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

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

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

Cotonou costs about 32% more than Abomey-Calavi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cotonou and Abomey-Calavi are more affordable than the global median – Cotonou 27% lower, Abomey-Calavi 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 F CFA 1,948

$5.82 F CFA 3,266

-40.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.93 F CFA 15.1K

$26.01 F CFA 14.6K

3.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.24 F CFA 2,940

$8.22 F CFA 4,611

-36.25%

Cappuccino

$5.52 F CFA 3,097

$4.75 F CFA 2,666

16.21%

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

$0.86 F CFA 483

$1.18 F CFA 660

-27.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 F CFA 435

$1.79 F CFA 1,002

-56.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 F CFA 814

$1.75 F CFA 980

-17.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 F CFA 1,956

$5.23 F CFA 2,932

-33.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.65 F CFA 1,486

$2.28 F CFA 1,277

16.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 F CFA 774

$0.27 F CFA 153

411.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 F CFA 1,037

$2.00 F CFA 1,122

-7.50%

Eggs

$2.18 F CFA 1,221

$1.96 F CFA 1,100

11.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.23 F CFA 5,179

$3.60 F CFA 2,021

156.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 F CFA 2,763

$4.03 F CFA 2,258

22.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.13 F CFA 2,877

$6.22 F CFA 3,487

-17.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 F CFA 2,183

$2.27 F CFA 1,271

71.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 F CFA 771

$0.90 F CFA 503

52.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 F CFA 710

$0.69 F CFA 384

84.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 F CFA 991

$2.10 F CFA 1,181

-15.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 F CFA 789

$1.02 F CFA 570

38.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 F CFA 811

$0.83 F CFA 463

74.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 F CFA 267

$0.73 F CFA 408

-34.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 F CFA 718

$0.90 F CFA 504

42.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 F CFA 1,309

$0.43 F CFA 239

441.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.52 F CFA 3,659

$11.08 F CFA 6,214

-41.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 F CFA 698

$0.96 F CFA 536

29.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 F CFA 1,281

$1.12 F CFA 628

103.57%

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)

$1.44 F CFA 810

$1.78 F CFA 998

-19.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 F CFA 705

$1.56 F CFA 873

-19.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 F CFA 1,005

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 F CFA 595

$1.26 F CFA 706

-15.87%

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)

$269 F CFA 150.9K

$125 F CFA 70.0K

115.63%

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

$44.80 F CFA 25.1K

$20.02 F CFA 11.2K

123.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 F CFA 31.1K

$89.7 F CFA 50.3K

-38.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.9 F CFA 33.0K

$35.17 F CFA 19.7K

67.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.44 F CFA 3,051

$5.34 F CFA 2,996

1.87%

Cinema Ticket

$7.53 F CFA 4,221

$6.16 F CFA 3,452

22.24%

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)

$17.58 F CFA 9,863

$17.39 F CFA 9,754

1.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.64 F CFA 4,846

$8.60 F CFA 4,824

0.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$9.04 F CFA 5,070

$26.21 F CFA 14.7K

-65.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.26 F CFA 27.6K

$26.48 F CFA 14.9K

86.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 F CFA 113.3K

$99.7 F CFA 55.9K

102.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 F CFA 83.6K

$76.3 F CFA 42.8K

95.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 F CFA 323.7K

$219 F CFA 122.8K

163.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 F CFA 159.7K

$277 F CFA 155.3K

2.80%

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 Cotonou: April 25, 2026

Last update for Abomey-Calavi: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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