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 $741 per month in Abomey-Calavi vs $978 in Cotonou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,164 per month in Abomey-Calavi vs $1,407 in Cotonou, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,587 per month in Abomey-Calavi vs $1,835 in Cotonou, rent included.

Abomey-Calavi is about 24% 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 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.82 F CFA 3,266

$3.47 F CFA 1,948

67.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.01 F CFA 14.6K

$26.93 F CFA 15.1K

-3.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 F CFA 4,611

$5.24 F CFA 2,940

56.87%

Cappuccino

$4.75 F CFA 2,666

$5.52 F CFA 3,097

-13.95%

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

$1.18 F CFA 660

$0.86 F CFA 483

37.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 F CFA 1,002

$0.78 F CFA 435

129.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 F CFA 980

$1.45 F CFA 814

20.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 F CFA 2,932

$3.49 F CFA 1,956

49.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 F CFA 1,277

$2.65 F CFA 1,486

-13.96%

White Bread (500g)

$0.27 F CFA 153

$1.38 F CFA 774

-80.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 F CFA 1,122

$1.85 F CFA 1,037

8.11%

Eggs

$1.96 F CFA 1,100

$2.18 F CFA 1,221

-10.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.60 F CFA 2,021

$9.23 F CFA 5,179

-61.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 F CFA 2,258

$4.93 F CFA 2,763

-18.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.22 F CFA 3,487

$5.13 F CFA 2,877

21.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 F CFA 1,271

$3.89 F CFA 2,183

-41.65%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 F CFA 503

$1.37 F CFA 771

-34.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.69 F CFA 384

$1.27 F CFA 710

-45.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 F CFA 1,181

$1.77 F CFA 991

18.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 F CFA 570

$1.41 F CFA 789

-27.66%

Onion (1kg)

$0.83 F CFA 463

$1.45 F CFA 811

-42.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 F CFA 408

$0.48 F CFA 267

52.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 F CFA 504

$1.28 F CFA 718

-29.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.43 F CFA 239

$2.33 F CFA 1,309

-81.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.08 F CFA 6,214

$6.52 F CFA 3,659

69.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 F CFA 536

$1.24 F CFA 698

-22.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 F CFA 628

$2.28 F CFA 1,281

-50.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 F CFA 1,012

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.57 F CFA 4,245

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 F CFA 998

$1.44 F CFA 810

23.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 F CFA 873

$1.26 F CFA 705

23.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 F CFA 1,005

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 F CFA 706

$1.06 F CFA 595

18.87%

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

$24.3K F CFA 13.6M

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

$125 F CFA 70.0K

$269 F CFA 150.9K

-53.62%

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

$20.02 F CFA 11.2K

$44.80 F CFA 25.1K

-55.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$89.7 F CFA 50.3K

$55.5 F CFA 31.1K

61.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.17 F CFA 19.7K

$58.9 F CFA 33.0K

-40.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.34 F CFA 2,996

$5.44 F CFA 3,051

-1.84%

Cinema Ticket

$6.16 F CFA 3,452

$7.53 F CFA 4,221

-18.19%

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

$189 F CFA 106.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,522 F CFA 3.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.39 F CFA 9,754

$17.58 F CFA 9,863

-1.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.60 F CFA 4,824

$8.64 F CFA 4,846

-0.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.21 F CFA 14.7K

$9.04 F CFA 5,070

189.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.48 F CFA 14.9K

$49.26 F CFA 27.6K

-46.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$99.7 F CFA 55.9K

$202 F CFA 113.3K

-50.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.3 F CFA 42.8K

$149 F CFA 83.6K

-48.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$219 F CFA 122.8K

$577 F CFA 323.7K

-62.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$277 F CFA 155.3K

$285 F CFA 159.7K

-2.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$89.4 F CFA 50.2K

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Cotonou: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $99.7 in Abomey-Calavi versus $202 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: $168 vs $214 – 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 32%, 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 $1,112 per month in Abomey-Calavi and $1,467 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 27% 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 $741 in Abomey-Calavi and $978 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.