Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between the United States and Benin

Name: Benin
Address: BJ

For one person, living is cheaper in Benin: $814 a month against $2,734 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $23,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

131

Cost of Living Index in the United States
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United States Living Index
39

Cost of Living Index in Benin
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Benin Living Index

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🇺🇸 United States

$2,734

/mo nomad

🇧🇯 Benin

$814

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in the United States 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 States and in Benin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,734 per month in the United States vs $814 in Benin, rent included.

United States $2,734
Benin $814

A couple spends around $3,985 per month in the United States vs $1,313 in Benin, rent included.

United States $3,985
Benin $1,313

A family of three spends $5,235 per month in the United States vs $1,812 in Benin, rent included.

United States $5,235
Benin $1,812

The regional cost range is wider in the United States ($979–$5,160) than in Benin ($712–$897), so city choice matters more there.

The cost of living in the United States is about 236% higher than in Benin on average.

The United States sits 101% above the global median, while Benin is 40% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.03 $20.03

$5.09 F CFA 2,975

293.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.0 $80.0

$35.52 F CFA 20.8K

125.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.80 $11.80

$9.34 F CFA 5,465

26.34%

Cappuccino

$5.55 $5.55

$5.26 F CFA 3,076

5.51%

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

$2.66 $2.66

$1.22 F CFA 712

118.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.33 F CFA 780

63.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 $6.12

$0.81 F CFA 474

655.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.94 $7.94

$3.89 F CFA 2,278

104.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$2.26 F CFA 1,321

-53.98%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 $3.59

$0.82 F CFA 481

337.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$1.84 F CFA 1,073

145.65%

Eggs

$4.28 $4.28

$2.15 F CFA 1,257

99.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.22 $13.22

$7.52 F CFA 4,401

75.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.60 $12.60

$4.51 F CFA 2,639

179.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.60 $17.60

$5.39 F CFA 3,151

226.53%

Apples (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.94 F CFA 1,721

80.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.20 F CFA 702

40.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$1.21 F CFA 705

266.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$2.46 F CFA 1,436

93.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.31 F CFA 764

126.72%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.18 F CFA 691

166.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 $2.20

$0.46 F CFA 269

378.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.86 F CFA 501

173.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.98 $10.98

$1.95 F CFA 1,141

463.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$4.16 F CFA 2,433

261.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.21 F CFA 705

70.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 $3.79

$1.75 F CFA 1,023

116.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.27 F CFA 742

52.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.4 $59.4

$7.59 F CFA 4,440

682.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 $3.58

$1.55 F CFA 908

130.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.54 F CFA 901

22.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.84 $29.84

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.24 F CFA 723

-17.74%

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

$28.8K $28.8K

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$23.9K F CFA 14.0M

9.82%

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

$218 $218

$147 F CFA 86.2K

47.96%

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

$62.5 $62.5

$31.46 F CFA 18.4K

98.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.5 $74.5

$54.1 F CFA 31.7K

37.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.86 $41.86

$38.80 F CFA 22.7K

7.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.81 $22.81

$4.13 F CFA 2,418

452.30%

Cinema Ticket

$14.70 $14.70

$8.57 F CFA 5,011

71.53%

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

$1,489 $1,489

$131 F CFA 76.7K

1036.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K $25.3K

$5,539 F CFA 3.2M

355.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 $54.3

$21.47 F CFA 12.6K

153.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.71 $42.71

$8.30 F CFA 4,856

414.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 $94.1

$29.84 F CFA 17.5K

215.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$47.68 F CFA 27.9K

138.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,659 $1,659

$118 F CFA 69.0K

1307.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,348 $1,348

$117 F CFA 68.7K

1048.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,682 $2,682

$406 F CFA 237.6K

560.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,169 $2,169

$370 F CFA 216.7K

485.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,283 $3,283

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,482 $2,482

$2,595 F CFA 1.5M

-4.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,296 $4,296

$280 F CFA 164.0K

1432.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

63.75%

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

Last update for the United States: October 25, 2026

Last update for Benin: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

United States

$1.3K 49.3%

Benin

$117 14.4% 91.3% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

United States

$415 15.2%

Benin

$183 22.5% 55.9% $232

Monthly Utilities & Internet

United States

$355 13%

Benin

$233 28.6% 34.4% $122

Eating Out

United States

$328 12%

Benin

$154 18.9% 53.1% $174

Clothing & Footwear

United States

$137 5%

Benin

$48 5.9% 64.8% $89

Getting Around

United States

$80 2.9%

Benin

$22 2.7% 72.6% $58

Sport & Entertainment

United States

$71 2.6%

Benin

$56 6.9% 21.5% $15

Cost Breakdown

Average salary: $4,549 in the United States vs $168 in Benin. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1091% higher in the United States.

Dining out costs 142% more in the United States.

Public transport is 688% more expensive in the United States.

Salaries are about 27 times higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.

Good to know

🇺🇸 United States

🇧🇯 Benin

🕒 Local time

17:25 5:25 PM

23:25 11:25 PM

6 h ahead of the United States

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

340,110,988

14,111,034

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

West African CFA Franc XOF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD

1,000 XOF = 1.53 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XOF, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🌐 West African CFA Franc (Fr)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 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).

XOF to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

United States Benin 9,550 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

United States
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 States vs Benin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Benin is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 70% lower on average.

Housing costs more in the United States: a central one-bedroom averages $1,620 versus $136 in Benin.

Groceries, public transport, and eating out all cost less in Benin – part of why living there is about 70% cheaper overall.

$1,200 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Benin, but in the United States it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

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.