Côte d’Ivoire, also called Ivory Coast, publishes few official prices for expats, but the ones that exist are clear: super petrol costs 905 West African CFA francs a litre (about US$1.52) in November 2026, and the e-visa, an online entry permit, costs 73 euros (about US$81). Everyday budgets here rest on these numbers, because we found no official rent survey for Abidjan, the economic capital.
Key Facts
•Fuel. Super petrol costs 905 CFA francs a litre (about US$1.52); diesel 725 (about US$1.22), November 2026.
•Inflation. Consumer prices rose 1.2% in the year to August 2026, the latest month we confirmed.
•Minimum wage. The monthly minimum wage is 75,000 CFA francs (about US$126), set in January 2023.
•Entry. Americans need an e-visa costing 73 euros (about US$81), valid three months, plus a yellow fever certificate.
•Exchange rate. About 593.5 CFA francs per US$, from the fixed peg of 655.957 per euro.
Published Saturday 14 November 2026, 9:00 a.m. ET. Sources: the fuel-pricing office, the statistics agency, the e-visa operator and the central bank, listed below.
In Plain English
CFA franc. The West African CFA franc is the local currency, pegged to the euro.
SMIG. The guaranteed minimum monthly wage, set by decree.
ANStat. Agence nationale de la statistique, the national statistics agency.
E-visa. An entry permit you apply for and pay for online before flying.
What Everyday Prices Look Like
The government sets a national maximum price for fuel every month. For 1 to 30 November 2026 the Direction générale des Hydrocarbures, the fuel-pricing office of the Ministry of Mines, Petroleum and Energy, kept super petrol at 905 CFA francs a litre (about US$1.52) and diesel at 725 (about US$1.22), the same as in October.
Kerosene costs 780 CFA francs a litre (about US$1.31), and a 12.5 kg cooking-gas bottle costs 5,200 (about US$8.76). For American readers, super petrol works out at about US$5.77 a US gallon and diesel at about US$4.62, by our calculation.
Fuel went up in early August, when super rose from 875 to 905 francs and diesel from 700 to 725, according to the monthly government price notices. Our earlier report on the August fuel price rise has the detail.
The statistics agency ANStat (Agence nationale de la statistique) said consumer prices rose 1.2% in the year to August 2026, the latest month we could confirm, down 0.7 points from July. The 12-month average to August was 1.1%, below the 3% threshold of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), the eight-nation currency bloc.
ANStat’s August data show transport up 4.1% over the year, food and non-alcoholic drinks up 1.2% and restaurants and hotels up 1.6%. Cereals fell 3.9% and tubers and plantains 6.3% over the same year.
Wages and the Exchange Rate
The SMIG, the guaranteed minimum monthly wage, is 75,000 CFA francs (about US$126). The government raised it from 60,000 francs with effect from 1 January 2023, after the Council of Ministers, the cabinet, adopted a decree on 21 December 2022, and we found no later change.
Against that wage, one litre of super petrol equals about 1.2% and a 12.5 kg gas bottle about 6.9%, by our calculation. We found no official data on average rents, groceries or restaurant prices.
The CFA franc is pegged to the euro at 655.957 francs per euro, a fixed rate used by the BCEAO, the regional central bank. With the European Central Bank reference rate of US$1.1052 per euro on 13 November 2026, that is about 593.5 francs per US$, the rate behind every US$ figure in this guide.
What Americans Must Know Before Arriving
US citizens need an approved e-visa before travel, and snedai.com is the only site the official e-visa operator, SNEDAI, recognises for applications. The fee is 73 euros including bank charges (about US$81), paid by Visa or Mastercard, and the visa lasts three months with multiple entries, and our step-by-step visa and move guide lists the documents.
SNEDAI says it answers by email within 48 working hours, but the check can take longer, and it asks for a passport valid for at least six months. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Britain’s foreign ministry, advises applying at least 10 working days before you fly.
Travellers need a yellow fever vaccination certificate, which SNEDAI lists among the papers shown at Abidjan airport. The FCDO says you may bring up to 500,000 CFA francs in cash (about US$842), must declare foreign currency, and must complete an online health declaration at destinationci.com if you arrive from another African country.
The US State Department publishes its own advisory for Côte d’Ivoire at travel.state.gov, which Americans should read before booking. US citizens can enrol free in its Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) so the embassy can reach them in an emergency.
What It Means for US Readers
Because the franc is fixed to the euro, its US$ value moves with the euro-dollar rate. At US$1.1052 per euro, super petrol is US$1.52 a litre, and at US$1.20 per euro it would be about US$1.66, by our arithmetic.
The minimum wage of about US$126 a month is the only official income benchmark we found. Expats paid in dollars should budget from written quotes, and our Ivory Coast newcomer guide and map of the economy give the wider background.
How to Follow From the US
Abidjan runs on UTC, five hours ahead of New York in winter, so 9:00 a.m. Eastern is 2:00 p.m. in Abidjan. The government issues fuel price notices month by month, so the next one covers December.
What Is Not Known
We found no official rent survey, public-transport fare table or grocery price series for Abidjan, so this guide gives no figures for them. Until an official source publishes them, ask landlords and employers for written quotes.
We could not open the US State Department’s advisory page on 14 November, so its current level is not stated here. Inflation after August is not confirmed (one report puts September at 1.6%), and the fuel and inflation notices were read through national press reports, not the original releases.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does petrol cost in Côte d’Ivoire?
The government’s November 2026 maximum price is 905 CFA francs a litre (about US$1.52) for super petrol and 725 (about US$1.22) for diesel. That is about US$5.77 and US$4.62 per US gallon.
Do Americans need a visa for Côte d’Ivoire?
Yes, US citizens need an approved e-visa from snedai.com, which costs 73 euros (about US$81) and lasts three months. A yellow fever vaccination certificate is also required.
What is the minimum wage in Côte d’Ivoire?
The SMIG is 75,000 CFA francs a month (about US$126), in force since 1 January 2023. We found no later change.
What is the CFA franc rate against the dollar?
The franc is fixed at 655.957 per euro, so the dollar rate moves with the euro. On 13 November 2026 it was about 593.5 francs per US$.
Sources
Direction générale des Hydrocarbures, monthly fuel price note, November 2026 · ANStat, consumer price index, August 2026 · Council of Ministers, minimum wage decree, 21 December 2022 · SNEDAI e-visa page, read 14 November 2026 · FCDO entry requirements, read 14 November 2026 · European Central Bank euro reference rate, 13 November 2026 · BCEAO, regional central bank
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