Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Benin and the United States

Name: United States
Address: US

For one person, living is cheaper in Benin: $814 a month against $2,734 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $23,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

39

Cost of Living Index in Benin
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Benin Living Index
131

Cost of Living Index in the United States
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United States Living Index

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🇧🇯 Benin

$814

/mo nomad

🇺🇸 United States

$2,734

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 States actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $814 per month in Benin vs $2,734 in the United States, rent included.

Benin $814
United States $2,734

A couple spends around $1,313 per month in Benin vs $3,985 in the United States, rent included.

Benin $1,313
United States $3,985

A family of three spends $1,812 per month in Benin vs $5,235 in the United States, rent included.

Benin $1,812
United States $5,235

The regional cost range is wider in the United States ($979–$5,160) than in Benin ($712–$897), so city choice matters more there.

The cost of living in Benin is roughly 70% lower than in the United States on average.

Benin sits 40% below the global median, while the United States is 101% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.09 F CFA 2,975

$20.03 $20.03

-74.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.52 F CFA 20.8K

$80.0 $80.0

-55.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.34 F CFA 5,465

$11.80 $11.80

-20.85%

Cappuccino

$5.26 F CFA 3,076

$5.55 $5.55

-5.23%

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

$1.22 F CFA 712

$2.66 $2.66

-54.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 F CFA 780

$2.17 $2.17

-38.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.81 F CFA 474

$6.12 $6.12

-86.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 F CFA 2,278

$7.94 $7.94

-51.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 F CFA 1,321

$1.04 $1.04

117.31%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 F CFA 481

$3.59 $3.59

-77.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 F CFA 1,073

$4.52 $4.52

-59.29%

Eggs

$2.15 F CFA 1,257

$4.28 $4.28

-49.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.52 F CFA 4,401

$13.22 $13.22

-43.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.51 F CFA 2,639

$12.60 $12.60

-64.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.39 F CFA 3,151

$17.60 $17.60

-69.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 F CFA 1,721

$5.30 $5.30

-44.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 F CFA 702

$1.69 $1.69

-28.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 F CFA 705

$4.44 $4.44

-72.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 F CFA 1,436

$4.77 $4.77

-48.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 F CFA 764

$2.97 $2.97

-55.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 F CFA 691

$3.15 $3.15

-62.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 F CFA 269

$2.20 $2.20

-79.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 F CFA 501

$2.35 $2.35

-63.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 F CFA 1,141

$10.98 $10.98

-82.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.16 F CFA 2,433

$15.05 $15.05

-72.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 F CFA 705

$2.06 $2.06

-41.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 F CFA 1,023

$3.79 $3.79

-53.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 F CFA 742

$1.94 $1.94

-34.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.59 F CFA 4,440

$59.4 $59.4

-87.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 F CFA 908

$3.58 $3.58

-56.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 F CFA 901

$1.88 $1.88

-18.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.84 $29.84

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 F CFA 723

$1.02 $1.02

21.57%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.8K $28.8K

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

$23.9K F CFA 14.0M

$26.2K $26.2K

-8.94%

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

$147 F CFA 86.2K

$218 $218

-32.41%

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

$31.46 F CFA 18.4K

$62.5 $62.5

-49.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.1 F CFA 31.7K

$74.5 $74.5

-27.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.80 F CFA 22.7K

$41.86 $41.86

-7.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.13 F CFA 2,418

$22.81 $22.81

-81.89%

Cinema Ticket

$8.57 F CFA 5,011

$14.70 $14.70

-41.70%

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

$131 F CFA 76.7K

$1,489 $1,489

-91.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,539 F CFA 3.2M

$25.3K $25.3K

-78.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.47 F CFA 12.6K

$54.3 $54.3

-60.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.30 F CFA 4,856

$42.71 $42.71

-80.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.84 F CFA 17.5K

$94.1 $94.1

-68.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.68 F CFA 27.9K

$114 $114

-58.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 F CFA 69.0K

$1,659 $1,659

-92.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$117 F CFA 68.7K

$1,348 $1,348

-91.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$406 F CFA 237.6K

$2,682 $2,682

-84.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 F CFA 216.7K

$2,169 $2,169

-82.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,283 $3,283

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,595 F CFA 1.5M

$2,482 $2,482

4.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$280 F CFA 164.0K

$4,296 $4,296

-93.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

-38.93%

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 States: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Benin

$233 28.6%

United States

$355 13% 52.4% $122

Groceries & Markets

Benin

$183 22.5%

United States

$415 15.2% 127% $232

Eating Out

Benin

$154 18.9%

United States

$328 12% 113% $174

Accommodation & Living

Benin

$117 14.4%

United States

$1.3K 49.3% 1048% $1.2K

Sport & Entertainment

Benin

$56 6.9%

United States

$71 2.6% 27.4% $15

Clothing & Footwear

Benin

$48 5.9%

United States

$137 5% 184% $89

Getting Around

Benin

$22 2.7%

United States

$80 2.9% 266% $58

Cost Breakdown

Average salary: $168 in Benin vs $4,549 in the United States. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1091% higher in the United States.

Dining out costs 142% more in the United States.

Public transport is 688% more expensive in the United States.

Salaries are about 27 times higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.

Good to know

🇧🇯 Benin

🇺🇸 United States

🕒 Local time

23:00 11:00 PM

17:00 5:00 PM

6 h behind Benin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

14,111,034

340,110,988

💱 Currency

West African CFA Franc XOF Fr

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD

1,000 XOF = 1.53 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to XOF – West African CFA Franc Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🌐 West African CFA Franc (Fr)

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).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to XOF in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Benin United States 9,550 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Benin
United States

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 States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Benin is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 70% lower on average.

Housing costs more in the United States: a central one-bedroom averages $1,620 versus $136 in Benin.

Groceries, public transport, and eating out all cost less in Benin – part of why living there is about 70% cheaper overall.

$1,200 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Benin, but in the United States it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

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.