Gids voor Monaco: Interessante feiten

To introduce yourself as a resident of Monaco welcomes an association like no other place in the world. If you say you’re from New York, for example, or Paris, or even Hong Kong, people will not instantly assume you’re wealthier than most. But to utter “I live in Monaco” is a statement like no other because, indeed, Monaco is a place like no other.

In Monaco, the second-smallest country in the world, real estate prices are now as much as €53,000 per m2 — €5 million can buy you a small apartment of roughly 1000 square feet / 100m2 — making it the most expensive real estate on the planet. And if the sky-high real estate costs weren’t enough to convince you, one quick stroll down any one of its windy streets means pedestrians will be walking past a bevy of custom Lamborghinis, McLarens, and Ferraris (all driving the 31 miles per hour typical speed limit throughout Monaco).

Much of what makes Monaco such a desirable locale is well known: the legendary hotels, the Cote d’Azur climate, and –of course– its unique tax benefits for the ultrarich. But what it’s really known for is its wealth. It is so wealthy that it doesn’t even measure poverty rates. There are no homeless or poor people. In fact, to live comfortably in Monaco, you’ll either need a hefty trust fund or an income of at least €250,000 per adult.

Monte Carlo, Monaco’s glitziest and most famous district, is filled with five-star uber-luxury hotels, exotic supercars, high-end designer boutiques, and the famous Casino van Monte Carlo.

With this Monaco and Monte-Carlo travel guide, Iconic Riviera will give you a sneak-peek of the opulent lifestyle the Principality offers, as told by a resident of Monaco. This is just one of several Monaco guides on Iconic Riviera.

Monaco: The Essentials

Maat: Met slechts 200 hectare is het het op één na kleinste land ter wereld (alleen Vaticaanstad is kleiner). Het is slechts twee vierkante kilometer groot. Het is ongeveer zo groot als Central Park in New York. Het is tien keer zo groot als het Louvre Museum, drie keer zo groot als de National Mall in Washington DC, een derde van het gemiddelde arrondissement in Parijs, of slechts een kwart van de tuinen van het Chateau de Versailles.

Currency: The currency is the same as the rest of the European Union, the Euro €. Like the rest of Europe, Monaco also has robust social programs, including housing subsidies for the Monegasque citizens, free education, and affordable healthcare.

Language: French is the official language, but most people understand and speak English, many as native speakers — and many also speak Italian and Russian. It’s helpful to know French (especially if you need to visit the hospital, where many receptionists refuse to speak English), but you can get along without it.

Citizenship

Because of the lucrative subsidies and benefits that you get when you become a citizen, it’s extremely rare to be granted citizenship, even after living in Monaco for many decades. Monégasques were born Monégasques. It’s the blood line that matters. Of course, there are exceptions, for example, you can ask for Monégasque citizenship after 10 years of being married to a Monégasque (but you almost certainly won’t receive it, and you’ll need to give up your other citizenships if you do). Or if you’re a celebrity or you’ve done something erg special for the principality, the Prince might consider offering it to you as a special favor.

That’s why most of the people who live in Monaco are citizens of other countries while also being residents of Monaco…

Who Lives in Monaco

Om inwoner van Monaco te worden, moet u een appartement huren (huur begint bij ongeveer € 5000 per maand voor de kleinste vereiste) en bewijzen dat u ten minste € 500.000 (per inwoner) op een bankrekening in Monaco hebt staan. De meeste comfortabele appartementen beginnen bij ongeveer € 10.000 per maand en sommige appartementen worden verhuurd voor maar liefst € 300.000 miljoen per maand. Om te kopen, kunt u rekenen op ongeveer € 50.000 per m2.

More ultra-high-net-worth individuals have chosen to make Monaco their home, by population density, than anywhere else on Earth, with one in 39 homeowners being classed as a UHNWI (“ultra high net worth” — meaning they have a minimum of $30 million in liquid money in a bank account).

The high cost of living is balanced out by the fact that residents save money by not paying any tax on their personal income. American and French citizens can’t benefit from this (unless they renounce their citizenship and have an alternate passport), as both countries tax their citizens even while residing in Monaco.

