all the above factors a person would require a Cost of Living Allowance of 363,340.32 (INR ), in addition to their current salary of £18,000.00 British Pound (GBP ) to compensate for relocating from London to Mumbai. This Cost of Living Allowance compensates for the overall cost of living difference of [-30.53%] and the relative difference in hardship of 30%.
COLA Payment
The COLA is paid as a salary supplement (i.e. as an additional allowance) net of tax in the host country. If the COLA is a taxable allowance in the host country it should be grossed up in order that the full amount of calculated COLA is paid net of tax given that the basis of the calculation is Net Spendable Salary. The COLA is often accompanied by other allowances and benefits such as flights home, relocation / settling in allowance, and furnishing allowance.
Exchange Rate Fluctuations
Significant changes in the exchange rate can make a considerable difference in the COLA calculation. In 2008 some of the major global exchange rates changed by as much as 30-40%.
The cost of living index reflects the changes caused by inflation and exchange rates. In the short-term there may be disequilibrium between inflation and the exchange rate (the one pushes the other), however over time the cost of living index provides the most accurate view of the cost of living.
It is important to remind expatriates that when the cost of living difference is negative, and the negative value has not been applied, they have higher purchasing power in the host country than they would at home.
Where a negative cost of living index has not been applied (our recommended approach), and a change in the exchange rate indicates an upward adjustment in COLA may be required, it is recommended that the COLA should not be adjusted upward until the cost of living index becomes positive i.e. the cost of living reflects that there is a “real” increase in cost of living between home and host countries. This may mean that their would be no increase in the COLA as a result of exchange rate fluctuations for some considerable time. During this time the employee’s purchasing power decreases. But it is important to remember that until the cost of living difference becomes positive, the individual will still have a higher purchasing power than they do in their home country.
It is advisable to stipulate a currency protection rule, rather than reacting to every fluctuation in the exchange rate. For example the rule may state that COLA will be reviewed if exchange rates or local inflation move by more than +10% during a year. It is important to keep in mind that the prices of goods and services are unlikely to drop in local currency. This would only occur in a period of deflation (negative inflation). Therefore the currency protection rule would normally make provision for upward adjustments in COLA and not downward adjustments during an employee’s assignment. Downward adjustments to an existing COLA due to exchange rate fluctuations without a corresponding drop in the prices of local goods and services puts immense pressure on an employee’s host currency budget commitments and can lead to the employee experiencing financial difficulty.
Using an independent service provider provides an independent, objective basis for determining an employee’s COLA.
We recommend therefore that a COLA is calculated by applying the specific (customized) cost of living index to the net spendable salary at the beginning of the assignment and monitoring exchange rate fluctuations thereafter in addition to the annual salary review.
Steven Coleman runs the most comprehensive international cost of living website available www.xpatulator.com an internet service that provides free cost of living and hardship information for 276 global locations to registered users. The premium content calculators allow you to customise your own cost of living index by choosing your own basket groups and includes a COLA calculator. Follow Steven on twitter
http://twitter.com/steveninseattle.
The amount of COLA should enable an expatriate to be able to purchase the same basket of goods and services in the host location as they could in their home country. The basis for calculating a COLA is the Cost of Living Index (COLI) which indexes the costs of the same basket of goods and services in different geographic locations. COLA is a simple accurate method of measuring fluctuating salary purchasing power and ensuring parity.
