Angola is an oil-rich country which mostly attracts expats working in the petroleum industry. The capital, Luanda, has long been seen as one of the most expensive cities for expats to live in, partly due to the astronomical rental prices.
After experiencing decades of civil war, which ended in 2002, Angola is facing a severe housing shortage. This has led to huge urban slum developments, especially in Luanda - a city built for 700,000 people which now has 4 million inhabitants.
Angola’s housing shortage has encouraged property development, with new residential areas being built around the main cities. In April 2003, 331 houses were completed in Kilamba-Kiaxi, Luanda. More recently, the controversial “Chinese-built ghost town” made international headlines. Twenty miles south of the capital, a new city, Kilumba, was built by Chinese firms at a cost of US$3.5 billion. The 200,000 apartments lie largely unoccupied as most Angolans cannot afford to live there.
Expatriates moving to Angola will find rental prices very high, as developers focus on the high-end market, rather than affordable housing. As as example, a three bedroom (unfurnished) flat in Luanda will cost around US$7,000 a month to rent, excluding utilities. If you move out of the city centre, you can expect to pay around US$3,600 a month.
For companies sending employees to Angola, finding good, secure, accommodation is a big challenge.