De bevolking van Monaco bedraagt ongeveer 38.000 en groeit nog steeds (hier zijn de laatste statistische rapporten). Inwoners zijn hierheen verhuisd vanuit 140 andere landen. Binnen Monaco is ongeveer een kwart van de bevolking Frans (voornamelijk Franse families die zich vóór oktober 1957 in Monaco vestigden; nieuwe Franse inwoners moeten Franse inkomstenbelasting betalen), iets minder dan een kwart is Italiaans en bijna 8% is Brits.

Despite there being a local Russian-language magazine and Russian being the predominant language you hear on the streets of Monaco, the census says that only 12.5% of the population are Russian passport holders. However, since most wealthy Russians swapped their Russian passport for that of Cyprus (or other countries) before moving to Monaco, the actual percentage of Russian-born residents is much higher.

The average life expectancy for the people of Monaco is 89.5 – the longest life expectancy in the world.

Slechts 22% procent van de bevolking is Monagesk (burgers van Monaco) en de resterende 78% zijn inwoners van Monaco. De gemiddelde leeftijd van Monegasken is 44,4 jaar en bijna 14% van de inwoners is 75+ jaar oud. In 2021 telde het Prinsdom 9573 Monegasken, waarvan er 8980 in Monaco wonen en 593 in het buitenland.

Hier zijn de gegevens van de laatste Monaco census:

Lack of Female Inclusivity in the Workplace

Despite its efforts to modernize, Monaco is still behind the times on the gender equality front. Monaco is still a deeply patriarchal place, and the laws reflect that — including an outdated, ages-old rule dictates that it is the Prince’s son (not his daughter) who must take the throne.

In Monaco, women make 20% less income than men do, for the same work. Regarding the 531 government roles filled in 2022, 158 went to women and 373 went to men. 

Volgens IMSEE, only 28% of Monaco’s corporate governors are female, only 29% of senior roles at limited liability companies are held by women, and at public limited companies, only 1 in 5 (22%) people in charge is female. Women represent only 19% of those employed in the financial and insurance industries, and 21% in information and communication jobs.  

Monaco’s Neighborhoods

Before we go any further in this travel guide, we will explain the difference between Monaco and Monte-Carlo. Many seem to confuse one with the other. Consequently, several hotels that are not in Monte-Carlo still use the words ‘Monte Carlo’ in their name, so be careful to check a map before booking, or you may end up walking 30 minutes to Monte-Carlo from your ‘Monte Carlo’ hotel!

Monaco is the country or city-state. Whereas, Monte-Carlo is one of the neighborhoods within. There are nine other neighborhoods within the city-state. The most well-known is Monte Carlo, where the casino is located. Also famous is Monaco-Ville with its other name Le Rocher (The Rock) which is the oldest area and houses the Palace and Monaco’s jail. La Condamine is a popular area known for the main port (Port Hercule), which has a large event space used for the Monaco Grand Prix en de Monaco Yacht Show. Larvotto is where the beach and many fantastic restaurants are located. Then there is Fontvieille (where you’ll land if you arrive by helicopter), which is the newest residential area partially reclaimed from the sea — and where the local police and firefighters live. The other areas are mostly just residential and not attractive to tourists.

Getting Around in Monaco

Monaco is at the foot of the Alps mountain range en is erg steil. Rondreizen in Monaco kan een frustrerende ervaring zijn vanwege het gebrek aan Uber (ja, ik weet het — het is een frustratie voor veel toeristen en inwoners). Gelukkig zijn er veel parkeergarages die duidelijk zijn aangegeven. Maar wees voorzichtig — als je een groot voertuig hebt, kun je er misschien niet in passen.

Locals know where all the (somewhat hidden) elevators are, so they can walk places quickly, but if you don’t, then you’ll likely be getting some good uphill exercise in order to get to your destination by foot. Here’s a guide to getting around in Monaco (and where the elevators are!)

How Monaco is Governed

The Monaco government is what’s called a ‘Unitary Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy’. It is an independent City-State (Monaco is not part of France). A hereditary constitutional monarchy sets the Head of the State, and the Sovereign Prince is the head of the government. The Consultative Constitutional Assemblies assist in governing. H.S.H. Prince Albert II reigns as the current monarch.

