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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $783 in Saint-Louis versus $1,318 in Dakar.

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

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

Living in Saint-Louis costs roughly 41% less than in Dakar, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.48 F CFA 1,993

$5.43 F CFA 3,111

-35.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 F CFA 30.3K

$52.2 F CFA 29.9K

1.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.20 F CFA 5,841

$10.20 F CFA 5,843

Cappuccino

$4.59 F CFA 2,630

$4.37 F CFA 2,506

5.03%

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

$0.92 F CFA 529

$0.89 F CFA 511

3.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 F CFA 605

$1.08 F CFA 619

-1.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 F CFA 1,036

$2.70 F CFA 1,549

-32.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 F CFA 2,562

$4.51 F CFA 2,581

-0.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.64 F CFA 1,512

$2.57 F CFA 1,473

2.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.27 F CFA 156

$0.67 F CFA 384

-59.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 F CFA 916

$1.62 F CFA 926

-1.23%

Eggs

$2.71 F CFA 1,552

$2.76 F CFA 1,581

-1.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 F CFA 7,400

$12.68 F CFA 7,263

1.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.08 F CFA 5,203

$9.44 F CFA 5,410

-3.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 F CFA 6,265

$10.61 F CFA 6,081

3.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 F CFA 1,570

$2.80 F CFA 1,602

-2.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 F CFA 1,089

$1.98 F CFA 1,135

-4.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 F CFA 1,490

$2.58 F CFA 1,480

0.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 F CFA 1,192

$2.14 F CFA 1,226

-2.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 F CFA 856

$1.54 F CFA 881

-3.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 F CFA 772

$1.34 F CFA 770

0.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 F CFA 587

$1.07 F CFA 613

-4.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 F CFA 389

$0.82 F CFA 468

-17.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.55 F CFA 886

$1.55 F CFA 891

Wine (Bottle)

$17.11 F CFA 9,805

$17.02 F CFA 9,752

0.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 F CFA 684

$1.13 F CFA 647

5.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 F CFA 1,335

$2.23 F CFA 1,280

4.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 F CFA 207

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.0 F CFA 45.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 F CFA 527

$2.58 F CFA 1,476

-64.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.85 F CFA 1,632

$2.80 F CFA 1,605

1.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.70 F CFA 10.1K

$17.55 F CFA 10.1K

0.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 F CFA 1,029

$1.78 F CFA 1,020

1.12%

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

$36.0K F CFA 20.6M

$36.9K F CFA 21.1M

-2.39%

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

$50.3K F CFA 28.8M

$50.1K F CFA 28.7M

0.41%

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

$140 F CFA 80.0K

-0.06%

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

$9.72 F CFA 5,570

$9.57 F CFA 5,482

1.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.1 F CFA 28.7K

$49.00 F CFA 28.1K

2.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 F CFA 31.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.51 F CFA 12.3K

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 F CFA 5,188

$8.75 F CFA 5,013

3.54%

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

$267 F CFA 152.7K

$268 F CFA 153.3K

-0.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,248 F CFA 4.2M

$7,349 F CFA 4.2M

-1.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.6 F CFA 38.7K

$68.1 F CFA 39.0K

-0.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.90 F CFA 25.2K

$43.58 F CFA 25.0K

0.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 F CFA 58.9K

$105 F CFA 60.1K

-1.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 F CFA 73.5K

$128 F CFA 73.6K

-0.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 F CFA 253.7K

$931 F CFA 533.3K

-52.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 F CFA 211.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 F CFA 1.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$933 F CFA 534.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,047 F CFA 2.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 F CFA 827.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$420 F CFA 240.8K

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 Saint-Louis: July 11, 2026

Last update for Dakar: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Dining out: $53.0 in Saint-Louis vs $52.0 in Dakar. Groceries flip the comparison at $273 vs $279, 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

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

Saint-Louis and Dakar differ by about 68% in total monthly costs ($783 vs $1,318 including rent). Saint-Louis is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

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

Childcare runs $267 in Saint-Louis versus $268 in Dakar. 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.