Living in Equatorial Guinea & Cost of Living - malabo

Hello MillaS1.

Welcome to Expat.com!

If you have specific questions, do not hesitate to ask them.

Thank you,
Aurélie

What's the reason you want to move to EG in the first place ???

It's not so easy place in early 2013 !!!

MillaS1 wrote:

I am thinking of moving to Equatorial Guinea. I would like to know the cost of living with a young child (school age). I would like to know more about living in Malabo.

Any information that you can provide would be helpful.

I will be moving there for a teaching job. I have been offered to teach English in EG. I haven't accepted the offer but my I am at 95% to saying "Yes". I wanted to know more before I totally agree.

I want to know how life is far as safety and schools.

You're mostly welcome Milla,

EG will not disappoint you, when it comes to living standards,
and close to 'zero' crime rates, compare to other African countries.

I didn't know there where any English schools in EG ???
Or are you gonna run classes for one of the US oil companies.

I will be teaching with a new company that will be working with the schools and providing English privately.

Have you already moved in Malabo yet?  If not I can seek housing for you. but let me warm you, Malabo is very expensive city, and clean.  If you have any question drop me an e-mail.

Augustin

I have not move to Malabo yet. However, I will have housing provided for me.

Thank you!

Try this website for cost of living.  numbeo.com

Hi There I am also Planning to Move-in by Aug'13 Confirmed .... But bit hesitant Because of safety issues in African Countries ... So please share your advise & Findings.....

Hello

I understand your concern.  I have a friend that is from EG and he says the it's safe but I would like to see for myself. If I travel to EG in June or before then I will tell you from my perspective.

Indeed it's safe !!!
I'm here for -6- years, so I might know where I'm talking about.

Malabo is even safer than most of the Western capitals at night.

Crime rate very low, just youngsters who are knocking windows of cars, when some valuables are left in there.
But in that case you ask for it yourself !!! Isn't it ???

Another safety issue might be the road safety,
due too the lack of 'officially' driving license procedures,
the level of driving skills is quit low.

World wide adopted road -and- driving behaviors are not generally adapted, so defensive driving is the only solution.

Avoid driving at night outside town -or- during a heavy thunderstorm, due too the lack of a yearly M.O.T / T.U.V. car inspection, the maintenance level of the majority of the cars is very low, which result in no proper head and taillights -and- window wipers, brakes might not perform as required in certain circumstances.

This in combination with the driving skills -and/or- experiences,
might result in completely unexpected situations.

For personal safety reasons:
- keep a low profile, don't show off.
- casual cloths and a 'normal' car will keep the eyes of you.
- select a staff house in expatriate occupied areas.
- defensive driving under all circumstances.

Cheers,
Malabo-Blanco.

Thanks for the information. This is very descriptive.

Cheers to you as well!

Hello MillaS1,

I'm currently here in Malabo for a short visit(second time) and I've found it perfectly lovely both times. I feel perfectly safe and very free(I've spent the past two years living in the middle east). I've walked the streets of Malabo alone at night and had no issues.  The people I've met here have been just as sweet as can be. I'll be moving here in August and I'm pretty excited about finally living in Africa!

I am  seeking the same infor.. please let me know what you found out, I will do the same to you.

please I am looking into the option to move  down there.Do you know the cose of Apartment  and the general cost of liveng. I will be so happy to here from you point of view as you are some how in the the same situation I will be when I finally moved. My name is Jonathan. Is Malabo the biggest city?

Hello I am planning to move to EG in November/2013. I am very much interested in informations about housing in Bata: cost of a 2 bedroom appartment and in general the cost of living in Bata. For instances , how much is a regular meal (without wine) in a standard restaurant, how much is a cinema ticket, how much is a beer in a bar,etc.Let me thank you in advance for any help you can give me.

Jose

numbeo.com

Thank you.

Dear all,

I have been living in Malabo from December 2012 to March 2013. I spent one week in Bata.

Cost of living in Malabo:
Martinez Hermanos Supermarket:
Frozen fish, chicken products and frozen meat: 3000 - 10 000 FCFA for 500g-1kg
Pasta Barilla: 1400-1800 FCFA for 500g
Rice: 6000 FCFA for 5kg
Biscuits: Oreo (1400FCFA), Cookies (2000FCFA)
Beer: 150-700 FCFA
Bottled Water: 3000FCFA for 6 litres
Coke, Fanta: 150FCFA 33cl
Jam: 1400FCFA for a small jar
Juice: 750FCFA for 1 litre
Milk: 1000-1700 FCFA for 1 litre
Pringles: 1400-1800FCFA
Loaf of bread: 1400 FCFA
If you want to know for other products ask me

EGTC Supermarket:
Same as Martinez for frozen foods
Bottled water: 2750 FCFA

Rial Supermarket:
More french products

Delice de France Cafe:
Pastries: 1000-3000 FCFA
Coffee + Pizza + Desserts

Cinema Rial ticket: 5000 FCFA /couple

FUEL for 4x4 car: 25 000 FCFA filled tank

Gym:
Sofitel President Palace: 40 000 FCFA/person
Hilton: 75000 FCFA / person
Spa Sofitel Sipopo: 60 000 - 100 000 approx.