Cost of Living Index
Our cost of Living Indexes measure the cost of 230 products and services across 13 different basket groups in 276 cities across the globe. The data is gathered by a team of research analysts who survey comparable items that are available internationally. A minimum of 3 prices for the same brand/size/volume of product is used to determine the average price for each item in each location. The items are priced on a quarterly basis and tend to rise and fall with inflation. The 13 different basket categories are as follows:
· Alcohol & Tobacco: Alcoholic beverages and tobacco products
Alcohol at Bar
Beer
Cigarettes
Locally Produced Spirit
Whiskey
Wine
· Clothing: Clothing and footwear products
Business Suits
Casual Clothing
Children’s Clothing and footwear
Coats and hats
Evening Wear
Shoe Repairs
Underwear
· Communication
Home Telephone Rental and Call Charges
Internet Connection and service provider fees
Mobile / Cellular Phone Contract and Calls
· Education
Crèche / Pre-School Fees
High School / College Fees
Primary School Fees
Tertiary Study Fees
· Furniture & Appliances: Furniture, household equipment and household appliances
DVD Player
Fridge Freezer
Iron
Kettle, Toaster, Microwave
Light Bulbs
Television
Vacuum Cleaner
Washing Machine
· Groceries: Food, non-alcoholic beverages and cleaning material
Baby Consumables
Baked Goods
Baking
Canned Foods
Cheese
Cleaning Products
Dairy
Fresh Fruits
Fresh Vegetables
Fruit Juices
Frozen
Meat
Oil & Vinegars
Pet Food
Pre-Prepared Meals
Sauces
Seafood
Snacks
Soft Drinks
Spices & Herbs
· Healthcare: General Healthcare, Medical and Medical Insurance
General Practitioner Consultation rates
Hospital Private Ward Daily Rate
Non-Prescription Medicine
Private Medical Insurance / Medical Aid Contributions
· Household: Housing, water, electricity, household gas, household fuels, local rates and residential taxes
House / Flat Mortgage
House / Flat Rental
Household Electricity Consumption
Household Gas / Fuel Consumption
Household Water Consumption
Local Property Rates / Taxes / Levies
· Miscellaneous: Stationary, Linen and general goods and services
Domestic Help
Dry Cleaning
Linen
Office Supplies
Newspapers and Magazines
Postage Stamps
· Personal Care: Personal Care products and services
Cosmetics
Haircare
Moisturiser / Sun Block
Nappies
Pain Relief Tablets
Toilet Paper
Toothpaste
Soap / Shampoo / Conditioner
· Recreation and Culture
Books
Camera Film
Cinema Ticket
DVD and CD’s
Sports goods
Theatre Ticket
· Restaurants, Meals Out and Hotels
Business Dinner
Dinner at Restaurant (non fast food)
Hotel Rates
Take Away Drinks & Snacks (fast Food)
· Transport: Public Transport, Vehicle Costs, Vehicle Fuel, Vehicle Insurance and Vehicle Maintenance
Hire Purchase / Lease of Vehicle
Petrol / Diesel
Public Transport
Service Maintenance
Tyres
Vehicle Insurance
Vehicle Purchase
Each basket category does not count equally and are weighted in the final calculation based on expatriate spending patterns.
In order to calculate an accurate cost of living index for a specific individual the basket items that are not relevant to the individual should be excluded from the calculation. For example if education and housing is provided by the employer these basket categories would be excluded from the cost of living index calculation. This increases the accuracy of the cost of living index and makes it possible for each individual to have their own customized cost of living index based on their specific arrangements rather than using an overall “generic” index which is likely to contains costs that are not relevant to the individual.
The formula for calculating the specific cost of living index for an international assignment is as follows:
Cost of Living Index = Customized Cost of Living Index for Host City / Customized Cost of Living Index for Home City
When moving to a higher cost of living host city, the index will be greater than 1 (positive). When moving to a lower cost of living host city the index will be less than 1 (negative). Where the index is negative it means that in real terms the cost of living in the host city is lower than the home city. This means that if the negative index where to be applied to the employee’s salary, they would actually be paid proportionately less spendable salary in the host city. It is important to note that the majority of organizations do not apply a negative cost of living index because it makes it difficult to persuade an employee to take up an assignment as they tend to see it as a reduction in salary.
Examples of Cost of Living Index Calculations using our data:
Example 1) An Australian employee moving from Perth to London where healthcare and communication will be provided by the employer
More Expensive in London:
Alcohol & Tobacco +4.77%
Clothing +21.85%
Education +31.53%
Furniture & Appliances +16.03%
Groceries +16.35%
Household +50.72%
Miscellaneous +137.47%
Personal Care +11.18%
Recreation & Culture -6.82%
Restaurants Meals Out and Hotels +34.99%
Transport +19.80%
The overall difference in cost of living moving from Perth and London is +28.06%.
In this case the cost of living index is positive and would be applied as it is.
