Lifestyle

Countries where the rand is stronger in 2018

Staff Writer

 ·21 Jan 2018

Flight and travel agency Travelstart lists five top holiday destinations where the South African rand can buy you more bang for your buck.

After over two years of strain, the South African rand is enjoying a much-desired rebound on the back of a weaker dollar and a semblance of a return to political stability.

Following the ANC’s decision at the end of 2017 to elect Cyril Ramaphosa as the party’s new leader, investor and market confidence has seen a spike, taking the rand to strengths last seen in mid-2015.

While a stronger rand is not such good news for tourists and travellers coming to South Africa’s shores, for South Africans who have come down with a case of wanderlust, it presents and opportunity to travel abroad.

The table below shows 21 countries where R1 is worth more, locally, as at 18 January 2018.

Direct currency conversion do not give a good indication of the general cost of living. However, Travelstart has looked at five top destinations, and broken down and compared the cost of food, drinks and travel compared to what you would pay locally.

Note: These comparisons have a bigger focus on travel and touring, rather than general living costs.

Read: Here’s what R100 buys you around the world right now