Cotonou, Benin: Retirement City Guide
- Timezone
- Africa/Porto-Novo
Best for: Budget-conscious · Warm climate
- Affordable vs US
August
Year-round average
39% of US
Compared to US index (100)
24–26°C
Target -10–50°C
16 rainy days
92 mm/mo · target 0–31 days
4PM–1AM
0h overlap with your schedule
French
679K
Medium
56
Medium
46
Medium
50
Medium
Map of Cotonou
- JanHot
- FebHot
- MarHot & Wet
- AprHot & Wet
- MayHot & Wet
- JunHot & Wet
- JulHot & Wet
- AugHot & Wet
- SepHot & Wet
- OctHot & Wet
- NovHot & Wet
- DecHot
- Ideal
- Warm
- Cool
- Cold & Wet
- Cold
- Hot & Dry
- Hot
Retirement fit breakdown
Cotonou, Benin
Strong fit for affordable vs us.
Last updated August 2, 2026
Cotonou, in Benin, has a cost of living at 39% of the US baseline.
French is the main language, and the city is on West Africa Time. The best month for moderate weather is August, averaging 25°C with about 16 rainy days. The city sits at an elevation of about 7 m.
Livability is medium, with medium safety (56), medium healthcare (46), and medium digital infrastructure (50).
- Cost of living
- 39% of USWorld Bank PPP at country level unless this is a US city with a regional index.
- Healthcare access
- 46/100Country-level access index for Benin, not hospital quality in Cotonou.
- Safety
- 56/100Global Peace Index component for the country.
- Livability
- Medium47/100 country composite (safety, healthcare, digital).
- Languages
- French
Cotonou averages about 26°C–30°C from November through March, with roughly 50 mm of rain in a typical winter month.
The Desk Port is not medical, visa, tax, or financial advice. Healthcare figures are country-level access indexes, not hospital quality or a treatment recommendation.