Example 2) A British employee moving from London to Mumbai where the employer will provide housing and education
More Expensive in Mumbai:
Alcohol & Tobacco -37.53%
Clothing -9.58%
Communication -44.92%
Furniture & Appliances -19.31%
Groceries -24.03%
Healthcare -31.24%
Miscellaneous -72.43%
Personal Care -24.94%
Recreation & Culture -35.73%
Restaurants Meals Out and Hotels -33.11%
Transport is -27.99%
The overall difference in cost of living moving from London Mumbai is -30.53%.
In this case the cost of living index is negative and would not be applied.
Net Spendable Salary
Differences in cost of living only impact the portion of the salary that is spendable in the host country. Items in the home country such as retirement funding, medical insurance and other home based costs are not impacted by the cost of living in the host country.
To determine the Net Spendable Salary establish what amount / portion of the current salary (in home currency) is spent in maintaining the employee’s current standard of living / lifestyle. What will the expatriate need to spend their salary on in the host country? For example will accommodation be provided or will the employee pay rent, will healthcare be provided etc. Deduct all items that are either provided in kind or are spendable in the home country. Deduct the hypothetical amount of tax, social contributions and any other statutory deductions applicable in the home country from the Spendable Salary. What is left is the Net Spendable Salary.
Cost of Living Allowance (COLA)
The formula for calculating the cost of living allowance using the above inputs is as follows:
(Net Spendable Salary X Cost of Living Index X Hardship Index X Exchange Rate) less (Net Spendable Salary X Exchange Rate) = COLA
Examples of COLA Calculations using our data
Example 1) An Australian employee with a net spendable salary of AUD$100,000 moving from Perth to London where healthcare and communication will be provided by the employer
($100,000.00 X 1.2806 X 1 X 0.4768) less ($100,000.00 X 0.4768) = COLA of £13,379.44 (GBP)
Based on all the above factors a person would require a Cost of Living Allowance of £13,379.44 (GBP), in addition to their current salary of 100,000.00 Australian Dollar (AUD) to compensate for relocating from Perth to London. This Cost of Living Allowance compensates for the overall cost of living difference of +28.06% and the relative difference in hardship of 0%.
Example 2) A British employee with a net spendable salary of £18,000 moving from London to Mumbai where the employer will provide housing and education
Note: Because the Cost of Living Index is negative it is not applied.
(£18,000.00 X 1 X 1.3 X 67.2852) less (£18,000.00 X67.2852) = COLA of 363,340.32 Indian Rupee
Based on all the above factors a person would require a Cost of Living Allowance of 363,340.32 (INR ), in addition to their current salary of £18,000.00 British Pound (GBP ) to compensate for relocating from London to Mumbai. This Cost of Living Allowance compensates for the overall cost of living difference of [-30.53%] and the relative difference in hardship of 30%.
COLA Payment
The COLA is paid as a salary supplement (i.e. as an additional allowance) net of tax in the host country. If the COLA is a taxable allowance in the host country it should be grossed up in order that the full amount of calculated COLA is paid net of tax given that the basis of the calculation is Net Spendable Salary. The COLA is often accompanied by other allowances and benefits such as flights home, relocation / settling in allowance, and furnishing allowance.
Exchange Rate Fluctuations
Significant changes in the exchange rate can make a considerable difference in the COLA calculation. In 2008 some of the major global exchange rates changed by as much as 30-40%.
The cost of living index reflects the changes caused by inflation and exchange rates. In the short-term there may be disequilibrium between inflation and the exchange rate (the one pushes the other), however over time the cost of living index provides the most accurate view of the cost of living.
It is important to remind expatriates that when the cost of living difference is negative, and the negative value has not been applied, they have higher purchasing power in the host country than they would at home.
Where a negative cost of living index has not been applied (our recommended approach), and a change in the exchange rate indicates an upward adjustment in COLA may be required, it is recommended that the COLA should not be adjusted upward until the cost of living index becomes positive i.e. the cost of living reflects that there is a “real” increase in cost of living between home and host countries. This may mean that their would be no increase in the COLA as a result of exchange rate fluctuations for some considerable time. During this time the employee’s purchasing power decreases. But it is important to remember that until the cost of living difference becomes positive, the individual will still have a higher purchasing power than they do in their home country.
