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 $997 per month in Cotonou vs $725 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Cotonou vs $1,163 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,854 per month in Cotonou vs $1,601 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

Cotonou costs about 37% more than Abomey-Calavi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cotonou and Abomey-Calavi are more affordable than the global median – Cotonou 25% lower, Abomey-Calavi 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 F CFA 1,967

$5.67 F CFA 3,219

-38.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.77 F CFA 15.2K

$26.69 F CFA 15.2K

0.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.16 F CFA 2,927

$8.50 F CFA 4,824

-39.29%

Cappuccino

$5.56 F CFA 3,154

$4.99 F CFA 2,835

11.42%

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

$0.86 F CFA 488

$1.18 F CFA 670

-27.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 F CFA 446

$1.79 F CFA 1,017

-55.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 F CFA 794

$1.81 F CFA 1,025

-22.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 F CFA 2,047

$5.42 F CFA 3,077

-33.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 F CFA 1,462

$2.18 F CFA 1,238

18.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 F CFA 815

$0.25 F CFA 141

476.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 F CFA 1,092

$2.06 F CFA 1,169

-6.80%

Eggs

$2.22 F CFA 1,263

$2.00 F CFA 1,134

11.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 F CFA 5,253

$3.56 F CFA 2,022

159.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 F CFA 2,869

$4.01 F CFA 2,277

25.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.16 F CFA 2,929

$6.36 F CFA 3,610

-18.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 F CFA 2,202

$2.26 F CFA 1,282

71.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 F CFA 779

$0.84 F CFA 476

63.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 F CFA 689

$0.73 F CFA 415

65.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 F CFA 988

$2.16 F CFA 1,228

-19.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 F CFA 761

$0.94 F CFA 536

42.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 F CFA 853

$0.82 F CFA 464

82.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 F CFA 291

$0.73 F CFA 412

-30.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 F CFA 700

$0.91 F CFA 516

35.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 F CFA 1,332

$0.43 F CFA 243

446.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.28 F CFA 2,430

$10.95 F CFA 6,219

-60.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 F CFA 681

$0.95 F CFA 541

26.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 F CFA 1,301

$1.12 F CFA 634

104.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 F CFA 1,023

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.86 F CFA 4,460

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 F CFA 784

$1.73 F CFA 984

-20.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 F CFA 707

$1.63 F CFA 924

-23.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 F CFA 988

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 F CFA 631

$1.25 F CFA 707

-11.20%

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

$24.9K F CFA 14.1M

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

$266 F CFA 151.1K

$123 F CFA 69.8K

116.66%

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

$43.54 F CFA 24.7K

$20.08 F CFA 11.4K

116.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 F CFA 31.8K

$89.4 F CFA 50.8K

-37.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.8 F CFA 33.4K

$35.39 F CFA 20.1K

66.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.40 F CFA 3,066

$5.19 F CFA 2,946

4.05%

Cinema Ticket

$7.51 F CFA 4,266

$6.34 F CFA 3,602

18.45%

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

$185 F CFA 104.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,379 F CFA 3.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.45 F CFA 9,907

$17.37 F CFA 9,861

0.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.70 F CFA 4,939

$8.87 F CFA 5,034

-1.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$9.04 F CFA 5,134

$26.05 F CFA 14.8K

-65.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.16 F CFA 27.9K

$26.03 F CFA 14.8K

88.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 F CFA 113.0K

$101 F CFA 57.5K

96.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 F CFA 84.6K

$74.3 F CFA 42.2K

100.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 F CFA 324.3K

$225 F CFA 127.5K

154.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 F CFA 160.6K

$282 F CFA 160.1K

0.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$171 F CFA 97.3K

$85.4 F CFA 48.5K

100.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Cotonou: July 27, 2026

Last update for Abomey-Calavi: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $199 in Cotonou versus $101 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.

Salaries run about 101% higher in Cotonou, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Cotonou versus $27.00 in Abomey-Calavi. Groceries tell a different story – $209 in Cotonou vs $168 in Abomey-Calavi – so Abomey-Calavi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 37%, 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 $1,496 per month in Cotonou and $1,088 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 25% 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 $27.00 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 $997 in Cotonou and $725 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.