Cost of Living Comparison Between Abomey-Calavi and Cotonou Cost of Living Comparison Between Abomey-Calavi and Cotonou

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $725 per month in Abomey-Calavi vs $997 in Cotonou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,163 per month in Abomey-Calavi vs $1,426 in Cotonou, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,601 per month in Abomey-Calavi vs $1,854 in Cotonou, rent included.

Abomey-Calavi is about 27% cheaper than Cotonou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Abomey-Calavi and Cotonou are more affordable than the global median – Abomey-Calavi 45% lower, Cotonou 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.67 F CFA 3,219

$3.46 F CFA 1,967

63.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.69 F CFA 15.2K

$26.77 F CFA 15.2K

-0.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.50 F CFA 4,824

$5.16 F CFA 2,927

64.73%

Cappuccino

$4.99 F CFA 2,835

$5.56 F CFA 3,154

-10.25%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 F CFA 670

$0.86 F CFA 488

37.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 F CFA 1,017

$0.79 F CFA 446

126.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 F CFA 1,025

$1.40 F CFA 794

29.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.42 F CFA 3,077

$3.61 F CFA 2,047

50.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 F CFA 1,238

$2.58 F CFA 1,462

-15.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.25 F CFA 141

$1.44 F CFA 815

-82.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 F CFA 1,169

$1.92 F CFA 1,092

7.29%

Eggs

$2.00 F CFA 1,134

$2.22 F CFA 1,263

-9.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.56 F CFA 2,022

$9.25 F CFA 5,253

-61.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.01 F CFA 2,277

$5.05 F CFA 2,869

-20.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.36 F CFA 3,610

$5.16 F CFA 2,929

23.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 F CFA 1,282

$3.88 F CFA 2,202

-41.75%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 F CFA 476

$1.37 F CFA 779

-38.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.73 F CFA 415

$1.21 F CFA 689

-39.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 F CFA 1,228

$1.74 F CFA 988

24.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 F CFA 536

$1.34 F CFA 761

-29.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 F CFA 464

$1.50 F CFA 853

-45.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 F CFA 412

$0.51 F CFA 291

43.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 F CFA 516

$1.23 F CFA 700

-26.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.43 F CFA 243

$2.35 F CFA 1,332

-81.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 F CFA 6,219

$4.28 F CFA 2,430

155.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 F CFA 541

$1.20 F CFA 681

-20.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 F CFA 634

$2.29 F CFA 1,301

-51.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 F CFA 1,023

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.86 F CFA 4,460

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 F CFA 984

$1.38 F CFA 784

25.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 F CFA 924

$1.25 F CFA 707

30.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 F CFA 988

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 F CFA 707

$1.11 F CFA 631

12.61%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.9K F CFA 14.1M

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$123 F CFA 69.8K

$266 F CFA 151.1K

-53.84%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$20.08 F CFA 11.4K

$43.54 F CFA 24.7K

-53.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$89.4 F CFA 50.8K

$56.1 F CFA 31.8K

59.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.39 F CFA 20.1K

$58.8 F CFA 33.4K

-39.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.19 F CFA 2,946

$5.40 F CFA 3,066

-3.89%

Cinema Ticket

$6.34 F CFA 3,602

$7.51 F CFA 4,266

-15.58%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$185 F CFA 104.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,379 F CFA 3.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.37 F CFA 9,861

$17.45 F CFA 9,907

-0.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.87 F CFA 5,034

$8.70 F CFA 4,939

1.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.05 F CFA 14.8K

$9.04 F CFA 5,134

188.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.03 F CFA 14.8K

$49.16 F CFA 27.9K

-47.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$101 F CFA 57.5K

$199 F CFA 113.0K

-49.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$74.3 F CFA 42.2K

$149 F CFA 84.6K

-50.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$225 F CFA 127.5K

$571 F CFA 324.3K

-60.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 F CFA 160.1K

$283 F CFA 160.6K

-0.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$85.4 F CFA 48.5K

$171 F CFA 97.3K

-50.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Abomey-Calavi: July 26, 2026

Last update for Cotonou: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $101 in Abomey-Calavi versus $199 in Cotonou. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 101% higher in Cotonou, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Abomey-Calavi versus $27.00 in Cotonou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $168 vs $209 – making Abomey-Calavi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Abomey-Calavi vs Cotonou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cotonou is pricier by about 37%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,088 per month in Abomey-Calavi and $1,496 in Cotonou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Abomey-Calavi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% more in Cotonou, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Abomey-Calavi and $27.00 in Cotonou. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $725 in Abomey-Calavi and $997 in Cotonou, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Abomey-Calavi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Abomey-Calavi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cotonou makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.