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: $1,318 in Dakar versus $783 in Saint-Louis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,218 in Dakar versus $1,274 in Saint-Louis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,117 in Dakar versus $1,765 in Saint-Louis.

Living in Dakar is roughly 68% more expensive than in Saint-Louis, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dakar 1% lower, Saint-Louis 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.43 F CFA 3,114

$3.48 F CFA 1,996

56.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 F CFA 29.9K

$53.0 F CFA 30.4K

-1.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.20 F CFA 5,849

$10.20 F CFA 5,848

Cappuccino

$4.37 F CFA 2,509

$4.59 F CFA 2,633

-4.79%

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

$0.89 F CFA 511

$0.92 F CFA 529

-3.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 F CFA 620

$1.06 F CFA 606

1.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 F CFA 1,551

$1.81 F CFA 1,037

49.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 F CFA 2,584

$4.47 F CFA 2,565

0.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.57 F CFA 1,474

$2.64 F CFA 1,513

-2.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 F CFA 385

$0.27 F CFA 156

148.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 F CFA 927

$1.60 F CFA 917

1.25%

Eggs

$2.76 F CFA 1,582

$2.71 F CFA 1,554

1.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 F CFA 7,271

$12.92 F CFA 7,409

-1.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 F CFA 5,416

$9.08 F CFA 5,209

3.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.61 F CFA 6,088

$10.94 F CFA 6,272

-3.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 F CFA 1,603

$2.74 F CFA 1,571

2.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 F CFA 1,137

$1.90 F CFA 1,090

4.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 F CFA 1,481

$2.60 F CFA 1,492

-0.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 F CFA 1,227

$2.08 F CFA 1,193

2.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 F CFA 882

$1.49 F CFA 857

3.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 F CFA 771

$1.35 F CFA 773

-0.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 F CFA 614

$1.02 F CFA 587

4.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 F CFA 468

$0.68 F CFA 390

20.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.55 F CFA 892

$1.55 F CFA 887

Wine (Bottle)

$17.02 F CFA 9,762

$17.11 F CFA 9,816

-0.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 F CFA 648

$1.19 F CFA 684

-5.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 F CFA 1,282

$2.33 F CFA 1,337

-4.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 F CFA 208

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.0 F CFA 45.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 F CFA 1,478

$0.92 F CFA 527

180.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.80 F CFA 1,607

$2.85 F CFA 1,633

-1.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.55 F CFA 10.1K

$17.70 F CFA 10.2K

-0.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 F CFA 1,021

$1.80 F CFA 1,030

-1.11%

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

$36.9K F CFA 21.2M

$36.0K F CFA 20.6M

2.45%

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

$50.1K F CFA 28.7M

$50.3K F CFA 28.8M

-0.41%

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

$140 F CFA 80.1K

$140 F CFA 80.0K

0.06%

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

$9.57 F CFA 5,488

$9.72 F CFA 5,576

-1.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.00 F CFA 28.1K

$50.1 F CFA 28.7K

-2.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 F CFA 31.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.51 F CFA 12.3K

Cinema Ticket

$8.75 F CFA 5,019

$9.06 F CFA 5,194

-3.42%

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

$268 F CFA 153.5K

$267 F CFA 152.9K

0.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,349 F CFA 4.2M

$7,248 F CFA 4.2M

1.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 F CFA 39.1K

$67.6 F CFA 38.8K

0.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.58 F CFA 25.0K

$43.90 F CFA 25.2K

-0.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 F CFA 60.1K

$103 F CFA 59.0K

1.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 F CFA 73.7K

$128 F CFA 73.6K

0.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$931 F CFA 533.8K

$443 F CFA 254.0K

110.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 F CFA 211.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 F CFA 1.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$933 F CFA 534.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,047 F CFA 2.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 F CFA 828.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$420 F CFA 241.0K

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Saint-Louis: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $931 in Dakar and $443 in Saint-Louis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Dakar vs $53.0 in Saint-Louis. Groceries flip the comparison at $279 vs $273, 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 68% in total monthly costs ($1,318 vs $783 including rent). Saint-Louis is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,977 in Dakar and $1,174 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: $931 in Dakar versus $443 in Saint-Louis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $268 in Dakar versus $267 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 $52.0 in Dakar. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $783 in Saint-Louis versus $1,318 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 68% less than in Dakar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.