Ivory Coast
Profiled in Abidjan · West Africa
Abidjan is West Africa's restless business capital, where glass towers rise over a wide lagoon and grilled fish sizzles at open-air maquis long past dark.
Cost of living
What a month costs
Abidjan is one of West Africa's pricier cities. Imported goods and central rents cost real money, while local food, street eats and shared taxis stay cheap.
The scores
How it rates for a moving family
See and do
Top 10 in Abidjan
- Plateau districtThe high-rise business core, often called the Manhattan of West Africa.
- St Paul's CathedralBold modernist cathedral in Plateau with a sweeping fan of concrete and stained glass.
- Parc National du BancoProtected primary rainforest right inside the city, good for walks and birdlife.
- Musée des Civilisations de Côte d'IvoireNational museum in Plateau with masks, bronzes and Ivorian crafts.
- CocodyLeafy upscale district of embassies, villas and the landmark Hôtel Ivoire.
- TreichvilleLively working district with a bustling covered market and late-night music.
- La PyramideRinaldo Olivieri's striking 1970s modernist tower in the heart of Plateau.
- Grande Mosquée du PlateauThe central mosque and a calm counterpoint to the surrounding office towers.
- Galerie Cécile FakhouryLeading contemporary art gallery showing top West African artists.
- Ébrié LagoonThe broad lagoon that wraps the city, best seen on a boat crossing to Îlot Boulay.
Where to go
Weekend escapes
- Grand-BassamFaded colonial capital and UNESCO site with wide Atlantic beaches, about 40km east.
- Assinie-MafiaBeach and lagoon escape with resorts and watersports, roughly 80km east near the Ghana border.
- YamoussoukroThe political capital, home to the vast Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, about 230km north.
- JacquevilleQuiet beach town on a coastal spit west of the city, an easy day or overnight trip.
- BingervilleFormer colonial capital just east of Abidjan with a leafy botanical garden.
Coffee
Best cafes
- PaulFrench bakery-café chain with branches in Abidjan malls, reliable for coffee and viennoiseries.
Restaurants
Where to eat
- Le Toit d'AbidjanRooftop restaurant and bar atop the Hôtel Tiama in Plateau, with big skyline and lagoon views.
- Allocodrome de CocodyFamous open-air maquis where you pick grilled fish and chicken with attiéké and alloco.
- Sofitel Abidjan Hôtel IvoireThe iconic Cocody landmark hotel, with lagoon-side restaurants and buffets.
Morning
Best breakfast
- Sofitel Abidjan Hôtel IvoireDependable buffet breakfast at the city's best-known hotel.
- Pullman Abidjan PlateauBusiness-district hotel with a solid, quiet morning spread.
Residency
Côte d'Ivoire issues residence permits, the carte de séjour, tied to work, business or family and renewed through the immigration office. There is no fast investor-citizenship route, and the paperwork is slow and entirely francophone.
Tax
Côte d'Ivoire taxes residents on income with rates that climb into the higher brackets, plus payroll and business levies. It is not a tax haven, so budget for real local tax exposure.
Curious what you would actually pay? See the Ivory Coast tax profile: income, corporate, VAT and exit rules →
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