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: $778 in Saint-Louis versus $1,327 in Dakar.

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

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,750 in Saint-Louis versus $3,061 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 42% lower, Dakar 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 F CFA 1,943

$5.42 F CFA 3,058

-36.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 F CFA 30.2K

$53.3 F CFA 30.1K

0.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 F CFA 5,877

$10.21 F CFA 5,755

2.06%

Cappuccino

$4.51 F CFA 2,543

$4.43 F CFA 2,498

1.81%

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

$0.84 F CFA 475

$0.86 F CFA 484

-2.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 F CFA 594

$1.09 F CFA 615

-3.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 F CFA 1,017

$2.57 F CFA 1,450

-29.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 F CFA 2,416

$4.36 F CFA 2,457

-1.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.57 F CFA 1,450

$2.52 F CFA 1,423

1.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.27 F CFA 153

$0.64 F CFA 360

-57.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 F CFA 912

$1.61 F CFA 906

0.62%

Eggs

$2.60 F CFA 1,464

$2.88 F CFA 1,625

-9.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.60 F CFA 7,107

$12.78 F CFA 7,209

-1.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.22 F CFA 5,198

$9.50 F CFA 5,357

-2.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.95 F CFA 6,176

$10.76 F CFA 6,069

1.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 F CFA 1,591

$2.72 F CFA 1,536

3.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 F CFA 1,126

$1.99 F CFA 1,121

0.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 F CFA 1,469

$2.61 F CFA 1,473

-0.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 F CFA 1,164

$2.08 F CFA 1,174

-0.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 F CFA 874

$1.50 F CFA 844

3.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 F CFA 755

$1.34 F CFA 758

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 F CFA 573

$1.06 F CFA 600

-3.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 F CFA 408

$0.82 F CFA 460

-12.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.64 F CFA 922

$1.61 F CFA 908

1.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.33 F CFA 8,643

$15.38 F CFA 8,674

-0.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 F CFA 660

$1.18 F CFA 667

-0.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 F CFA 1,266

$2.22 F CFA 1,254

0.90%

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)

$0.91 F CFA 514

$2.68 F CFA 1,514

-66.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.78 F CFA 1,569

$2.83 F CFA 1,598

-1.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.72 F CFA 9,996

$17.99 F CFA 10.1K

-1.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 F CFA 974

$1.71 F CFA 963

1.17%

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

$36.0K F CFA 20.3M

$36.1K F CFA 20.4M

-0.26%

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

$49.7K F CFA 28.0M

$49.2K F CFA 27.8M

0.99%

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

$140 F CFA 79.1K

$138 F CFA 78.0K

1.41%

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

$9.67 F CFA 5,453

$9.92 F CFA 5,597

-2.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.6 F CFA 28.5K

$50.4 F CFA 28.4K

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

$8.93 F CFA 5,038

$9.02 F CFA 5,086

-1.00%

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

$265 F CFA 149.6K

$272 F CFA 153.4K

-2.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,357 F CFA 4.1M

$7,169 F CFA 4.0M

2.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.5 F CFA 39.2K

$68.6 F CFA 38.7K

1.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.04 F CFA 24.8K

$43.93 F CFA 24.8K

0.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 F CFA 58.2K

-0.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 F CFA 73.1K

$131 F CFA 74.1K

-1.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 F CFA 249.7K

$914 F CFA 515.2K

-51.53%

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 Saint-Louis: June 1, 2026

Last update for Dakar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Dining out: $53.0 in Saint-Louis vs $53.0 in Dakar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $270 vs $276 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 71% in total monthly costs ($778 vs $1,327 including rent). Saint-Louis is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,167 in Saint-Louis and $1,991 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 $914 in Dakar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $265 in Saint-Louis versus $272 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 $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.