Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dakar and Ziguinchor

For one person, living is cheaper in Ziguinchor: $154 a month against $1,415 in Dakar, rent and utilities included – about $15,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Dakar
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Dakar Living Index

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Dakar

🇸🇳 Senegal

$1,415

/mo nomad

Ziguinchor

🇸🇳 Senegal

$154

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dakar and in Ziguinchor

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Dakar and in Ziguinchor actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,415 in Dakar versus $154 in Ziguinchor.

Dakar $1,415
Ziguinchor $154

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,220 in Dakar versus $343 in Ziguinchor.

Dakar $2,220
Ziguinchor $343

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,026 in Dakar versus $532 in Ziguinchor.

Dakar $3,026
Ziguinchor $532

Living in Dakar is roughly 817% more expensive than in Ziguinchor, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dakar is 4% above, Ziguinchor is 89% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.23 F CFA 3,051

$6.36 F CFA 3,707

-17.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.0 F CFA 30.3K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.25 F CFA 6,561

Cappuccino

$3.43 F CFA 1,999

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

$1.25 F CFA 728

$0.87 F CFA 508

43.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 F CFA 538

$0.45 F CFA 262

104.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 F CFA 1,469

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 F CFA 2,473

Milk (1 liter)

$2.60 F CFA 1,513

$1.84 F CFA 1,071

41.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 F CFA 445

$0.34 F CFA 198

123.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 F CFA 967

$1.26 F CFA 734

31.75%

Eggs

$2.52 F CFA 1,467

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.67 F CFA 10.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.03 F CFA 5,268

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.89 F CFA 6,349

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 F CFA 1,906

$2.49 F CFA 1,449

31.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 F CFA 1,084

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 F CFA 1,741

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 F CFA 999

$1.74 F CFA 1,017

-1.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 F CFA 776

$1.68 F CFA 978

-20.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 F CFA 566

$1.74 F CFA 1,015

-44.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 F CFA 661

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 F CFA 403

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 F CFA 1,282

Wine (Bottle)

$17.00 F CFA 9,912

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 F CFA 923

$0.95 F CFA 553

66.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 F CFA 1,923

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 F CFA 239

$0.27 F CFA 159

51.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.0 F CFA 44.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.13 F CFA 1,241

$1.69 F CFA 987

26.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 F CFA 1,284

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.16 F CFA 10.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 F CFA 956

$1.67 F CFA 976

-1.80%

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

$49.7K F CFA 29.0M

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

$47.9K F CFA 27.9M

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

$202 F CFA 117.7K

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

$11.68 F CFA 6,811

$13.01 F CFA 7,584

-10.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.07 F CFA 26.9K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.29 F CFA 25.8K

$21.26 F CFA 12.4K

108.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.92 F CFA 13.4K

Cinema Ticket

$8.32 F CFA 4,852

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

$327 F CFA 190.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K F CFA 6.1M

$2,606 F CFA 1.5M

301.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 F CFA 34.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.95 F CFA 26.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 F CFA 50.8K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.1 F CFA 56.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 F CFA 482.1K

$432 F CFA 252.0K

91.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 F CFA 250.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,724 F CFA 1.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$916 F CFA 534.2K

$190 F CFA 110.6K

383.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,838 F CFA 2.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,494 F CFA 871.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 F CFA 198.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.75

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

Last update for Dakar: October 19, 2026

Last update for Ziguinchor: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Dakar

$430 30.4%

Ziguinchor

–

Groceries & Markets

Dakar

$296 21%

Ziguinchor

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dakar

$260 18.4%

Ziguinchor

–

Eating Out

Dakar

$147 10.4%

Ziguinchor

–

Clothing & Footwear

Dakar

$129 9.2%

Ziguinchor

–

Getting Around

Dakar

$92 6.5%

Ziguinchor

–

Sport & Entertainment

Dakar

$61 4.3%

Ziguinchor

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $827 in Dakar and $432 in Ziguinchor. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Good to know

🇸🇳 Dakar

🇸🇳 Ziguinchor

🕒 Local time

16:04 4:04 PM

Same time as Dakar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,396,800 Capital

230,000

💱 Currency

West African CFA Franc XOF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD

1,000 XOF = 1.53 EUR

1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD

1,000 XOF = 1.53 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Ziguinchor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dakar and Ziguinchor differ by about 817% in total monthly costs ($1,415 vs $154 including rent). Ziguinchor is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,122 in Dakar and $232 in Ziguinchor 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: $827 in Dakar versus $432 in Ziguinchor. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 384% higher in Dakar. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,415 per month in Dakar versus $154 in Ziguinchor – a 817% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $154 in Ziguinchor versus $1,415 in Dakar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ziguinchor but tight or insufficient in Dakar. The gap between the two cities makes Ziguinchor 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 Ziguinchor gentler on the wallet – expenses run 817% less than in Dakar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.