City Costs
Tom: Jess, I find it wonderful to hear you mention the various cities where you've worked. Were all of them pricey places to reside?
Tom: My experience included brief contract work in North Africa - in Tripoli, Libya specifically - where my housing was provided by the employer. With minimal personal expenses, I could remit 70 or 80 percent of my paycheck back to my savings account in England.
Transportation within Tripoli using small minibuses cost just a quarter of a dinar. Food prices were slightly higher, but I could manage well on a minimal monthly budget. Since Tripoli sits on the Mediterranean shore, beach visits during my free time were convenient.
The climate remained consistently splendid. It was a captivating place to inhabit, and Libya's currency consisted of strikingly beautiful large banknotes that required multiple folds to fit in a wallet. There was something genuinely gratifying about carrying a handful of these notes.
Jess: Oh, how marvelous! I'd definitely like to go there.
Jess: No, affordability varied by location. My first home after leaving Britain was Budapest, Hungary. That was during a period when Hungary hadn't yet adopted the Euro, so the Hungarian forint remained the local currency. Price levels were significantly lower than in Britain.
Some items were pricey, particularly for visitors or people whom taxi drivers classified as foreigners. Once I'd spent considerable time there, I learned the fair cost of various trips, and I was repeatedly astonished how cab drivers would increase fares significantly upon discovering I wasn't Hungarian. Overall, though, Budapest remained inexpensive. Whether that holds true today is unclear - the currency has changed to the Euro now, but back then it was an economical and thoroughly entertaining place.
Following my time in Budapest, I moved to Madrid, which had noticeably higher expenses. Accommodation consumed much of my monthly income, yet dining out, grocery shopping, and purchasing clothes offered many reasonably priced alternatives. Shopping on main streets matched British prices, while eating at restaurants remained inexpensive. Beauty services and haircuts, though - these appear costly globally, so Madrid's salons were equally pricey.
Aside from Tokyo and Bangkok, which you've already discussed, what other places have you made your home, Tom?