Monaco is een volwaardig stemgerechtigd lid van de Verenigde Naties en onderdeel van dertien VN-organisaties, zoals UNESCO en WHO. Het Frans-Monegaskische Verdrag van 1861 erkende Monaco officieel als een soevereine staat.

Ondanks Monaco's onafhankelijkheid en aparte buitenlandse politiek, is de verdediging de verantwoordelijkheid van Frankrijk. Monaco heeft echter wel twee kleine militaire eenheden.

Monaco is overwegend rooms-katholiek. Het is ook de staatsgodsdienst. Toch garandeert de grondwet vrijheid van godsdienst. Het motto is 'Deo Juvante'. In het Engels betekent het 'Met Gods hulp'.

Safety and the Monaco Police

Monaco has the largest police force and police presence in the world, on both a per-capita and per-area basis. With nation-wide video surveillance, three police stations, and one police officer per 73 residents, Monaco has safety standards so strict that it is known as the safest square mile in the world. Compare that to NYC, one of the USA’s most policed and safest cities, which has one officer per 233 residents.

The 519 police officers are carefully selected from the French police force and must go through an additional two-year intensive training program to serve in Monaco. It’s a very desirable position as they get a high salary and a free seaside apartment in Fontvieille, Monaco.

The Monaco police don’t mess around: the rules are extremely strict and the court system in Monaco almost always pronounces maximum sentences. So behave yourself!

Monaco heeft een systeem van 24-uurs videobewaking dat het gehele oppervlak van het Prinsdom bestrijkt, inclusief de meeste lobby's van woongebouwen, een transmissiesysteem dat de beste legers ter wereld waardig is, de mogelijkheid om alle toegang in en uit het Prinsdom binnen enkele minuten te blokkeren. En we mogen de bewakingsteams in het Casino en in alle gokgelegenheden en hotels niet vergeten.

This works well for residents and tourists, as you won’t need to worry about your diamond bracelet or designer bag being stolen, or your child going missing. If your child wanders off, the police will be able to track him/her with facial-recognition video tracking and find your child in a matter of minutes.

Bekijk onze guide to Monaco’s jail!

Documentary: An Insider Look at Monaco

Gedurende een jaar volgden de camera's voor deze documentaire de Prins in zijn dagelijkse staatshoofd en familie, achter de schermen van vorstelijke paleizen en in het buitenland. U ziet zijn persoonlijke kantoor bovenop een van de torens van het paleis tot de meest privékamers waar hij altijd met de familie afspreekt, sportevenementen in liefdadigheidsprestigieuze gala's, politieke verplichtingen zeer persoonlijke passie, Monaco of in het buitenland, de heerser van Monaco die voor het eerst zijn openbare en privéleven deelt.

A Visual Overview of Monaco

SBM has created an interactive virtual tour of Monaco. It’s a fun way to virtually ‘walk’ around Monaco and tour inside some of the landmark buildings, hotels and casinos.

More Travel Guides to Monaco and Monte-Carlo

Like art? To find the art in the Principality, check out this travel guide to Monaco’s art scene.

The Principality has many beautiful parks and gardens perfect with picturesque and Instagram-worthy views. See this guide to Monaco’s parks for more.

And, are you curious how billionaires live a life of luxury in Monte Carlo? Take a look at this billionaire-life travel guide.

For the best shopping experiences, see this guide to Monaco’s shopping centers.

Wondering about the royal family? Check out our guide to the history of Monaco.

We’ve also created a complete guide to the Monte Carlo Casino En the Opera House.

This is a really useful map of Monaco. U kunt de kaart filteren om de dichtstbijzijnde openbare toiletten, fietsstations, waterfonteinen, hondenparken, geldispensers en nog veel meer te tonen! In het gedeelte Parkeren kunt u de beschikbaarheid van parkeerplaatsen per parkeerplaats in realtime bekijken.

And check Iconic Riviera regularly as we add more travel guides every week!

Important Monaco Contacts