Benin
Profiled in Cotonou · West Africa
The birthplace of vodun, with a stilt village on a lagoon, the palaces of Dahomey inland and a fast-moving commercial capital on the coast.
Cost of living
What a month costs
The CFA franc is pegged to the euro, which removes currency risk against Europe. Cotonou is the commercial centre and costs more than the rest of the country.
The scores
How it rates for a moving family
See and do
Top 10 in Cotonou
- Royal Palaces of AbomeyUNESCO-listed compound of the Dahomey kings.
- GanviéAfrica's largest lake village, reached by pirogue.
- Door of No ReturnMemorial arch on the Ouidah beach.
- Temple of PythonsVodun temple in Ouidah facing the basilica.
- Pendjari National ParkPart of the transboundary W-Arly-Pendjari complex.
- Fondation ZinsouContemporary African art foundation in Cotonou and Ouidah.
- Dantokpa MarketOne of West Africa's largest open-air markets.
- Amazons of Dahomey statueMonument in Cotonou to the kingdom's women warriors.
Where to go
Weekend escapes
- GanviéStilt village of some twenty thousand people on Lake Nokoué.
- OuidahSlave-trade port and vodun centre with the Door of No Return.
- AbomeyRoyal palaces of the Dahomey kingdom, a UNESCO site.
- Pendjari National ParkNorthern savanna park with elephant and lion.
- Grand-PopoQuiet beach town near the Togo border.
Residency
Residence follows work, business or family. Benin is notable for a 2018 law offering citizenship to descendants of Africans deported through the slave trade, subject to documentary proof and presidential decree.
Tax
Personal rates are progressive to 30% and the corporate rate is 30%, with 18% VAT. The CFA franc is pegged to the euro. There is no wealth or inheritance tax.
Curious what you would actually pay? See the Benin tax profile: income, corporate, VAT and exit rules →
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