Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between the United States and Senegal

Name: Senegal
Address: SN

For one person, living is cheaper in Senegal: $1,370 a month against $2,734 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $16,400 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
66

Cost of Living Index in Senegal
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Senegal Living Index

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🇺🇸 United States

$2,734

/mo nomad

🇸🇳 Senegal

$1,370

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in the United States and in Senegal

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 Senegal actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,734 in the United States versus $1,370 in Senegal.

United States $2,734
Senegal $1,370

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,985 in the United States versus $2,137 in Senegal.

United States $3,985
Senegal $2,137

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,235 in the United States versus $2,904 in Senegal.

United States $5,235
Senegal $2,904

Internal cost variation is higher in the United States: monthly costs span $979 to $5,160, compared to $153–$1,392 in Senegal. City choice carries more weight in the United States.

Living in the United States is roughly 100% more expensive than in Senegal on average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.03 $20.03

$4.81 F CFA 2,823

316.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.0 $80.0

$54.5 F CFA 32.0K

46.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.80 $11.80

$10.85 F CFA 6,373

8.76%

Cappuccino

$5.55 $5.55

$3.43 F CFA 2,017

61.81%

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

$2.66 $2.66

$1.37 F CFA 805

94.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$0.74 F CFA 437

193.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 $6.12

$2.55 F CFA 1,496

140.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.94 $7.94

$4.38 F CFA 2,572

81.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$2.60 F CFA 1,526

-60.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 $3.59

$0.70 F CFA 411

412.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$1.64 F CFA 964

175.61%

Eggs

$4.28 $4.28

$2.49 F CFA 1,465

71.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.22 $13.22

$17.60 F CFA 10.3K

-24.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.60 $12.60

$9.07 F CFA 5,328

38.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.60 $17.60

$11.27 F CFA 6,621

56.17%

Apples (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.25 F CFA 1,909

63.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.03 F CFA 1,193

-16.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$3.08 F CFA 1,808

44.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$1.69 F CFA 991

182.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.47 F CFA 863

102.04%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.00 F CFA 590

215.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.13 F CFA 661

94.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.65 F CFA 384

261.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.98 $10.98

$2.09 F CFA 1,229

425.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$17.35 F CFA 10.2K

-13.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.44 F CFA 848

43.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 $3.79

$3.27 F CFA 1,918

15.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.54 F CFA 315

259.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.4 $59.4

$52.1 F CFA 30.6K

13.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 $3.58

$1.73 F CFA 1,017

106.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

$2.08 F CFA 1,222

-9.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.84 $29.84

$16.98 F CFA 9,974

75.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.63 F CFA 960

-37.42%

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

$28.8K $28.8K

$49.5K F CFA 29.1M

-41.89%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$47.5K F CFA 27.9M

-44.86%

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

$218 $218

$203 F CFA 119.5K

7.16%

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

$62.5 $62.5

$11.71 F CFA 6,876

433.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.5 $74.5

$45.66 F CFA 26.8K

63.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.86 $41.86

$31.92 F CFA 18.7K

31.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.81 $22.81

$23.30 F CFA 13.7K

-2.10%

Cinema Ticket

$14.70 $14.70

$8.45 F CFA 4,962

73.96%

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

$1,489 $1,489

$327 F CFA 192.0K

355.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K $25.3K

$8,827 F CFA 5.2M

186.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 $54.3

$58.8 F CFA 34.5K

-7.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.71 $42.71

$44.69 F CFA 26.2K

-4.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 $94.1

$83.8 F CFA 49.2K

12.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$97.7 F CFA 57.4K

16.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,659 $1,659

$751 F CFA 441.0K

120.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,348 $1,348

$426 F CFA 250.3K

216.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,682 $2,682

$1,744 F CFA 1.0M

53.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,169 $2,169

$862 F CFA 506.4K

151.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,283 $3,283

$4,909 F CFA 2.9M

-33.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,482 $2,482

$1,497 F CFA 879.0K

65.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,296 $4,296

$340 F CFA 200.0K

1161.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

8.75

-25.14%

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 Senegal: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

United States

$1.3K 49.3%

Senegal

$426 31.1% 68.4% $921

Groceries & Markets

United States

$415 15.2%

Senegal

$298 21.7% 28.3% $117

Monthly Utilities & Internet

United States

$355 13%

Senegal

$261 19% 26.5% $94

Eating Out

United States

$328 12%

Senegal

$142 10.4% 56.7% $186

Clothing & Footwear

United States

$137 5%

Senegal

$128 9.4% 6.4% $8.8

Getting Around

United States

$80 2.9%

Senegal

$66 4.9% 17.1% $14

Sport & Entertainment

United States

$71 2.6%

Senegal

$49 3.6% 31.5% $22

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,620 in the United States, $551 in Senegal. Capital cities: $2,768 in Washington, DC vs $801 in Dakar.

National salary averages: $4,549 in the United States, $340 in Senegal. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 194% higher in the United States.

Dining out costs 39% more in the United States.

Public transport is 21% more expensive in the United States.

Salaries are about 13 times higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.

Good to know

🇺🇸 United States

🇸🇳 Senegal

🕒 Local time

22:07 10:07 PM

02:07 2:07 AM

4 h ahead of the United States

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

340,110,988

16,876,720

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

West African CFA Franc XOF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

1,000 XOF = 1.7 USD

1,000 XOF = 1.52 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 1, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

West African CFA Franc exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 587 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.7 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.52 EUR).

XOF to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

United States Senegal 7,230 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

United States
Senegal

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 Senegal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,370 per month in Senegal and $2,734 in the United States, Senegal comes out about 50% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is cheaper in Senegal: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $1,620 in the United States and $551 in Senegal. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.

It depends on what you’re after: Senegal wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.