Chad

Middle Africa

Africa

A very low-cost Central African economy with low local wage costs, but a weak passport (~51 destinations), limited English and a long 15-year naturalization wait.

7
Overall score
Low · Penalty applied · 90% data coverage
Language
Arabic, French
Currency
XAF
Citizenship
15 years
Personal tax
Up to 30% headline
Cost of living
Consumer price level 38 (world = 100, 2025)

Rules change often. Confirm any immigration, tax or legal decision with a qualified professional.

Score breakdown
37
Access
17%
46Residence12%
17Citizenship and passport5%
51
Earning power
25%
47Salary and work12%
55Buying power13%
33
Business and wealth
20%
36Taxes7%
27Business8%
37Investment5%
20
Daily life
25%
16Quality of life18%
29Education7%
11
Rights and institutions
13%
15Freedom6%
8Rule of law7%

Severe safety risk (17) cut the overall score from 33 to 18.

Healthcare collapse (11) cut the overall score from 18 to 11.

Weak rights and institutions (11) cut the overall score from 11 to 7.

Pros

  • Relative affordability score 77/100
  • Human development score 42/100
  • Business environment score 25/100

Cons

  • Passport mobility score 27/100
  • Institutional environment score 28/100
  • Tax friendliness score 36/100

Best for

Applicants prepared to use local languagesCost-conscious residentsPeople with a confirmed local employment or study route

Score profile

Access
Residence
46
Citizenship
15
Passport
25
Earning power
Salary & work
47
Buying power
55
Cost of living
87
Economy
50
Business and wealth
Taxes
36
Personal tax
45
Corporate tax
0
Business
27
Investment
37
Wealth building
45
Daily life
Safety
17
Healthcare
11
Environment
50
Infrastructure
22
Education
29
HDI
42
Rights and institutions
Freedom
15
Rule of law
8
How the scores are calculated

Access

Residence
Openness to residents
Moderate
46
Migrant stock6.3% of population (2024)
Regulatory quality-1.09 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main pathways
Employment residenceStudy residenceFamily reunificationBusiness or investment residence where eligible
StudentAdmission, proof of funds, accommodation, insurance, and immigration approval are normally required; work rights vary.
WorkA local employer, qualifying occupation, or other work authorization is normally required; labour-market tests may apply.
Self-employedBusiness registration, tax registration, and a residence or work authorization suitable for self-employment are generally required.
PermanentEligibility depends on years and continuity of lawful residence, route, income, character, and country-specific legislation.
Citizenship
Citizenship accessibility
Low
15
Years required15 years
Dual allowedNo
LanguageLanguage, integration, character, and documentation requirements depend on the nationality law and route.
ResidenceHeadline ordinary naturalization period: 15 years. Continuous residence and absence rules may apply.
NotesThis is a statutory headline from a sourced comparison table. Confirm the current nationality law and administrative practice before relying on it.
Passport
Passport power
Low
25
50 / 198
Mobility
#91
Global rank
Yes
Biometric
  • Visa-free19
  • On arrival30
  • eTA1
  • Visa required148

Placeholder estimates for 2024 to 2025. Check entry rules with each destination before travelling.

Earning power

Salary & work
Labour-market strength
Moderate
47
Output per worker$7,587 PPP (2024)
Unemployment1.1% (2025)
Participation59.4% of 15+ (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Mean monthly earnings of employees
Overall$120 · $355 PPP (2022)
Tech (IT & comms)$95 · $279 PPP (2022)

Source: ILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)

FreelanceInternet use is 13%; remote and freelance access still depends on payments, language, regulation, and immigration status.
Job marketLatest comparable unemployment rate: 1.1%. Role-specific demand varies substantially by city and sector.
Buying power
Purchasing power score
Moderate
55
GNI / person$2,770 PPP (2025)
Consumption / person$1,235 PPP (2024)
Price level38 (US = 100) (2025)
Income inequality37.4 Gini (2022)
Inflation-3.9% / yr (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Cost of living
Affordability
Excellent
87
Price level38 (US = 100) (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

RentModel benchmark: about $230 monthly housing share; derived from the World Bank consumer price level, not a market listing.
MonthlyModel benchmark: about $570 / month at a US$1,500 world-price baseline.
CitiesN'Djamena, Moundou
Economy
Economic strength
Moderate
50
Output & income
GDP$21.5B (2025)
GDP / person$1,022 (2025)
GNI / person$2,770 PPP (2025)
GDP growth4.2% / yr (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Stability & labour
Inflation-3.9% / yr (2025)
Unemployment1.1% (2025)
Output per worker$7,587 PPP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Sector composition
Agriculture36.3% of GDP (2025)
Industry26.7% of GDP (2025)
Services33.9% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main industries
OilAgriculture (cotton)Livestock
Top exports
Crude oilCottonLivestock & gum arabic
TypeLow-income, oil- and agri-led
Key sectorsOil, Cotton & livestock agriculture
SummaryA landlocked, oil-dependent economy and one of the world's poorest, with cotton and livestock the main non-oil exports.
CurrencyCentral African CFA franc (pegged to the euro)

