Côte d'Ivoire
SenegalAbidjan makes sense if
- Access to stronger healthcare matters most to you.
- You want the broader career options in this comparison.
Abidjan vs Dakar
Dakar's Corniche, oceanfront squares and long bright season give the coast a real presence in daily life, though the local job market is narrow. Abidjan is a busier commercial hub with more career depth, but public space and basic infrastructure can disappoint. Dakar's safer, more affordable profile matters if you arrive without a job secured.
The grey shape is all 283 cities; each row says whether lower or higher is better. Ratings out of 10 are our reviewed estimates; the rest is published data. How we measure
The choice in one minute
Dakar makes sense if
- A calmer day-to-day safety profile matters most to you.
- You value stronger public spaces and everyday city life.
What matters to you
Set how much each area counts. The ranking updates as you go. Climate and values are left out because there is no better or worse there, only your taste.
Money
Nature & outdoors
City life
Safety & health
Work & family
Moving & settling in
- 1Abidjan49
Leads on nature & outdoors; stands out for forests and lakes & rivers.
- 2Dakar48
Leads on city life and safety & health; stands out for bright days and winter comfort.
Scores out of 100, averaged from the areas you weighted. For a ranking built around your own situation, take the quiz.
Side by side
Money
Rent on a new lease, everyday prices and tax.
Section score out of 100
Abidjan72Dakar72
One-bedroom rent
Per month, new lease, citywide
$135/mo$2,444/mo
- $223/mo
- $174/mo
Rent as share of local pay
One-bedroom rent vs. typical net local pay
21%120%
- ~86%
- ~68%, leads
Everyday prices
Excluding rent · United States = 100
25131
- 45
- 46
Income tax + social contributions
Range: average-wage rate to top marginal rate; the dot marks its midpoint
0%46%
- 13–32%, leads
- 25–43%
Climate
The year month by month. Whether it suits you is yours to judge.
Solid line: average daytime high. Dashed: night-time low. Point at the chart for any month; point at a city name to shade its range.
Bright days
Under 80% cloud and under 1 mm rain
30 days347 days
- 95 days
- 281 days, leads
Muggy days
Days that feel sticky (dew point)
0 days365 days
- 365 days
- 307 days, leads
Air pollution
Annual mean fine particles (PM2.5)
4.6 µg/m³84 µg/m³
- 22.8 µg/m³, leads
- 35.3 µg/m³
Nature & outdoors
How easily you get to water, mountains and green space.
Section score out of 100
Abidjan43Dakar30
Beach & sea
110
- 6/10
- 8/10, leads
Mountains
110
- 3/10, leads
- 1/10
City parks
110
- 5/10, leads
- 4/10
Weekend escapes
110
- 5/10
- 6/10, leads
City life
Getting around on foot, food, culture and the feel of the streets.
Section score out of 100
Dakar53Abidjan47
Walkability
110
- 4/10
- 5/10, leads
Public transport
110
- 5/10, leads
- 4/10
Restaurants
110
- 8/10
- 8/10
Public spaces
110
- 5/10
- 7/10, leads
Safety & health
Crime, how safe people feel, and the care you would get.
Section score out of 100
Dakar45Abidjan39
Homicide rate
Per 100,000 residents per year
0.247
- 3.2
- 0.3
Feels safe day to day
110
- 4/10
- 6/10, leads
Healthcare quality
110
- 6/10, leads
- 5/10
English-speaking care
110
- 4/10, leads
- 3/10
Work & family
Jobs, working culture, schools and raising kids.
Section score out of 100
Dakar46Abidjan44
Job market
110
- 6/10, leads
- 5/10
Jobs in English
110
- 4/10
- 4/10
Work–life balance
110
- 4/10
- 5/10, leads
Schools
110
- 5/10
- 5/10
Moving & settling in
Visas, language, paperwork and staying connected.
Section score out of 100
Abidjan46Dakar44
Visa & residence difficulty
Typical case; your passport changes this
110
- 5/10
- 5/10
Language barrier
For an English speaker
110
- 7/10
- 7/10
Openness to newcomers
110
- 8/10
- 8/10
Flight connections
110
- 6/10
- 6/10
Society & values
Where each city sits. There is no right end of these scales.
Social attitudes
ConservativeLiberal
- 3/10
- 2/10
LGBTQ+ acceptance
LowHigh
- 3/10
- 1/10
Diversity
HomogeneousDiverse
- 8/10
- 7/10
Religion in public life
ReligiousSecular
- 3/10
- 2/10
Life in each city
Daily life
Abidjan
A large, fast-moving, fairly dense city where getting around really means a car. Walkability is poor, pedestrian planning is weak, and the quality of residential neighbourhoods and outer suburbs is uneven.
Dakar
A dense, sprawling, car-leaning city that grew faster than its planning could keep up. Walkability is limited and getting around usually means a taxi or a crowded minibus rather than a stroll.
Safety
Abidjan
Recorded homicide is low for the region, which sets it apart from a place like Lagos, but petty street crime, perceived safety, and comfort walking after dark all rate poorly, so caution becomes a daily habit. Road safety is middling, and the broader political backdrop has been historically unsettled.
Dakar
Daily caution still matters: petty theft is a real concern, walking after dark is less comfortable, and traffic is hazardous. Political stability is another weaker point.
Work and healthcare
Abidjan
Abidjan has a functioning local market and low unemployment, but it remains thin on industry breadth, professional networks, and startup depth. The supply of doctors is very thin, hospital access and overall care quality are limited, and emergency reliability cannot be counted on.
Dakar
Dakar's local career market is narrow, with limited industry breadth, professional networks, and startup depth. Hospital access and overall medical quality are limited, specialist care is hard to find, and emergency response is unreliable.
Culture and public life
Abidjan
The strongest reason to be here. Abidjan runs on energy more than upkeep: litter collects, drains clog, and cared-for public space barely reaches past the Plateau towers and the lagoon edge.
Dakar
Where Dakar genuinely shines. Dakar is dusty and unevenly kept, litter blowing along the coast, but the Corniche promenade and a handful of lively squares give the ocean front real presence.
Summary
Dakar suits movers with portable income who want the ocean and public life close by, and it is the stronger affordability choice. Abidjan is worth considering for a concrete local role; its career result is better in this pair, while everyday services remain challenging. Secure the work plan first, then decide which city's setting appeals more.
Read on
Which of these fits you?
These numbers treat everyone the same. The quiz weighs them by your budget, climate taste, family and work, and ranks all 283 cities for you.