It is advisable to stipulate a currency protection rule, rather than reacting to every fluctuation in the exchange rate. For example the rule may state that COLA will be reviewed if exchange rates or local inflation move by more than +10% during a year. It is important to keep in mind that the prices of goods and services are unlikely to drop in local currency. This would only occur in a period of deflation (negative inflation). Therefore the currency protection rule would normally make provision for upward adjustments in COLA and not downward adjustments during an employee’s assignment. Downward adjustments to an existing COLA due to exchange rate fluctuations without a corresponding drop in the prices of local goods and services puts immense pressure on an employee’s host currency budget commitments and can lead to the employee experiencing financial difficulty.
Using an independent service provider provides an independent, objective basis for determining an employee’s COLA.
We recommend therefore that a COLA is calculated by applying the specific (customized) cost of living index to the net spendable salary at the beginning of the assignment and monitoring exchange rate fluctuations thereafter in addition to the annual salary review.
Steven Coleman runs the most comprehensive international cost of living website available www.xpatulator.com an internet service that provides free cost of living and hardship information for 276 global locations to registered users. The premium content calculators allow you to customise your own cost of living index by choosing your own basket groups and includes a COLA calculator. Follow Steven on twitter
http://twitter.com/steveninseattle.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
My Thoughts On Expatriate Pay Philosophy
In my observation organisations spend insufficient time creating and reviewing their approach to expatriate pay. This is dangerous given that the highest employee turnover is at the beginning and end of international assignments, indicating a lack of integration of expatriate pay philosophy with the broader organisational pay philosophy.
The remuneration of expatriates often tends to be a rushed last minute decision due to urgent operational requirements. The resulting implications often only arise after the expatriate arrives in the host country, and when the assignment comes to an end. For example, the post assignment position back in the home country pays less than the expatriate earned on assignment.
Inconsistent treatment of expatriates quickly leads to unhappy expatriates. Once an organisation has more than 1 or 2 expatriates in the field it becomes vital to have a defendable expatriate pay philosophy in place. This philosophy should clearly convey the organisation’s remuneration principles regarding expatriate assignments. An expatriate assignment pay philosophy is intended to provide guidance in the consistent and equitable treatment of all expatriates and forms the basis of the organisation’s expatriate pay policy.
Most large global organisations have over time established a clear policy for remunerating expatriates. This is often a legacy policy, where past practice has become policy. However expatriate pay is a complex area of remuneration with complex issues such as volatile exchange rates, weak and strong currencies, constantly changing differences in cost of living between countries, different tax regimes, as well as the reality that there are attractive and not so attractive countries to work and live in. This is an area where a clear philosophy and an aligned practical policy are required to ensure attraction, fairness, equity, motivation and retention.
Firstly let’s deal with what makes an employee an expatriate. In my view an expatriate is a person working in a foreign country, where they are not permanently resident, on an assignment of typically not more than 3-5 years but is a citizen from another country. There are as many different expatriate pay practices as there are organisations employing expatriates. However we can identify at least four broad approaches to expatriate pay that has emerged as the dominant philosophies underlying expatriate pay.
Salary Build-Up (SBU)
The Salary Build-Up approach uses the current market related home salary as the base for calculating the expatriate package. Home in this case is the country where the employee permanently resides or is a citizen. The purpose of the build-up approach is to maintain internal equity between countries and to equalise the impact of differences between country tax rates. This ensures that expatriates neither lose nor gain as a result of tax treatment in the host country.
The Salary Build-Up approach typically involves deducting hypothetical tax in the home country, and builds on top of the home salary with an international premium (to compensate for hardship experienced), cost living index and the exchange rate to calculate a total net (i.e. after tax) assignment package.
The net assignment package is then “grossed up” in the host country for local tax and other statutory and non-statutory deductions to ensure the net pay assignment package is paid to the expatriate.
Salary Purchasing Power Parity (SPPP)
The Salary Purchasing Power Parity approach uses the principle of putting all expatriates within the organisation on an equal footing regardless of nationality and geographical location. The purpose of the SPPP approach is to ensure parity in the level of the purchasing power of the salary of expatriates doing the same job at the same level in different parts of the world, taking hardship, cost of living, and exchange rate differences into account.
