AIRINC Housing Update: Below are select snapshots of rental markets around the world. These updates are taken from AIRINC's on-site surveys conducted during the first quarter of 2021.
In late August, Turkey increased a special consumption tax known as Özel Tüketim Vergisi (ÖTV). The tax primarily relates to imported luxury goods, which includes imported cars. The tax was first introduced in 2002. However, it increased in recent years due in part to Turkey’s economic downturn.
Rents dropped in Dublin in the wake of COVID-19. Supply increased as assignees left the city and new rental stock entered the market. The collapse in tourism has forced owners of short-term Airbnb properties to shift to the long-term market, further increasing supply.
Due to limited supply, rents have risen steadily despite a brief slump at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Supply is not expected to increase significantly until 2022 at the earliest. Demand for rentals in smaller towns outside of Cologne increased over the past year in response to rising rents and low supply in the city center.
The Australia budget was postponed to October due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Retroactive to July 1, 2020, the income tax schedule was favorably adjusted, the low income tax offset increased, and the low and middle income tax offset (set to expire) was retained. The net effect is a decrease in income tax for all taxpayers.
COVID-19 has been a disruptive element in all sectors, upending societal norms and fundamentally reorganizing economies. While some of these changes are temporary, others may endure past the end of the pandemic.
Data Points brings you the latest updates from our Housing, Goods & Services, and Tax departments. These highlights are based on our expert international surveys, which are conducted on location by our global data collection team.
After crude futures turned negative in Q2, there seemed only one direction for prices to go – up! AIRINC’s quarterly comparison of petrol pump prices from Q2 to Q4 shows that prices in most researched countries increased, particularly our top five as ranked by percent increase: Zimbabwe, Suriname, Canada, Ethiopia, and Malaysia. For some, this is a cost-driven change; for others, this is a reflection of currency adjustments.
The AIRINC Research Department conducts surveys of the costs of consumer goods around the world, which is divided into four main regions – Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East & Africa. Our surveys capture the cost of living for expatriate workers, so our market basket targets include trusted international brands and imports, and we collect prices in outlets frequented by international assignees.
Lebanon’s economy was struggling before the catastrophic explosion on August 4. Severe cash shortages, a widening gap between official and parallel market exchange rates, increasing poverty rates, high unemployment, and periods of high protest activity have impacted Lebanon over the past year. Inflation is high and many assignees have to use unfavorable rates when purchasing at least a portion of their goods.
