South Africa’s economic and currency woes are well documented. The rand has slumped, and the economy shows no signs of recovery in 2016.<\/p>\n
It’s not an ideal time to go on holiday, something I have been reminded on Facebook by friends living abroad, who in turn have been able to upgrade to Business Class on their annual holidays to ‘sunny South Africa’.<\/p>\n
Staying at home is no picnic either. It seems that thanks to rising inflation and import costs, one can’t escape ‘the economy’ at the minute.<\/p>\n
On a holiday in Ballito in December, I forked out R195 for three ‘craft’ beers, nearly forcing me to come back to Joburg early.<\/p>\n
Should you end up flying abroad for business, or because you won a competition in a magazine, you will be in for a shock.<\/p>\n
The few quid you may have in your pocket upon arrival at Heathrow Airport\u00a0–\u00a0accumulated from the leftovers of a prior trip, from a family member, or a friend\u00a0–\u00a0will not be enough to purchase that first pint before that dreaded trip to the Bureau de Change<\/em>.<\/p>\n I have roughly calculated, using six destinations scattered around the globe, what the spare change in your pocket can, and cannot buy.<\/p>\n At current prices this is what R100<\/strong> can get you:<\/p>\n *Starbucks is expected to launch in SA in \u201cthe first half of 2016″ according to Taste Holdings.<\/small><\/p>\n What South Africans think about the economy<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n South Africans should prepare for turbulent times ahead<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n
South African rand vs the world<\/h3>\n
\n\n
\n Country<\/th>\n BigMac meal<\/th>\n Starbucks Cappuccino<\/th>\n Lager (pint)<\/th>\n Single song on iTunes<\/th>\n Petrol (1 litre)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n \n London\/UK<\/td>\n \u00a34.19
\n(R98)<\/strong><\/td>\n\u00a32.85
\n(R68)<\/strong><\/td>\n\u00a33.92
\n(R93)<\/strong><\/td>\n\u00a30.99
\n(R23)<\/strong><\/td>\n\u00a31.02
\n(R24)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n New York\/US<\/td>\n US$5.90
\n(R100)<\/strong><\/td>\nUS$4.45
\n(R74)<\/strong><\/td>\nUS$6.00
\n(R100)<\/strong><\/td>\nUS$1.29
\n(R22)<\/strong><\/td>\nUS$0.97
\n(R16)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n Sydney\/Australia<\/td>\n $9.30
\n(R107)<\/strong><\/td>\n$5.20
\n(R60)<\/strong><\/td>\n$6.50
\n(R75)<\/strong><\/td>\n$2.19
\n(R25)<\/strong><\/td>\n$1.20
\n(R14)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n Berlin\/Germany<\/td>\n \u20ac7.00
\n(R126)<\/strong><\/td>\n\u20ac3.30
\n(R60)<\/strong><\/td>\n\u20ac3.00
\n(R54)<\/strong><\/td>\n\u20ac1.29
\n(R23)<\/strong><\/td>\n\u20ac1.25
\n(R23)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n Shanghai\/China<\/td>\n \u00a530.00
\n(R76)<\/strong>
\n<\/span><\/td>\n \u00a529.00
\n(R73)<\/strong>
\n<\/span><\/td>\n \u00a525.00
\n(R63)<\/strong>
\n<\/span><\/td>\n –<\/span><\/td>\n \u00a56.50
\n(R17)<\/strong>
\n<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n Rio\/Brazil<\/td>\n R$25.00
\n(R100)<\/strong><\/td>\nR$9.40
\n(R38)<\/strong><\/td>\nR$8.00
\n(R32)<\/strong><\/td>\nUS$1.29
\n(R22)<\/strong><\/td>\nR$3.60
\n(R15)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n South Africa<\/td>\n R45.00<\/td>\n *<\/td>\n R35.00<\/td>\n R9.99<\/td>\n R12.09<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n More on South Africa<\/h3>\n