Restaurant:
Senegalese: 2000-3000 FCFA / dish
Chinese: 2000 - 7000 FCFA /dish
Ibis Hotel: 3000 - 20 000 FCFA /dish
Pizza Palace: 6500 - 16 000 FCFA + Shisha

Nights Out:
French Cultural Center
Buddha Nights Bar (many expats)

Air ticket Malabo - Bata - Malabo: 50 000 FCFA

Taxi: 500-1000 FCFA NOT MORE!!Taxi dangerous at night!

Conversion: 1 euros: 656 FCFA.

Spanish Courses at Spanish Cultural Center: 25 000 FCFA/ session of a few months

Equatorial Guinea is a hard country to live in but worth to experience at least once in your lifetime! Some of you are right to say that it is the safest country of Africa. Indeed IT IS! Zero crime rate because Guineans argue verbally and VERY rarely using physical violence.

Prices are approximate. If you have more questions do not hesitate to contact me.
Anaelle

Hello Are you living in Malabo or visitin?

Please can you really help me I have someone that is planing to move to Eqetorial Guinea. I need some othere informatuion I am a US army reserve but a native of Africa.

I have been living there but I am back in France now.

How was your life when you were there. Can it be possible for my friend to open a restaurant over there.

I wrote this before : Equatorial Guinea is a hard country to live in but worth to experience at least once in your lifetime! Some of you are right to say that it is the safest country of Africa. Indeed IT IS! Zero crime rate because Guineans argue verbally and VERY rarely using physical violence.

I do not know what are the steps to follow to open a restaurant but I would never open a business there.

Anaelle

Hi jonathanudoji,

If you have other questions, please start a new topic on the Equatorial Guinea forum. Thank you.

Anaelle,
Malabo is very safe for visitors, but please do not say zero crime rate. Of course there are crimes, mainly out in the barrios away from the city center, local house burglaries etc. And a few, "very few" incidents of expats being targeted. Other than that, Ecuatorial Guineans are lovely people and it is a great country..

Dear Sandylyle,

People are wise enough here I guess to understand that it was my way to say that the crime rate is low in my own words and I mentioned the dates when I was living there so my experience only ranges from December 2012 to March 2013. And I also guess I can speak about my experience freely. If you have a different experience to tell, you are free to do so and our different experiences will help expatriates in the future to prepare themselves for their relocation.

Ana,
I have lived in Malabo for 13 years, so I have seen many changes over that time. It is great place because of the natural beauty of the Island of Bioko and because of the people, who are very good natured and friendly. I respectfully disagree that stating the crime rate as zero is not the best way to describe a low crime rate. I guess it depends on where a person is from, but in the west, zero means zero, nada, zilch. Malabo has a very low crime rate compared to Nigeria or many other places. But I cannot count the number of times that a coworker has told me that their house was completely cleaned out of all electronics, television, radio etc. And there has been a few cases of expat crimes over the years, very few.
Respectfully,
Sandy

Sandy,

I so wish I could have had the same great experience in Malabo. You are right to say that what we tell depends on where the person is from. For example, to my opinion when someone is from America, he/she is more welcomed in Malabo than a person of another nationality. And I have seen the difference in behavior when I told people I was an American from when I told them that I was from Mauritius. But this is only my opinion and that of a few friends. I, unfortunately did not come across nice people in general there but I must say that the few Equatorial Guinean friends we had there were lovely. And as I told you I did not see any sign of crime when I was there neither did my friends tell about any forms of crime. Anyway, this remains my short experience and opinion.

I am planning to move to Equatorial Guinea, I would like more practical information as to the personal safety and job prospects for Consultants-Trainers.

Best regards,

mountainsandgiraffes here over a year now. I hear sometimes of robery and theft mostly locals to locals. recently someone i know was robbed in a taxi. BUT these are very uncommon things. I travel by myself in city cente at evenings but i would probably not go there alone very late - like any city...
for info about prices - i have a blog so you're welcome to check it out
mountainsandgiraffes.com/equatorial-guinea/

Hi,

How long are you planning to stay in EG?

Hi, I have interest studying Spanish Language in Malabo for a short period (2-4 months). Please may I know how to go about it.

Hi,

I recommend the Spanish Institute in Malabo, Spanish courses with the teacher Lopeo was great. I really miss those courses. The Spanish institute is perpendicular to carretera del aeropuerto.

Hi ,
I am now in Malabo. I am actually taking Spanish course at the Spanish Cultural Centre. Just take a taxi and say Centro Cultural Espagnol! Thanks

Probably a month

Does anyone know the weekly lesson schedule of this Spanish course? I want to join but there is time problem for me since I am working. Thanks!

Hola, Malabo-Blanco.

Existen escuelas para niños de 02 años? Yo tengo una propuesta de trabajo y necesito infornacciones de como es la vida ahí.

Seguridad, salud, liberdad de ir y venir, escuela para la niña.

Abrazo,

Rafael