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: $876 in Saint-Louis versus $1,470 in Dakar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,385 in Saint-Louis versus $2,312 in Dakar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,895 in Saint-Louis versus $3,154 in Dakar.

Living in Saint-Louis costs roughly 40% less than in Dakar, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Saint-Louis is 36% below, Dakar is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.48 F CFA 1,962

$5.22 F CFA 2,943

-33.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.7 F CFA 31.4K

$55.8 F CFA 31.5K

-0.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.74 F CFA 6,615

$11.44 F CFA 6,446

2.62%

Cappuccino

$3.44 F CFA 1,940

$3.56 F CFA 2,006

-3.37%

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

$1.25 F CFA 704

$1.25 F CFA 707

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 F CFA 493

$0.89 F CFA 501

-2.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 F CFA 1,033

$2.61 F CFA 1,470

-29.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 F CFA 2,478

$4.38 F CFA 2,467

0.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.78 F CFA 1,568

$2.85 F CFA 1,604

-2.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.28 F CFA 158

$0.77 F CFA 434

-63.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 F CFA 978

$1.77 F CFA 996

-1.69%

Eggs

$2.60 F CFA 1,465

$2.54 F CFA 1,431

2.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.34 F CFA 9,775

$17.81 F CFA 10.0K

-2.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.58 F CFA 5,397

$9.26 F CFA 5,220

3.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.41 F CFA 6,432

$11.35 F CFA 6,395

0.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 F CFA 1,835

$3.35 F CFA 1,886

-2.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 F CFA 1,078

$2.01 F CFA 1,136

-4.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 F CFA 1,684

$2.97 F CFA 1,674

0.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 F CFA 1,017

$1.87 F CFA 1,054

-3.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 F CFA 778

$1.39 F CFA 784

-0.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 F CFA 592

$0.99 F CFA 556

6.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 F CFA 670

$1.14 F CFA 642

4.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 F CFA 413

$0.67 F CFA 378

8.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 F CFA 1,284

$2.17 F CFA 1,225

5.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 F CFA 9,947

$18.05 F CFA 10.2K

-2.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 F CFA 905

$1.62 F CFA 911

-0.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 F CFA 1,918

$3.37 F CFA 1,897

0.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 F CFA 215

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.3 F CFA 45.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 F CFA 526

$2.25 F CFA 1,270

-58.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.18 F CFA 1,226

$2.25 F CFA 1,267

-3.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.55 F CFA 9,891

$17.99 F CFA 10.1K

-2.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 F CFA 945

$1.68 F CFA 946

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

$52.0K F CFA 29.3M

$52.4K F CFA 29.5M

-0.81%

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

$50.4K F CFA 28.4M

$49.8K F CFA 28.1M

1.21%

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

$209 F CFA 117.6K

$213 F CFA 119.9K

-1.86%

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

$11.91 F CFA 6,712

$11.99 F CFA 6,756

-0.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.07 F CFA 27.1K

$47.19 F CFA 26.6K

1.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.17 F CFA 26.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.08 F CFA 13.6K

Cinema Ticket

$8.99 F CFA 5,066

$8.72 F CFA 4,916

3.10%

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

$316 F CFA 178.2K

$330 F CFA 186.1K

-4.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K F CFA 6.1M

0.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 F CFA 34.0K

$59.7 F CFA 33.6K

1.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.08 F CFA 27.1K

$47.50 F CFA 26.8K

1.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 F CFA 50.1K

$89.6 F CFA 50.5K

-0.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 F CFA 56.7K

$100 F CFA 56.4K

0.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$450 F CFA 253.5K

$841 F CFA 474.1K

-46.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 F CFA 250.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,781 F CFA 1.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$957 F CFA 539.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,987 F CFA 2.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,582 F CFA 891.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$352 F CFA 198.4K

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 Saint-Louis: September 1, 2026

Last update for Dakar: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $450 in Saint-Louis and $841 in Dakar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $56.0 in Saint-Louis vs $56.0 in Dakar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $301 vs $307 per month, with Saint-Louis cheaper across the board.

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 ($876 vs $1,470 including rent). Saint-Louis is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,313 in Saint-Louis and $2,205 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: $450 in Saint-Louis versus $841 in Dakar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $316 in Saint-Louis versus $330 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 $56.0 versus $56.0 in Dakar. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $876 in Saint-Louis versus $1,470 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.