On Mon, 6 Oct 2003 09:45:15 +0000 (UTC), the renowned "Christopher"
wrote:

The 'exchange rate' has nothing to do with anything here - it is the cost of
living that is important.

Closer, but it's the cost of living *for a visitor* of the OP's
specific type.

If the locals subsist on little but mashed taro root and sleep in
squalid, filthy and unhealthy conditions unacceptable to the OP, he
might find a place with an apparent low cost of living to be
relatively very expensive. If the government forces foreigners to pay
much more for many things, regulates where they can stay overnight and
what price they must pay, requires some shops to deny them service
without ration cards, or the forces them to exchange money
"officially" at a very unfavorable rate, the same result can occur.

Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany
--
"it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward"
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