How much does a day in Dakar cost?

About $42 on a lean budget, $96 mid-range and $227 in comfort, per person per day as of November 12, 2026, excluding international flights. These are modeled estimates: the national figure (Senegal), updated daily, scaled by a city premium.

Is Dakar expensive compared with the rest of the country (Senegal)?

Dakar costs about 20% more than the national average (Senegal), which is $80 a day mid-range. West Africa's liveliest capital, pricier than the rest of Senegal.

Is Dakar cheaper to visit than last year?

The exchange rate moved +4.5% for US-dollar holders over twelve months while local prices (Senegal) rose +1.5%, a real change of +6.5%. City prices broadly follow the country.

When is the best time to visit Dakar for lower prices?

Senegal: the shoulder months, with workable weather and lower prices, are May, October. Peak season is November, December, January, February, March, April.

The US State Department rates Senegal at Level 1: Normal precautions. Country-wide levels can hide large differences between cities and regions, so read the full advisory.

Dakar

West Africa's liveliest capital, pricier than the rest of Senegal.

A day in Dakar

$96

Lean: $42
Comfort: $227

Real change, 12 months

+6.5%

Cheaper. Tracks the country as a whole (Senegal).

Against the rest of the country (Senegal)

+20%

Pricier than the national figure of $80 a day.

The short answerIn US dollars, as of November 12, 2026

Dakar: as of November 12, 2026, a mid-range day costs about $96 per person, excluding flights, which is about 20% more than the national average (Senegal). For US-dollar travelers it is 6.5% cheaper than a year ago after inflation, in line with the country as a whole. West Africa's liveliest capital, pricier than the rest of Senegal.

Official per diem

For business travel, the US State Department allows up to $393 a day here: $238 for lodging and $155 for meals and incidentals. It is a ceiling, usually well above what an independent traveler spends. All per diem rates for Senegal

What your money buys in Senegal

Exchange rates and inflation are national, so the city follows this line. The dashed line is the exchange rate alone; the solid line is after inflation.

Nov 12, 2026After inflation 100.5Exchange rate only 96.3

Index, start of window = 100. Above 100 your money buys more in Senegal than it did then; below, less. Hover or drag for any month.

Dakar, in five questions

City costs are the national model scaled by a premium of +20% that we set by hand. To cite: “Trip Arbitrage (triparbitrage.com), reading of November 12, 2026.”

How much does a day in Dakar cost?: About $42 on a lean budget, $96 mid-range and $227 in comfort, per person per day as of November 12, 2026, excluding international flights. These are modeled estimates: the national figure (Senegal), updated daily, scaled by a city premium.
Is Dakar expensive compared with the rest of the country (Senegal)?: Dakar costs about 20% more than the national average (Senegal), which is $80 a day mid-range. West Africa's liveliest capital, pricier than the rest of Senegal.
Is Dakar cheaper to visit than last year?: The exchange rate moved +4.5% for US-dollar holders over twelve months while local prices (Senegal) rose +1.5%, a real change of +6.5%. City prices broadly follow the country.
When is the best time to visit Dakar for lower prices?: Senegal: the shoulder months, with workable weather and lower prices, are May, October. Peak season is November, December, January, February, March, April.
Is Dakar safe?: The US State Department rates Senegal at Level 1: Normal precautions. Country-wide levels can hide large differences between cities and regions, so read the full advisory.

Booking a trip: Dakar

Partner links

These go to outside companies we think are useful for this trip. Nothing here affects a score or a ranking. How we make money

Other cities

The short answerIn US dollars, as of November 12, 2026