The cost of living varies widely between countries in Africa, with Seychelles, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Senegal ranking among the most expensive countries on the continent.
10 African countries with the highest cost of living
According to the “Business Insider Africa” report, there is a list of 10 African countries that have the highest cost of living at the beginning of 2026, and Seychelles leads them with a cost of living index of 64.5.
The cost of living index measures the relative cost of everyday goods and services, including groceries, dining, transportation and utilities, but excludes housing costs such as rent or mortgages.
Using these metrics, we highlight the African countries where living expenses were highest in 2026, helping to understand the cost of living across the continent.
List of countries with the highest costs of living
While the list of these countries did not include any Arab country, they came in the following order on the index
Seychelles by 64.5
Democratic Republic of the Congo by 50.2
Senegal by 48.5
Cape Verde by 46.3
Côte d'Ivoire by 44.8
Angola by 42.3
Ethiopia by 41.8
Cameroon by 40.7
Mauritius 38.3
South Africa by 37.1
