Cost of Living Comparison Between Dakar and Saint-Louis Cost of Living Comparison Between Dakar and Saint-Louis

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,327 in Dakar versus $778 in Saint-Louis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,194 in Dakar versus $1,264 in Saint-Louis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,061 in Dakar versus $1,750 in Saint-Louis.

Living in Dakar is roughly 71% more expensive than Saint-Louis, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dakar 1% lower, Saint-Louis 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.42 F CFA 3,058

$3.45 F CFA 1,943

57.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.3 F CFA 30.1K

$53.5 F CFA 30.2K

-0.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.21 F CFA 5,755

$10.42 F CFA 5,877

-2.02%

Cappuccino

$4.43 F CFA 2,498

$4.51 F CFA 2,543

-1.77%

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

$0.86 F CFA 484

$0.84 F CFA 475

2.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 F CFA 615

$1.05 F CFA 594

3.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 F CFA 1,450

$1.80 F CFA 1,017

42.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 F CFA 2,457

$4.28 F CFA 2,416

1.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.52 F CFA 1,423

$2.57 F CFA 1,450

-1.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 F CFA 360

$0.27 F CFA 153

137.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 F CFA 906

$1.62 F CFA 912

-0.62%

Eggs

$2.88 F CFA 1,625

$2.60 F CFA 1,464

10.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.78 F CFA 7,209

$12.60 F CFA 7,107

1.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 F CFA 5,357

$9.22 F CFA 5,198

3.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 F CFA 6,069

$10.95 F CFA 6,176

-1.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 F CFA 1,536

$2.82 F CFA 1,591

-3.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 F CFA 1,121

$2.00 F CFA 1,126

-0.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 F CFA 1,473

$2.60 F CFA 1,469

0.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 F CFA 1,174

$2.06 F CFA 1,164

0.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 F CFA 844

$1.55 F CFA 874

-3.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 F CFA 758

$1.34 F CFA 755

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 F CFA 600

$1.02 F CFA 573

3.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 F CFA 460

$0.72 F CFA 408

13.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.61 F CFA 908

$1.64 F CFA 922

-1.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.38 F CFA 8,674

$15.33 F CFA 8,643

0.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 F CFA 667

$1.17 F CFA 660

0.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 F CFA 1,254

$2.24 F CFA 1,266

-0.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 F CFA 204

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 F CFA 45.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 F CFA 1,514

$0.91 F CFA 514

194.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.83 F CFA 1,598

$2.78 F CFA 1,569

1.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.99 F CFA 10.1K

$17.72 F CFA 9,996

1.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 F CFA 963

$1.73 F CFA 974

-1.16%

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

$36.1K F CFA 20.4M

$36.0K F CFA 20.3M

0.26%

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

$49.2K F CFA 27.8M

$49.7K F CFA 28.0M

-0.98%

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

$138 F CFA 78.0K

$140 F CFA 79.1K

-1.39%

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

$9.92 F CFA 5,597

$9.67 F CFA 5,453

2.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.4 F CFA 28.4K

$50.6 F CFA 28.5K

-0.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 F CFA 31.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.41 F CFA 12.1K

Cinema Ticket

$9.02 F CFA 5,086

$8.93 F CFA 5,038

1.01%

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

$272 F CFA 153.4K

$265 F CFA 149.6K

2.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,169 F CFA 4.0M

$7,357 F CFA 4.1M

-2.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 F CFA 38.7K

$69.5 F CFA 39.2K

-1.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.93 F CFA 24.8K

$44.04 F CFA 24.8K

-0.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 F CFA 58.2K

0.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 F CFA 74.1K

$130 F CFA 73.1K

1.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$914 F CFA 515.2K

$443 F CFA 249.7K

106.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 F CFA 208.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,863 F CFA 1.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$938 F CFA 528.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,996 F CFA 2.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,491 F CFA 841.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$431 F CFA 243.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.25

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

Last update for Dakar: June 1, 2026

Last update for Saint-Louis: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $914 in Dakar and $443 in Saint-Louis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Dakar vs $53.0 in Saint-Louis. Groceries flip the comparison at $276 vs $270, with Saint-Louis cheaper for home cooking.

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

Dakar vs Saint-Louis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dakar and Saint-Louis differ by about 71% in total monthly costs ($1,327 vs $778 including rent). Saint-Louis is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,991 in Dakar and $1,167 in Saint-Louis to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $914 in Dakar versus $443 in Saint-Louis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $272 in Dakar versus $265 in Saint-Louis. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Saint-Louis – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $53.0 in Dakar. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $778 in Saint-Louis versus $1,327 in Dakar, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Saint-Louis but tight or insufficient in Dakar. The gap between the two cities makes Saint-Louis the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Saint-Louis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Dakar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.