Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Benin and the United Kingdom

For one person, living is cheaper in Benin: $814 a month against $2,462 in the United Kingdom, rent and utilities included – about $19,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Benin
United Kingdom
🇧🇯 Benin
$814
/mo nomad
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,462
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Benin and in the United Kingdom

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Benin and in the United Kingdom actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $814 per month in Benin vs $2,462 in the United Kingdom, rent included.

  • Benin $814
  • United Kingdom $2,462

A couple spends around $1,313 per month in Benin vs $3,600 in the United Kingdom, rent included.

  • Benin $1,313
  • United Kingdom $3,600

A family of three spends $1,812 per month in Benin vs $4,738 in the United Kingdom, rent included.

  • Benin $1,812
  • United Kingdom $4,738

The regional cost range is wider in the United Kingdom ($1,126–$4,646) than in Benin ($712–$897), so city choice matters more there.

The cost of living in Benin is roughly 67% lower than in the United Kingdom on average.

Benin sits 40% below the global median, while the United Kingdom is 81% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Benin
United Kingdom
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.09 F CFA 2,975
$21.48 £16.02
-76.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.52 F CFA 20.8K
$85.7 £63.9
-58.57%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.34 F CFA 5,465
$10.61 £7.91
-11.97%
Cappuccino
$5.26 F CFA 3,076
$4.91 £3.66
7.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.22 F CFA 712
$2.66 £1.98
-54.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33 F CFA 780
$1.87 £1.39
-28.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.81 F CFA 474
$6.63 £4.94
-87.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.89 F CFA 2,278
$6.84 £5.10
-43.13%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Benin
United Kingdom
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.26 F CFA 1,321
$1.68 £1.25
34.52%
White Bread (500g)
$0.82 F CFA 481
$1.72 £1.28
-52.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.84 F CFA 1,073
$2.17 £1.62
-15.21%
Eggs
$2.15 F CFA 1,257
$4.00 £2.98
-46.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.52 F CFA 4,401
$9.42 £7.02
-20.17%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.51 F CFA 2,639
$9.19 £6.85
-50.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.39 F CFA 3,151
$14.77 £11.01
-63.51%
Apples (1kg)
$2.94 F CFA 1,721
$2.97 £2.21
-1.01%
Banana (1kg)
$1.20 F CFA 702
$1.62 £1.21
-25.93%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.21 F CFA 705
$2.85 £2.13
-57.54%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.46 F CFA 1,436
$3.52 £2.63
-30.11%
Potato (1kg)
$1.31 F CFA 764
$1.83 £1.37
-28.42%
Onion (1kg)
$1.18 F CFA 691
$1.61 £1.20
-26.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.46 F CFA 269
$1.25 £0.93
-63.20%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.86 F CFA 501
$1.66 £1.24
-48.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.95 F CFA 1,141
$23.65 £17.63
-91.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.16 F CFA 2,433
$10.50 £7.83
-60.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 F CFA 705
$2.98 £2.22
-59.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 F CFA 1,023
$3.51 £2.62
-50.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Benin
United Kingdom
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.27 F CFA 742
$3.98 £2.97
-68.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$7.59 F CFA 4,440
$107 £80.1
-92.93%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.55 F CFA 908
$5.18 £3.86
-70.08%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.54 F CFA 901
$2.35 £1.75
-34.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$26.84 £20.01
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.24 F CFA 723
$1.99 £1.48
-37.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$39.4K £29.4K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.9K F CFA 14.0M
$40.5K £30.2K
-41.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Benin
United Kingdom
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$147 F CFA 86.2K
$327 £244
-54.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$31.46 F CFA 18.4K
$18.21 £13.58
72.76%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.1 F CFA 31.7K
$43.60 £32.51
24.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Benin
United Kingdom
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.80 F CFA 22.7K
$42.36 £31.58
-8.40%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.13 F CFA 2,418
$18.22 £13.58
-77.33%
Cinema Ticket
$8.57 F CFA 5,011
$13.85 £10.32
-38.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Benin
United Kingdom
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$131 F CFA 76.7K
$1,868 £1,393
-92.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,539 F CFA 3.2M
$22.6K £16.9K
-75.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Benin
United Kingdom
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$21.47 F CFA 12.6K
$92.9 £69.3
-76.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$8.30 F CFA 4,856
$45.92 £34.24
-81.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$29.84 F CFA 17.5K
$102 £75.8
-70.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$47.68 F CFA 27.9K
$102 £76.2
-53.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Benin
United Kingdom
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$118 F CFA 69.0K
$1,342 £1,001
-91.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$117 F CFA 68.7K
$1,073 £800
-89.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$406 F CFA 237.6K
$2,231 £1,664
-81.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$370 F CFA 216.7K
$1,742 £1,299
-78.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$5,601 £4,176
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,595 F CFA 1.5M
$4,265 £3,180
-39.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Benin
United Kingdom
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$280 F CFA 164.0K
$3,349 £2,497
-91.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4
5.32
-24.81%

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

Last update for Benin: October 26, 2026

Last update for the United Kingdom: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Benin
$233
United Kingdom
$389 67% $156
Groceries & Markets
Benin
$183
United Kingdom
$307 67.6% $124
Eating Out
Benin
$154
United Kingdom
$328 113% $174
Accommodation & Living
Benin
$117
United Kingdom
$1.1K 814% $956
Sport & Entertainment
Benin
$56
United Kingdom
$70 25.2% $14
Clothing & Footwear
Benin
$48
United Kingdom
$154 219% $106
Getting Around
Benin
$22
United Kingdom
$140 540% $118

Cost Breakdown

Average salary: $168 in Benin vs $3,251 in the United Kingdom. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 846% higher in the United Kingdom.

Dining out costs 168% more in the United Kingdom.

Public transport is 1163% more expensive in the United Kingdom.

Salaries are about 19 times higher in the United Kingdom, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United Kingdom.

Good to know
🇧🇯 Benin
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
🕒 Local time
23:38 11:38 PM
22:38 10:38 PM
1 h behind Benin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
14,111,034
67,326,569
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD, EUR to XOF – West African CFA Franc Converter

West African CFA Franc exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 585 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.53 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.746 GBP (1 GBP = 1.34 USD). 1 EUR = 0.836 GBP (1 GBP = 1.2 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Benin United Kingdom 5,020 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Benin
  • United Kingdom

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Benin vs United Kingdom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do Benin and the United Kingdom compare in cost of living?
Benin is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 67% lower on average.
How do rents compare between Benin and the United Kingdom?
Housing costs more in the United Kingdom: a central one-bedroom averages $1,287 versus $136 in Benin.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Benin or the United Kingdom?
Groceries, public transport, and eating out all cost less in Benin – part of why living there is about 67% cheaper overall.
How do I choose between living in Benin and in the United Kingdom?
Benin is the budget-friendly choice for expats. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

Benin vs other spots: cost of living compared

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