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 $746 per month in Abomey-Calavi vs $963 in Cotonou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,157 per month in Abomey-Calavi vs $1,414 in Cotonou, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,568 per month in Abomey-Calavi vs $1,866 in Cotonou, rent included.

Abomey-Calavi is about 23% 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 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.82 F CFA 3,284

$3.59 F CFA 2,029

62.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.98 F CFA 14.7K

$26.52 F CFA 15.0K

-2.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.54 F CFA 4,821

$5.31 F CFA 3,000

60.83%

Cappuccino

$4.75 F CFA 2,681

$5.58 F CFA 3,150

-14.87%

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

$1.14 F CFA 644

$0.92 F CFA 522

23.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 F CFA 1,022

$0.77 F CFA 436

135.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 F CFA 974

$1.44 F CFA 811

19.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.41 F CFA 3,057

$3.50 F CFA 1,975

54.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 F CFA 1,258

$2.60 F CFA 1,469

-14.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.25 F CFA 141

$1.43 F CFA 805

-82.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 F CFA 1,158

$1.92 F CFA 1,084

6.77%

Eggs

$2.03 F CFA 1,147

$2.27 F CFA 1,282

-10.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.56 F CFA 2,012

$9.29 F CFA 5,249

-61.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.95 F CFA 2,230

$5.07 F CFA 2,864

-22.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.34 F CFA 3,578

$5.09 F CFA 2,875

24.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 F CFA 1,213

$4.02 F CFA 2,271

-46.52%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 F CFA 503

$1.43 F CFA 810

-37.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.68 F CFA 385

$1.26 F CFA 711

-46.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 F CFA 1,206

$1.77 F CFA 998

20.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 F CFA 531

$1.35 F CFA 763

-30.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 F CFA 455

$1.43 F CFA 808

-43.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 F CFA 418

$0.52 F CFA 294

42.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 F CFA 516

$1.28 F CFA 724

-28.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.45 F CFA 256

$2.32 F CFA 1,309

-80.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.93 F CFA 6,174

$4.34 F CFA 2,454

151.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 F CFA 556

$1.18 F CFA 669

-16.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 F CFA 635

$2.21 F CFA 1,248

-49.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 F CFA 971

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.77 F CFA 4,388

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 F CFA 965

$1.44 F CFA 811

18.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 F CFA 879

$1.30 F CFA 734

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 F CFA 978

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 F CFA 688

$1.10 F CFA 624

10.91%

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

$24.8K F CFA 14.0M

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

$125 F CFA 70.4K

$261 F CFA 147.7K

-52.36%

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

$20.23 F CFA 11.4K

$44.50 F CFA 25.1K

-54.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$89.1 F CFA 50.3K

$57.3 F CFA 32.4K

55.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.09 F CFA 19.8K

$60.5 F CFA 34.2K

-41.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.17 F CFA 2,917

$5.37 F CFA 3,035

-3.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.10 F CFA 3,444

$7.37 F CFA 4,162

-17.23%

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

$189 F CFA 106.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,558 F CFA 3.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.72 F CFA 10.0K

$17.48 F CFA 9,870

1.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.60 F CFA 4,858

$8.70 F CFA 4,912

-1.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.12 F CFA 14.8K

$9.04 F CFA 5,106

188.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.39 F CFA 14.9K

$48.05 F CFA 27.1K

-45.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$100 F CFA 56.7K

$201 F CFA 113.5K

-50.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$74.7 F CFA 42.2K

$147 F CFA 83.0K

-49.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$220 F CFA 124.2K

$592 F CFA 334.5K

-62.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 F CFA 159.2K

$286 F CFA 161.4K

-1.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$86.6 F CFA 48.9K

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Cotonou: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $100 in Abomey-Calavi versus $201 in Cotonou. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Abomey-Calavi versus $27.00 in Cotonou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $167 vs $212 – 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 29%, 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 $1,118 per month in Abomey-Calavi and $1,445 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 26% 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 $26.00 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 $746 in Abomey-Calavi and $963 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.