Introduction - Mercer Human Resource Consulting has released their 2007 findings. These are surveys which rate cities according to certain criteria they elect to use. They use New York City as a baseline with a rating of 100 for their surveys. Cities coming in under that are worse and over that are better. Mercer is a well-respected source of this information.
Panama Standings for Quality of Living - Mercer uses 39 criteria to determine quality of living. These criteria include social, economic, crime, police, banking, currency and related controls, censorship by the government, personal freedoms, medical facilities, doctors and pharmacies, education, transportation, public services, weather, climate, and other criteria. It is not based on the number of bars, restaurants, ballparks etc although these are factors in the equation. It is not a surprise that Baghdad is the worst city in this survey with a score of 14.5. Zurich hit the number one spot for quality of life with a score of 108.1 and Geneva comes in close with a score of 108. Vancouver and Vienna follow with a score of 107 tied for third place. Panama comes in with a score of 82.9 situating it in 92nd place. So mercer feels that there are 91 better cities to live in.
For a frame of reference Budapest came in with a score of 90.2 giving is 74th place. Detroit came in 64th place with a score of 96.1. Pittsburg came in with a score of 99.7 giving it 52nd place. The craziest thing yet is Los Angeles, which came in with a score of 98.3 giving it 55th place. Detroit, Los Angeles is extremely dangerous place. Their homicide and violent crime rates are through the roof. In certain sections of Los Angeles the police go on calls in groups of four squad cars. They have awful smog. Their cost of living is insane with many homes selling for over three million dollars. Their traffic jams are world class. Their public schools are beyond bad, they are not safe. They have police with metal detectors in their schools. Then we can get into drug addiction, gang violence, and on the list grows. How in the world could this be a nice place to live beats me. So what is Mercer thinking anyway?
Panama Cost of Living - Panama has not made it into the top fifty most expensive cities to live in. In 2007 Panama ranked 124 out of 143, which is fairly low. San Paulo and Rio de Janeiro were the most expensive cities in Latin America with positions 62 and 63. Asuncion Paraguay continues to hold place 143 as the cheapest place to live. Following closely is Buenos Aires in position 139, Montevideo Uruguay in position 140 and Quito Ecuador in position 141. Mercer does this survey using 200 different criteria such as cost of husing, food, medical, transportation and so forth.
Discussion - Panama is going through a housing boom. Most of the new homes are not yet completed or occupied. This would mean they are not yet included into the study. If one puts a deposit on a home paying $3500 a sq. meter this is not a completed transaction and thus would not be included in any statistics concerning real estate prices which are based on actual sales, not based on deposits. When these new projects get certificates of occupancy then we will see the cost of living spike up sharply. Housing is the largest expenditure one generally makes. This will then rack Panama up there in the cost of living index.
Cost Of Living Calculators
Washington is an important agricultural state. Noteworthy business inside the state include the design and manufacture of jet aircraft, computer software development, electronics biotechnology, aluminum production, lumber as well as wood products, mining, and tourism. The state has major amounts of hydroelectric power generation. If you are desirous of residing in Washington after you obtain visa lottery 2008, one can lead a life devoid of much pressure.
Internet technology has made it possible for anyone to apply for a job in the USA even before actually landing in the USA after getting the US green card. Job opportunities are aplenty in diverse sectors such as education, IT, electronics, health, and manufacturing. People who have some kind of professional education or have specialized skills in these areas, have better chances of getting a good job.
If you are desirous of gaining an insight into the education in Washington, you will discover that there are several renowned educational institutions in the state. Washington is known for the quality of education it offers and attracts a good number of students to the educational institutions that are present in Washington.
These institutions offer high quality education and are much sought after by those in pursuit of academic excellence. Some of the major institutions of learning in Washington include Central Washington University, eastern Washington University, and the evergreen state college.
On the whole the cost of living in Washington is roughly 3% above the national average, with housing expenses, including apartments for rent available at nearly 2% above average. Hence, prior to moving, it is imperative for one to plan accordingly.
Both Robert Thomson & Manu Goel are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Robert Thomson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Personal Desktop, Finances and Pets. Smythe Bradley is an expat living in The Republic of Panama. He has published many articles on in panama,. Robert Thomson's top article generates over 450000 views. to your Favourites.
Manu Goel has sinced written about articles on various topics from Entertainment Guide, College Education and Cars. Manu Goel site . It helps you in filling out the US green card lottery application form and thereby assuring you a place in the US green car. Manu Goel's top article generates over 40500 views. to your Favourites.
Bridal Dresses For Women Itll perk your mood up for that very special day.The wedding day is not about bridal dresses. Its about YOU. Its your health and well-being that will make you a beautiful bride