Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between the United Kingdom and Benin

For one person, living is cheaper in Benin: $814 a month against $2,462 in the United Kingdom, rent and utilities included – about $19,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

United Kingdom
Benin
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,462
/mo nomad
🇧🇯 Benin
$814
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in the United Kingdom and in Benin

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

A single person spends $2,462 per month in the United Kingdom vs $814 in Benin, rent included.

  • United Kingdom $2,462
  • Benin $814

A couple spends around $3,600 per month in the United Kingdom vs $1,313 in Benin, rent included.

  • United Kingdom $3,600
  • Benin $1,313

A family of three spends $4,738 per month in the United Kingdom vs $1,812 in Benin, rent included.

  • United Kingdom $4,738
  • Benin $1,812

The regional cost range is wider in the United Kingdom ($1,126–$4,646) than in Benin ($712–$897), so city choice matters more there.

The cost of living in the United Kingdom is about 203% higher than in Benin on average.

The United Kingdom sits 81% above the global median, while Benin is 40% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
United Kingdom
Benin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.48 £16.02
$5.09 F CFA 2,975
322.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$85.7 £63.9
$35.52 F CFA 20.8K
141.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.61 £7.91
$9.34 F CFA 5,465
13.60%
Cappuccino
$4.91 £3.66
$5.26 F CFA 3,076
-6.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 £1.98
$1.22 F CFA 712
118.03%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.87 £1.39
$1.33 F CFA 780
40.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.63 £4.94
$0.81 F CFA 474
718.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.84 £5.10
$3.89 F CFA 2,278
75.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
United Kingdom
Benin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 £1.25
$2.26 F CFA 1,321
-25.66%
White Bread (500g)
$1.72 £1.28
$0.82 F CFA 481
109.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.17 £1.62
$1.84 F CFA 1,073
17.93%
Eggs
$4.00 £2.98
$2.15 F CFA 1,257
86.05%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.42 £7.02
$7.52 F CFA 4,401
25.27%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.19 £6.85
$4.51 F CFA 2,639
103.77%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.77 £11.01
$5.39 F CFA 3,151
174.03%
Apples (1kg)
$2.97 £2.21
$2.94 F CFA 1,721
1.02%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 £1.21
$1.20 F CFA 702
35.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.85 £2.13
$1.21 F CFA 705
135.54%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.52 £2.63
$2.46 F CFA 1,436
43.09%
Potato (1kg)
$1.83 £1.37
$1.31 F CFA 764
39.69%
Onion (1kg)
$1.61 £1.20
$1.18 F CFA 691
36.44%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 £0.93
$0.46 F CFA 269
171.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 £1.24
$0.86 F CFA 501
93.02%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.65 £17.63
$1.95 F CFA 1,141
1112.82%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.50 £7.83
$4.16 F CFA 2,433
152.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.98 £2.22
$1.21 F CFA 705
146.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.51 £2.62
$1.75 F CFA 1,023
100.57%
🚌 Getting Around
United Kingdom
Benin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.98 £2.97
$1.27 F CFA 742
213.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$107 £80.1
$7.59 F CFA 4,440
1315.28%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.18 £3.86
$1.55 F CFA 908
234.19%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.35 £1.75
$1.54 F CFA 901
52.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.84 £20.01
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.99 £1.48
$1.24 F CFA 723
60.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.4K £29.4K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.5K £30.2K
$23.9K F CFA 14.0M
69.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
United Kingdom
Benin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$327 £244
$147 F CFA 86.2K
122.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.21 £13.58
$31.46 F CFA 18.4K
-42.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.60 £32.51
$54.1 F CFA 31.7K
-19.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
United Kingdom
Benin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.36 £31.58
$38.80 F CFA 22.7K
9.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.22 £13.58
$4.13 F CFA 2,418
341.16%
Cinema Ticket
$13.85 £10.32
$8.57 F CFA 5,011
61.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
United Kingdom
Benin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,868 £1,393
$131 F CFA 76.7K
1325.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.6K £16.9K
$5,539 F CFA 3.2M
308.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
United Kingdom
Benin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$92.9 £69.3
$21.47 F CFA 12.6K
332.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.92 £34.24
$8.30 F CFA 4,856
453.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 £75.8
$29.84 F CFA 17.5K
240.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 £76.2
$47.68 F CFA 27.9K
114.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
United Kingdom
Benin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,342 £1,001
$118 F CFA 69.0K
1038.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,073 £800
$117 F CFA 68.7K
814.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,231 £1,664
$406 F CFA 237.6K
449.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,742 £1,299
$370 F CFA 216.7K
370.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,601 £4,176
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,265 £3,180
$2,595 F CFA 1.5M
64.34%
💵 Salaries & Financials
United Kingdom
Benin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,349 £2,497
$280 F CFA 164.0K
1094.78%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.32
4
33.00%

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

Last update for the United Kingdom: October 26, 2026

Last update for Benin: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
United Kingdom
$1.1K
Benin
$117 89.1% $956
Monthly Utilities & Internet
United Kingdom
$389
Benin
$233 40.1% $156
Eating Out
United Kingdom
$328
Benin
$154 53% $174
Groceries & Markets
United Kingdom
$307
Benin
$183 40.3% $124
Clothing & Footwear
United Kingdom
$154
Benin
$48 68.7% $106
Getting Around
United Kingdom
$140
Benin
$22 84.4% $118
Sport & Entertainment
United Kingdom
$70
Benin
$56 20.2% $14

Cost Breakdown

Average salary: $3,251 in the United Kingdom vs $168 in Benin. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 846% higher in the United Kingdom.

Dining out costs 168% more in the United Kingdom.

Public transport is 1163% more expensive in the United Kingdom.

Salaries are about 19 times higher in the United Kingdom, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United Kingdom.

Good to know
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
🇧🇯 Benin
🕒 Local time
22:51 10:51 PM
23:51 11:51 PM
1 h ahead of the United Kingdom
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
67,326,569
14,111,034
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

XOF, USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.746 GBP (1 GBP = 1.34 USD). 1 EUR = 0.836 GBP (1 GBP = 1.2 EUR).

West African CFA Franc exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 585 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.53 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • United Kingdom Benin 5,020 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • United Kingdom
  • Benin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
United Kingdom vs Benin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do Benin and the United Kingdom compare in cost of living?
Benin is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 67% lower on average.
How do rents compare between Benin and the United Kingdom?
Housing costs more in the United Kingdom: a central one-bedroom averages $1,287 versus $136 in Benin.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Benin or the United Kingdom?
Groceries, public transport, and eating out all cost less in Benin – part of why living there is about 67% cheaper overall.
How do I choose between living in Benin and in the United Kingdom?
Benin is the budget-friendly choice for expats. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

United Kingdom vs other spots: cost of living compared

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