Cost of Living in Sudan

Friends have asked before on what is the cost of living like in Sudan. The exchange rate here has risen a lot against the US$ Dollar. From a low of Sudanese Dinar 265 to a US$1.00 during October 2004 to a current high of Sudanese Dinar 201 to a US$1.00.

We do purchase our usual groceries / foodstuff around the Khartoum city centre. We have to go around to look for a reasonable price. See below a copy of a supermarket receipt for the normal foodstuff we bought and then you can compare it with the cost of living at your place. (please note that the receipt is denoted with the old Sudanese Pound rate which is 100 Sudanese Dinar equivalent to 1000 Sudanese Pound so the actual bill is actually 19,559 Sudanese Dinar).

The old Sudanese Pound was used by the country until the government changed it to the Sudanese Dinar some years back. Some shops still display their pricing under the Sudanese Pound rate.

The government of Sudan is changing its currency in stages starting with the smallest denomination note of 100 Sudanese Dinar to 1 Sudanese Pound (same name but under a different rate) as below in the picture below.

It will move to change other Sudanese Dinar notes of 500, 1000 & 5000 to Sudanese Pound as well.

Picture shown here is the 1000 Sudanese Dinar note (front & back).

When you look at the supermarket receipt, I think you could say that the purchasing power here in Sudan is really weak. Imagine 1000 Sudanese Pound is equivalent to US$5.00.
Tags: Journal, Life, Diary, Currency, Sudan, Sudanese Dinar, Sudanese Pound, Cost of Living, Purchasing Power