How much do full-time missions in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints really cost?
**Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the Standard Examiner by Lynn Arave. Below is an excerpt from the original:
The LDS Church has a standard $400 monthly “average” and equalized cost levied for all single young men and young women who serve full-time missions.
However, looking at the monthly estimated cost for senior couple missionaries on LDS.org reveals more of what the total costs are for young missionaries too, without the equalization.
Senior couples pay 100 percent of the actual cost of their mission.
Other than senior couples paying all the rent for living accommodations versus young men or women paying half (or less), as they share it with at least one missionary companion; and that senior couples might reside in somewhat better accommodations, at least the rankings of the most expensive and least expensive missions would still likely be about the same for all LDS missionaries.
Some places are so expensive for rent that the LDS Church apparently has some additional supplements in place for housing costs too.
Plus, if a person is not a member of the LDS Church, these cost listings are a good ranking at how expensive it would actually be to live in various locations around the world in moderate living quarters.
Here are the *MOST EXPENSIVE LDS Missions:
* Based on senior couple missionary costs
1. England London South, $4,020 month.
2. England London, $3,970.
3. Bermuda, $3,770.
4. New Zealand, $3,720.
5. England Manchester, $3,680.
6. Alaska, $3,670.
7. England Leeds, $3,640.
8. New York South, $3,480.
9. Alpine (German-speaking Austria, Switzerland, Germany and Liechtenstein), $3,470 each.
10. (tie) Hawaii, Canada Toronto and Brisbane Australia, $3,420 each.
To see the list of the top 10 least expensive missions, visit the Standard Examiner.