This approach is typically used by global organisations that have a large number of expatriates, who move from one international assignment to another and compete globally for skills. Organisations using the SPPP approach typically establish a single global pay scale which is often by default that of the global headquarters country. The expatriate’s salary is calculated by adding calculated additional amounts for the hardship, cost of living, and exchange rate differential between the global headquarters (home) and the host country.
The assignment package is then taxed in the host country and other statutory and non-statutory deductions made to arrive at the net pay assignment package paid to the expatriate.
Cost of Living Allowance (COLA)
The Cost of Living Allowance approach uses the principle of retaining the expatriate’s home salary and paying an additional separate allowance, primarily for cost of living, but also for hardship based on the differences between the home location and the host location. The purpose of the COLA is to ensure parity in the level of the purchasing power of expatriates doing the same job at the same level in different parts of the world, taking hardship, cost of living, and exchange rate differences into account by paying a cost of allowance to compensate for the differences. At the end of the assignment the COLA falls away.
This approach is typically used by global international organisations that have a large number of expatriates, who move from one international assignment to another and compete globally for skills. Organisations using the COLA approach typically have country level pay scales. The expatriate’s COLA is calculated by adding calculated additional amounts for the hardship, cost of living, and exchange rate differential between the home country and the host country.
The assignment package is then taxed in the host country and other statutory and non-statutory deductions made to arrive at the net pay assignment package paid to the expatriate.
Local Market (LM)
The Local Market approach uses the principle of applying the local (i.e. host country) expatriate market pay rates. In many organisations the policy is to use the better of the Build-Up or the Local Market approaches, to ensure that the assignment package is equitable and competitive in the host market.
Due to the need for market data, the Local Market approach is typically only used where a strong local and / or expatriate market exists in the host country, and reliable salary surveys exist that accurately report the level of market salary for different positions. For example, take an organisation sending an expatriate from an economically poor, relatively low salary market country, to a city such as New York. It is likely that having used the home base salary as the basis of the calculation, that the resulting total assignment package will be significantly lower than the New York Salary Market. This would occur even after adding an international premium (to compensate for hardship experienced), and a cost living amount (to compensate for the higher cost of living in New York) as well as applying the exchange rate. The reason is that the market level of home base salary in an economically poor country is so much lower than the equivalent market salary in New York.
The Local Market approach is typically used in high economic growth and high cost of living countries where demand for skills is high and there are a large number of expatriates comprising many nationalities such as the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong or Singapore.
In conclusion it is important to ask questions about your current expatriate pay philosophy. Does your current expatriate pay philosophy drive the desired behaviour? Is the current policy and practice aligned to organisational objectives? Does the current policy work for or against the organisation achieving its global objectives?
I recommend a regular review of organisational expatriate pay philosophy in light of what the organisation seeks to achieve and where it operates geographically, whilst ensuring integration with the other pay related strategies of the organisation.
The remuneration of expatriates often tends to be a rushed last minute decision due to urgent operational requirements. The resulting implications often only arise after the expatriate arrives in the host country, and when the assignment comes to an end. For example, the post assignment position back in the home country pays less than the expatriate earned on assignment.
Inconsistent treatment of expatriates quickly leads to unhappy expatriates. Once an organisation has more than 1 or 2 expatriates in the field it becomes vital to have a defendable expatriate pay philosophy in place. This philosophy should clearly convey the organisation’s remuneration principles regarding expatriate assignments. An expatriate assignment pay philosophy is intended to provide guidance in the consistent and equitable treatment of all expatriates and forms the basis of the organisation’s expatriate pay policy.
Most large global organisations have over time established a clear policy for remunerating expatriates. This is often a legacy policy, where past practice has become policy. However expatriate pay is a complex area of remuneration with complex issues such as volatile exchange rates, weak and strong currencies, constantly changing differences in cost of living between countries, different tax regimes, as well as the reality that there are attractive and not so attractive countries to work and live in. This is an area where a clear philosophy and an aligned practical policy are required to ensure attraction, fairness, equity, motivation and retention.
