Living in Cotonou, Benin

Cotonou is a large coastal city in Littoral, Benin (1 to 5 million people in the city proper). It has a warm climate, averaging 27°C over the year with about 1,104 mm of rain. We estimate a couple needs about €2,371 a month to live centrally. For foreigners, long-term residency in Benin is possible, with conditions.

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Est. cost: €2,371; a month for a couple
Climate: 27°C; 1,104 mm rain a year
Size: Large; 1 to 5 million people
Safety: 46/100; country-level
Residency: Possible, with conditions; for most foreigners

Limited data for Benin. Figures for safety, healthcare, cost of living and political stability in Benin are country-level estimates from World Bank indicators, each named with its year. We have no tax, English, social openness or internet speed figures for Benin, so the quiz scores those factors conservatively and this page leaves them out.

What stands out about Cotonou

Warmer than 92% of the cities we track
On or near the sea

Healthcare

Benin scores 40 out of 100 for healthcare, stronger than 1% of the cities we compare.

Source: Country-level estimate, the same for every city in Benin: life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN, 2024) and current health spending per person in US dollars (SH.XPD.CHEX.PC.CD, 2023), calibrated to the 0 to 100 scale of our reference tables. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Climate

Cotonou averages 27°C across the year with about 1,104 mm of rain, which makes it warm and wet. It is warmer than 92% of the 1225 cities we track, and it sits on the coast.

Source: Temperature from the Open-Meteo historical weather archive, daily means for 2019 to 2023; rainfall from TerraClimate (University of Idaho) 1991 to 2020 normals. Annual averages; monthly breakdowns are not in our dataset yet.

Safety and stability

Benin scores 46 out of 100 on safety, safer than 12% of the cities we compare. Its estimated democracy score is 5.3 out of 10.

Source: Country-level estimate, the same for every city in Benin: Worldwide Governance Indicators Political Stability and Absence of Violence estimate (GOV_WGI_PV.EST, 2025) and life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN, 2024), calibrated to the 0 to 100 scale of our reference tables (higher is safer). Stability: Worldwide Governance Indicators Voice and Accountability estimate (GOV_WGI_VA.EST, 2025), calibrated to the EIU Democracy Index scale. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Cost of living

We estimate a couple needs about €2,371 a month to live centrally in Cotonou, 13% below the €2,729 median across the 900 cities we compare. That makes it more affordable than 77% of them.

Source: OurNextCity model from the price level of GDP relative to the United States, from GDP per person in US dollars and at purchasing power parity (NY.GDP.PCAP.CD/NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD, 2025), calibrated to our country-level cost index (New York = 100) and scaled up for larger cities. An estimate for comparing cities, not a budget. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Residency and visas

Possible, with conditions. Benin grants temporary (1-year), ordinary (3-year) and privileged (10-year) resident cards mainly to foreigners with a job, business, or study tie in-country; there is no passive-income or golden-visa route, and real-estate purchase does not qualify.

For short visits, 57 of 198 passports can enter visa-free and 141 can get an e-visa or visa on arrival.

Source: OurNextCity residency dataset, hand-reviewed approximations researched against published immigration rules. Not legal advice: check the official source before you apply. Short-stay entry from the passport-index dataset (ilyankou, MIT).

Questions couples ask about Cotonou

Is Cotonou a good place to live for couples?

It depends on what the two of you weigh most. Compared with the other cities we track, Cotonou scores well on affordability. It is weaker on safety and healthcare. Our figures for Benin are partial: no tax, English, social openness or internet speed data, and country-level World Bank estimates for the rest. Expect a warm, wet climate (27°C average). OurNextCity has each partner answer 12 questions privately, then ranks Cotonou and 914 other cities for both of you at once.

How much does it cost a couple to live in Cotonou?

We estimate about €2,371 a month for a couple living centrally, 13% below the €2,729 median across the cities we compare. It is a model estimate from the World Bank price level of GDP for Benin, calibrated to our country-level cost index adjusted for city size, so use it to compare cities rather than to set a budget.

Can foreigners live in Benin long term?

Our assessment: possible, with conditions. Benin grants temporary (1-year), ordinary (3-year) and privileged (10-year) resident cards mainly to foreigners with a job, business, or study tie in-country; there is no passive-income or golden-visa route, and real-estate purchase does not qualify.

What is the weather like in Cotonou?

Cotonou averages 27°C across the year with about 1,104 mm of rain, which makes it warm and wet. It is warmer than 92% of the cities we track.