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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $963 per month in Cotonou vs $746 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

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

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

Cotonou costs about 29% more than Abomey-Calavi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cotonou and Abomey-Calavi are more affordable than the global median – Cotonou 28% lower, Abomey-Calavi 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 F CFA 2,029

$5.82 F CFA 3,284

-38.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.52 F CFA 15.0K

$25.98 F CFA 14.7K

2.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 F CFA 3,000

$8.54 F CFA 4,821

-37.82%

Cappuccino

$5.58 F CFA 3,150

$4.75 F CFA 2,681

17.47%

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

$0.92 F CFA 522

$1.14 F CFA 644

-19.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 F CFA 436

$1.81 F CFA 1,022

-57.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 F CFA 811

$1.72 F CFA 974

-16.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 F CFA 1,975

$5.41 F CFA 3,057

-35.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.60 F CFA 1,469

$2.23 F CFA 1,258

16.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 F CFA 805

$0.25 F CFA 141

472.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 F CFA 1,084

$2.05 F CFA 1,158

-6.34%

Eggs

$2.27 F CFA 1,282

$2.03 F CFA 1,147

11.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 F CFA 5,249

$3.56 F CFA 2,012

160.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.07 F CFA 2,864

$3.95 F CFA 2,230

28.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.09 F CFA 2,875

$6.34 F CFA 3,578

-19.72%

Apples (1kg)

$4.02 F CFA 2,271

$2.15 F CFA 1,213

86.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 F CFA 810

$0.89 F CFA 503

60.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 F CFA 711

$0.68 F CFA 385

85.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 F CFA 998

$2.13 F CFA 1,206

-16.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 F CFA 763

$0.94 F CFA 531

43.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 F CFA 808

$0.81 F CFA 455

76.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 F CFA 294

$0.74 F CFA 418

-29.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 F CFA 724

$0.91 F CFA 516

40.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 F CFA 1,309

$0.45 F CFA 256

415.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.34 F CFA 2,454

$10.93 F CFA 6,174

-60.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 F CFA 669

$0.98 F CFA 556

20.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 F CFA 1,248

$1.12 F CFA 635

97.32%

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)

$1.44 F CFA 811

$1.71 F CFA 965

-15.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 F CFA 734

$1.56 F CFA 879

-16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 F CFA 978

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 F CFA 624

$1.22 F CFA 688

-9.84%

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)

$261 F CFA 147.7K

$125 F CFA 70.4K

109.91%

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

$44.50 F CFA 25.1K

$20.23 F CFA 11.4K

119.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 F CFA 32.4K

$89.1 F CFA 50.3K

-35.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 F CFA 34.2K

$35.09 F CFA 19.8K

72.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.37 F CFA 3,035

$5.17 F CFA 2,917

3.87%

Cinema Ticket

$7.37 F CFA 4,162

$6.10 F CFA 3,444

20.82%

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)

$17.48 F CFA 9,870

$17.72 F CFA 10.0K

-1.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.70 F CFA 4,912

$8.60 F CFA 4,858

1.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$9.04 F CFA 5,106

$26.12 F CFA 14.8K

-65.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.05 F CFA 27.1K

$26.39 F CFA 14.9K

82.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 F CFA 113.5K

$100 F CFA 56.7K

100.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$147 F CFA 83.0K

$74.7 F CFA 42.2K

96.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$592 F CFA 334.5K

$220 F CFA 124.2K

169.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 F CFA 161.4K

$282 F CFA 159.2K

1.38%

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 Cotonou: June 8, 2026

Last update for Abomey-Calavi: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $201 in Cotonou versus $100 in Abomey-Calavi. 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 $27.00 in Cotonou versus $26.00 in Abomey-Calavi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $212 vs $167 – 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

Cotonou vs Abomey-Calavi: 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 $1,445 per month in Cotonou and $1,118 in Abomey-Calavi. 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 $27.00 in Cotonou and $26.00 in Abomey-Calavi. 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 $963 in Cotonou and $746 in Abomey-Calavi, 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.