The Gambia

How much does a trip to Gambia cost? Daily budget and prices

Plan on 2,500–4,000 GMD (US$35–55) a day backpacking, 6,000–10,000 GMD (US$85–140) mid-range, and 15,000 GMD+ (US$210+) for comfort. Base on the Atlantic coast, pay in cash, and add a two-day upriver trip (US$150–300) plus the airport security fee (about US$20 each way).

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Updated Sep 20264 min read

GuideThe Gambia

Key facts

Currencycheck: Gambian dalasi (GMD), roughly 70–75 per US$1
Backpacker day: 2,500–4,000 GMD (US$35–55): guesthouse, local food, shared taxis
Mid-range day: 6,000–10,000 GMD (US$85–140): beach hotel, restaurants, tours
Comfort day: 15,000 GMD+ (US$210+): eco-lodge, private driver-guide
Local meal: Benachin or domoda at a chop shop: 150–300 GMD
Beer: JulBrew in a bar: 100–200 GMD
Kololi–Banjul taxicheck: 800–1,200 GMD
Upriver trip: US$150–300 per person, two days, all in
Airport fee: About US$20 each way
Cards: Accepted at larger hotels; most other spending is cash

By purse, month and price

Gambia prices are set in dalasi, so your daily cost moves with the exchange rate more than with the season. The dry season (roughly November to May) is peak: beach hotels on the coast charge their highest rates and fill up, while the green season (June to October) brings lower room rates and some closures. Package hotels with flights from Europe are usually the cheapest way to sleep on the coast in peak weeks.

The table below is per person per day, sharing a room at mid-range and comfort level, flights not included. It is a 2026 estimate.

By purse, month and price
Tier	Bed	Food	Transport	Sights	Extras	Total per day
Backpacker	1,000–2,000	500–900	200–500	200–500	200–400	2,100–4,300 GMD
Mid-range	3,000–5,000	1,500–2,500	1,000–2,000	800–1,500	500–1,000	6,800–12,000 GMD
Comfort	7,000–12,000	3,000–4,500	3,000–5,000	2,000–3,000	1,000–2,000	16,000–26,500 GMD

All figures in GMD, per person per day, room shared at mid and comfort level. 2026 estimate.

Step by step: what you actually pay

Sleep. A basic guesthouse room on the coast runs about 1,000–2,000 GMD a night; a mid-range beach hotel 3,000–5,000 GMD; a boutique eco-lodge 7,000–12,000 GMD or more. Rates are quoted in dalasi but many coastal hotels also price in euros or dollars, so ask which currency you are being charged in.

Eat. A plate of benachin or domoda at a local chop shop costs 150–300 GMD; a JulBrew beer in a bar 100–200 GMD. Tourist-strip restaurants charge several times that, and hotel restaurants more again. Breakfast is often included at beach hotels, which shifts the daily food figure down.

Move. Shared taxis and gelly-gelly minibuses are the cheap option; a tourist taxi from Kololi to Banjul is about 800–1,200 GMD. Hiring a car with a driver for a day costs far more and is usually booked through your hotel or a tour operator.

Do. Abuko Nature Reserve entry is about 150–200 GMD. A two-day upriver trip to Janjanbureh, all in, is US$150–300 per person. Add the airport security fee of about US$20 each way, which is separate from your ticket.

Budget a cash float: cards work in larger hotels, but markets, taxis, chop shops and park fees are cash.
Change money at banks or licensed bureaus; street changers offer worse rates and short-change tricks.
Euros and pounds exchange easily on the coast; CFA francs are accepted near the Senegal borders.
Mobile money (Wave, Afrimoney, QMoney) is widespread among residents, but visitors need a local number — check.

Notes

Gambia is cheap by Western European standards and mid-priced by West African ones. The two things that break a budget are tours and transport: a private driver-guide or an upriver trip can cost more than a week of guesthouse beds. Package-holiday hotels on the coast, sold with flights from Europe, are often cheaper than booking the same room independently.

Carry more cash than you think you need. ATMs exist in the Banjul and Serekunda area but can be empty or offline, and outside the coast you should assume cash only. Keep small notes for taxis and tips.

FAQ

Sources and verification

Questions people ask

How much money do you need per day in Gambia?

Backpackers manage on 2,500–4,000 GMD (US$35–55) a day; mid-range travellers spend 6,000–10,000 GMD (US$85–140); comfort level starts at 15,000 GMD (US$210+). These are 2026 estimates per person, sharing a room, flights not included.

Is Gambia expensive for tourists?

No. Local food, shared transport and guesthouses are cheap. Costs rise sharply with tours, private drivers and beach hotels, and a two-day upriver trip (US$150–300) or the airport fee (about US$20 each way) can outweigh a week of budget beds.

What do meals, hotels and transport cost in Gambia?

A chop-shop meal is 150–300 GMD and a beer 100–200 GMD. Guesthouse beds run 1,000–2,000 GMD, mid-range beach hotels 3,000–5,000 GMD. A tourist taxi from Kololi to Banjul is about 800–1,200 GMD.

Should I bring cash or use cards in Gambia?

Bring cash. Cards work in larger hotels, but taxis, markets, chop shops and park fees are cash only. ATMs around Banjul and Serekunda can be empty or offline, so carry more than you expect to spend.

When is the cheapest time to visit Gambia?

The green season, roughly June to October, brings lower room rates and fewer visitors, but also rain and some closures. The dry season from November to May is peak, when coastal hotels charge their highest rates.

How much should I budget for a week in Gambia?

A mid-range week on the coast, excluding flights, lands around 48,000–84,000 GMD (US$680–1,200) per person. Add US$150–300 for an upriver trip and about US$40 for airport security fees both ways.

Deep dive

Every source; changeable facts are marked check