Data Points: Key Trends in Goods and Services

In my role as Director of Data Research & Analysis at AIRINC, my team and I closely monitor the economic and market shifts that shape international assignment costs, helping ensure our data reflects the realities mobility teams are navigating today.

Each quarter, AIRINC’s Data Points share selected findings from our ongoing research and highlight where we are seeing meaningful changes across the markets we track. This quarter’s cost-of-living research was conducted primarily in North America, Central and South America, the Middle East, Africa, Maritime Southeast Asia, and Oceania.

This is the first in our Q3 2026 Data Points blog series, focusing on goods and services and the impact of inflation, currency movements, and global market pressures on expatriate purchasing power.

How is the war with Iran affecting global cost of living?

Hostilities in the region have eased somewhat but remain unresolved. While many expatriates continue to live and work in countries affected by strikes, some have relocated to safe havens. The war has contributed to higher global energy costs and higher transportation costs worldwide. The conflict has also restricted trade routes, causing delays and raising the cost of moving goods between regions. As a result, prices for fuel, transportation, and imported products have increased. Conditions can change quickly, and we will continue to monitor developments.

Which countries are experiencing inflation above 5%?

AIRINC’s research identified numerous locations where goods and services inflation remained above 5% for six months.

These include:

Algeria, Argentina, Bolivia, Botswana, Burundi, Central African Republic, Cuba, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands, Fiji, Haiti, Iran, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, and Malawi.

Which currencies moved the most in Q3 2026?

Currency movements were also significant during the quarter.

Over a three-month period, AIRINC recorded exchange-rate fluctuations greater than 5% against the U.S. dollar and euro across a range of locations.

Some of the largest movements versus the U.S. dollar included:

• Bolivia: -32.5%

• Venezuela: -28.0%

• South Sudan: -17.3%

• Russia: -14.0%

• South Korea: +10.1%

• Colombia: +9.4%

• Zambia: -8.6%

• Belarus: -8.6%

• Kazakhstan: +8.2%

Chile, Chile’s Unidad de Fomento, Syria, and Uganda also moved by more than 5% during the period.

A note on Chile’s Unidad de Fomento: The Unidad de Fomento, or UF, is not a circulating currency. It is an inflation-indexed unit of account used in Chile for things such as property, mortgages, rents, and contracts. Because its value is adjusted in line with inflation, it can move differently against the U.S. dollar and euro than the Chilean peso itself.

How do inflation and exchange rates affect expatriate purchasing power?

A weaker host-country currency does not always mean an assignment has become cheaper.

High local inflation can offset some or all of the benefit of currency depreciation. Currency appreciation can amplify the impact of local inflation.

Countries experiencing both high inflation and large currency movements can create particularly complex compensation outcomes.

What do rising prices and currency changes mean for global mobility teams?

• Headline inflation alone does not fully explain changes in expatriate purchasing power.

• Imported goods, international brands, transport, and household services can behave differently from headline consumer-price indices.

• Currency movements can materially change assignment costs even when local prices are relatively stable.

• Mobility teams should receive expatriate-relevant inflation information on local prices from a trusted source and review that together with exchange rates when reviewing cost-of-living allowances.