Disadvantages of devaluation
1. Is likely to cause inflation because:
Imports more expensive (any imported good or raw material will increase in price)
AD increases causing demand pull inflation.
Firms / exporters have less incentive to cut costs because they can rely on the devaluation to improve competitiveness. The concern is in the long-term devaluation may lead to lower productivity because of the decline in incentives.
2. Reduces the purchasing power of citizens abroad. e.g. more expensive to go on holiday abroad.
3. A large and rapid devaluation may scare off international investors. It makes investors less willing to hold government debt because it is effectively reducing the value of their holdings.
4. If consumers have debts, e.g. mortgages in foreign currency – after a devaluation they will see a sharp rise in the cost of their debt repayments. This occurred in Hungary when many had taken out a mortgage in foreign currency.