Business and wealth

Taxes
Tax friendliness
Limited
36
Personal30
Corporate35
Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, entity, residence, holding period, and domestic exemptions; consult the current country summary.
DividendsDomestic and withholding rates vary with residence, ownership, and treaty eligibility.
Exit taxNo harmonized cross-country answer; verify current deemed-disposal and residence-cessation rules.
Foreign companiesPermanent-establishment, management-and-control, transfer-pricing, withholding, and reporting rules may apply.
Personal tax
Personal tax
Moderate
45
Personal30
FreelanceFreelancers typically need appropriate immigration permission plus business and tax registration.
Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, entity, residence, holding period, and domestic exemptions; consult the current country summary.
DividendsDomestic and withholding rates vary with residence, ownership, and treaty eligibility.
Exit taxNo harmonized cross-country answer; verify current deemed-disposal and residence-cessation rules.
Corporate tax
Corporate tax
Low
0
Corporate35
Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, entity, residence, holding period, and domestic exemptions; consult the current country summary.
DividendsDomestic and withholding rates vary with residence, ownership, and treaty eligibility.
Foreign companiesPermanent-establishment, management-and-control, transfer-pricing, withholding, and reporting rules may apply.
Business
Business friendliness
Low
27
Regulation & bureaucracy
Regulatory quality-1.09 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Government effectiveness-1.10 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Operating rules
Foreign companyForeign ownership is generally possible, subject to sector restrictions, licensing, local-participation rules, and beneficial-ownership checks.
Local companyLocal company forms are available; registration, tax, capital, director, address, and licensing requirements vary.
FreelanceFreelancers typically need appropriate immigration permission plus business and tax registration.
Investment
Investing environment
Limited
37
Private credit8% of GDP (2021)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capital gainsCapital-gains treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position.
DividendsData not available yet
ETFs & fundsData not available yet
Wealth taxVerify current national and subnational net-wealth, property, inheritance, and transfer taxes.
BrokersLocal and international broker access depends on residency, exchange controls, sanctions screening, and platform onboarding.
Foreign accessData not available yet
Tax-advantagedData not available yet
Wealth building
Wealth accumulation
Moderate
45
Salary & work
Moderate
47
Business
Low
27
Investment
Limited
37
Tax friendliness
Limited
36
Cost of living
Excellent
87

Daily life

Safety
Safety & stability
Low
17
Institutions & stability
Control of corruption-1.39 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Political stability-1.78 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Check current government travel and security advice before relocating.

Healthcare
Healthcare score
Low
11
Outcomes
Life expectancy55.2 years (2024)
Under-5 mortality97.3 per 1,000 births (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capacity & resourcing
Physicians0.09 per 1,000 (2023)
Hospital beds0.15 per 1,000 (2020)
Health spending$130 PPP / person (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

System & costs
SystemPublic and private provision coexist; eligibility, service quality, and capacity vary by location.
InsuranceInsurance and proof-of-cover requirements depend on immigration status, employer, and residence route.
Average costHealth expenditure: $130 PPP per person (2023).
Environment
Environment score
Moderate
50
Environmental pressure
PM2.5 exposure43.0 μg/m³ annually (2023)
Water stress4.3% (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Infrastructure
Infrastructure score
Low
22
Digital infrastructure
Internet use12.6% (2024)
Internet resilience27 / 100 (2026)
Fixed speed49 / 100 download index (2026)
Mobile speed46 / 100 download index (2026)

Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index

Utilities
Electricity access12.0% (2023)
Grid losses23.6% of output (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Transport
Transport quality2.37 / 5 (2018)
Air connectivity3 departures / million people (2014)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Education
Education score
Low
29
Attainment
Expected schooling8.3 years (2023)
Mean schooling2.3 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Participation & investment
Tertiary enrolment4% gross (2020)
Education spending3.2% of GDP (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

TuitionFees vary by institution, programme, level, and nationality; no harmonized official tuition series is used.
Public universityCheck current public-university fee schedules and scholarship rules directly with each institution.
LanguagesArabic, French
Student workStudent employment rights vary by permit and may require separate authorization or hour limits.
HDI
Human development score
Limited
42
HDI0.416 (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Long & healthy life
Life expectancy55.1 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Knowledge
Expected schooling8.3 years (2023)
Mean schooling2.3 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Standard of living
GNI / person$1,748 PPP (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Rights and institutions

Freedom
Freedom score
Low
15
Freedom in the World15 / 100 (Not free)
Sources
Rule of law
Rule of law score
Low
8
Rule of Law percentile8 / 100
Sources
Resources
Official references
UN Statistics: M49 country and area codesunstats.un.orgUNDP Human Development Report 2025hdr.undp.orgInternet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Indexpulse.internetsociety.orgWorld Bank World Development Indicatorsdata.worldbank.orgILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)ilostat.ilo.orgPwC: Chad corporate tax headlinetaxsummaries.pwc.comPwC: Chad personal tax headlinetaxsummaries.pwc.comNaturalization comparison and linked nationality lawsen.wikipedia.orgHenley Passport Index 2026 summaryen.wikipedia.org
Quick links
Chad visa & immigrationgoogle.comChad tax residency rulesgoogle.comChad citizenship requirementsgoogle.comCost of living in Chadgoogle.com

Data is illustrative. Not legal or tax advice.