Firstly let’s deal with what makes an employee an expatriate. In my view an expatriate is a person working in a foreign country, where they are not permanently resident, on an assignment of typically not more than 3-5 years but is a citizen from another country. There are as many different expatriate pay practices as there are organisations employing expatriates. However we can identify at least four broad approaches to expatriate pay that has emerged as the dominant philosophies underlying expatriate pay.
Salary Build-Up (SBU)
The Salary Build-Up approach uses the current market related home salary as the base for calculating the expatriate package. Home in this case is the country where the employee permanently resides or is a citizen. The purpose of the build-up approach is to maintain internal equity between countries and to equalise the impact of differences between country tax rates. This ensures that expatriates neither lose nor gain as a result of tax treatment in the host country.
The Salary Build-Up approach typically involves deducting hypothetical tax in the home country, and builds on top of the home salary with an international premium (to compensate for hardship experienced), cost living index and the exchange rate to calculate a total net (i.e. after tax) assignment package.
The net assignment package is then “grossed up” in the host country for local tax and other statutory and non-statutory deductions to ensure the net pay assignment package is paid to the expatriate.
Salary Purchasing Power Parity (SPPP)
The Salary Purchasing Power Parity approach uses the principle of putting all expatriates within the organisation on an equal footing regardless of nationality and geographical location. The purpose of the SPPP approach is to ensure parity in the level of the purchasing power of the salary of expatriates doing the same job at the same level in different parts of the world, taking hardship, cost of living, and exchange rate differences into account.
This approach is typically used by global organisations that have a large number of expatriates, who move from one international assignment to another and compete globally for skills. Organisations using the SPPP approach typically establish a single global pay scale which is often by default that of the global headquarters country. The expatriate’s salary is calculated by adding calculated additional amounts for the hardship, cost of living, and exchange rate differential between the global headquarters (home) and the host country.
The assignment package is then taxed in the host country and other statutory and non-statutory deductions made to arrive at the net pay assignment package paid to the expatriate.
Cost of Living Allowance (COLA)
The Cost of Living Allowance approach uses the principle of retaining the expatriate’s home salary and paying an additional separate allowance, primarily for cost of living, but also for hardship based on the differences between the home location and the host location. The purpose of the COLA is to ensure parity in the level of the purchasing power of expatriates doing the same job at the same level in different parts of the world, taking hardship, cost of living, and exchange rate differences into account by paying a cost of allowance to compensate for the differences. At the end of the assignment the COLA falls away.
This approach is typically used by global international organisations that have a large number of expatriates, who move from one international assignment to another and compete globally for skills. Organisations using the COLA approach typically have country level pay scales. The expatriate’s COLA is calculated by adding calculated additional amounts for the hardship, cost of living, and exchange rate differential between the home country and the host country.
The assignment package is then taxed in the host country and other statutory and non-statutory deductions made to arrive at the net pay assignment package paid to the expatriate.
Local Market (LM)
The Local Market approach uses the principle of applying the local (i.e. host country) expatriate market pay rates. In many organisations the policy is to use the better of the Build-Up or the Local Market approaches, to ensure that the assignment package is equitable and competitive in the host market.
Due to the need for market data, the Local Market approach is typically only used where a strong local and / or expatriate market exists in the host country, and reliable salary surveys exist that accurately report the level of market salary for different positions. For example, take an organisation sending an expatriate from an economically poor, relatively low salary market country, to a city such as New York. It is likely that having used the home base salary as the basis of the calculation, that the resulting total assignment package will be significantly lower than the New York Salary Market. This would occur even after adding an international premium (to compensate for hardship experienced), and a cost living amount (to compensate for the higher cost of living in New York) as well as applying the exchange rate. The reason is that the market level of home base salary in an economically poor country is so much lower than the equivalent market salary in New York.
The Local Market approach is typically used in high economic growth and high cost of living countries where demand for skills is high and there are a large number of expatriates comprising many nationalities such as the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong or Singapore.
In conclusion it is important to ask questions about your current expatriate pay philosophy. Does your current expatriate pay philosophy drive the desired behaviour? Is the current policy and practice aligned to organisational objectives? Does the current policy work for or against the organisation achieving its global objectives?
I recommend a regular review of organisational expatriate pay philosophy in light of what the organisation seeks to achieve and where it operates geographically, whilst ensuring integration with the other pay related strategies of the organisation.
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