Togo
How much does a trip to Togo cost? Daily budget and prices
Plan on US$25–45 a day as a backpacker, US$70–130 mid-range and US$200+ for comfort, per person, in 2026. Togo is one of the cheaper countries on the West African coast; the biggest variable is whether you hire a driver for the northern leg, which can double a mid-range day.
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GuideTogo
Key facts
- Currency
- West African CFA franc (XOF), pegged at 655.957 per euro
- Backpacker day
- US$25–45: auberge, maquis food, bush taxis and motos
- Mid-range day
- US$70–130: AC hotel, restaurants, driver days, guided hikes
- Comfort day
- US$200+: top Lomé hotel, private car and guide
- Street meal
- 500–1,500 CFA at a maquis (fufu, akoumé with sauce)
- Local beer
- 500–1,000 CFA (Pils, Flag)
- Gozem car across Lomé
- 1,000–3,000 CFA
- Guided forest walk, Kpalimé
- 5,000–15,000 CFA
- Cards
- Accepted at a few Lomé hotels and supermarkets; carry cash elsewhere
- ATMs
- Ecobank, Orabank, UTB in Lomé and regional towns
- Driver day
- The single largest line item on a northern itinerary — get a quote in advance
Daily budget by travel style
These are per-person, per-day figures for 2026, assuming two people share a room at the mid and comfort levels. Backpacker numbers assume a dorm or simple auberge bed and eating where locals eat.
The spread inside each band is wide because transport drives it. A day of walking and shared taxis in Lomé sits at the bottom; a day with a private car and a guide sits at the top.
| Tier | Bed | Food | Transport | Sights | Extras | Total/day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Backpacker | US$12–22 | US$5–10 | US$3–7 | US$3–8 | US$2–4 | US$25–51 |
| Mid-range | US$35–65 | US$15–25 | US$20–35 | US$8–15 | US$5–10 | US$83–150 |
| Comfort | US$110–220 | US$40–70 | US$60–90 | US$20–40 | US$15–25 | US$245–445 |
2026 estimate, per person. Mid and comfort assume a shared room.
What individual things cost
Prices below are typical 2026 estimates in CFA francs. Change is often short in Togo, so keep small notes and coins for taxis, maquis and market stalls.
Museum and site entry fees are low but not always posted; confirm on arrival rather than budgeting to the franc.
| Item | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Fufu or akoumé with sauce at a maquis | 500–1,500 CFA | Local street and neighbourhood kitchens |
| Local beer (Pils, Flag) | 500–1,000 CFA | Bar or maquis |
| Gozem car across Lomé | 1,000–3,000 CFA | App-based; price depends on distance |
| Guided forest walk near Kpalimé | 5,000–15,000 CFA | Half day, per group or per person — agree first |
| Koutammakou entry and village guide | About 5,000–10,000 CFA | Check locally |
| Musée National, Lomé | About 1,000–2,000 CFA | Check locally |
2026 estimate, per person unless stated.
Where the money actually goes
Togo has no domestic flights, so the north is a long road drive. A driver day is the biggest single cost on most itineraries and the one line that can push a mid-range traveller from US$80 to US$150 a day. If you are going to Kara or Koutammakou, price the car and fuel before you commit to the route.
Accommodation is the second lever. Lomé has the widest range, from simple auberges to the top business hotels; outside the capital, AC rooms are fewer and cheaper, and the gap between budget and mid-range narrows.
Food is rarely the problem. Eating at maquis — the small local kitchens — keeps a day's meals under US$10. Restaurant meals in Lomé hotels cost several times that.
- Driver and fuel for the northern leg: quote in advance, per day plus fuel
- Room in Lomé versus a regional town: the capital is the expensive end
- Guided hikes and village visits: small fees, but they add up over a week
- Regional flights (Lomé–Accra or Abidjan, one way): about US$150 if you are continuing along the coast
Cash, cards and ATMs
The currency is the West African CFA franc (XOF), shared with several neighbouring states and pegged to the euro at 655.957. That peg makes euro-to-CFA maths easy; US dollar and pound holders should check the day's rate.
Mobile money is widely used by residents, but most visitors still pay in cash. Cards work at a few Lomé hotels and supermarkets; everywhere else, carry cash. ATMs from Ecobank, Orabank and UTB are in Lomé and regional towns, but they can be empty or offline, so withdraw in the capital before heading north.
Carry small notes. Vendors, taxi drivers and maquis often cannot break a large bill, and informal change-shortage is a real friction rather than a scam.
- Withdraw in Lomé before travelling north
- Keep a reserve of small CFA notes
- Tell your bank you are travelling; foreign-card blocks are common
- Budget a cash buffer for the driver day, which is usually paid in cash
Ways to cut the cost
Travel with one other person. Splitting a room and a car is the single biggest saving in Togo, because the driver day is a fixed cost that does not change with passenger numbers.
Use shared bush taxis and motos for short hops instead of private cars, and eat at maquis rather than hotel restaurants. Both are how residents travel and eat, and both cut a day's spend sharply.
Keep the itinerary tight. Long transfers are where money leaks: fuel, a driver's overnight, and a night in a town you did not plan to stay in. Two nights in Lomé and two or three in the Kpalimé hills is a cheaper shape than a rushed loop north.
- Share a room and a car with a second traveller
- Bush taxis and motos for short distances
- Maquis food over hotel restaurants
- Fewer, longer stops instead of many short ones
What to check before you budget
Entry paperwork comes first: the e-visa and the online arrival form are costs and lead times you should settle before pricing anything else. See the visa and entry requirements page.
Safety advice can change which routes are sensible and therefore what a trip costs — a route that needs a driver instead of shared transport is a different budget. Check the latest advice before you fix the northern leg.
Season matters less for price than for comfort: the hot, dry months and the rainy season change what you can do in a day, and therefore how many days you need.
- E-visa and arrival form fees and lead times
- Current travel advice for the north
- Season and how it affects your day count
Questions people ask
How much money do you need per day in Togo?
About US$25–45 a day as a backpacker, US$70–130 mid-range and US$200+ for comfort, per person, in 2026. Mid-range days rise sharply when you add a driver for the northern leg.
Is Togo expensive for tourists?
No. Togo is one of the cheaper countries on the West African coast. Food and local transport are inexpensive; the costs that surprise people are private drivers and top-end Lomé hotels.
What do meals, hotels and transport cost in Togo?
A maquis meal is 500–1,500 CFA and a local beer 500–1,000 CFA. Rooms run from about US$12–22 (auberge) to US$110–220 (top Lomé hotel). A Gozem car across Lomé is 1,000–3,000 CFA; a driver day is the big variable.
Can I use cards and ATMs in Togo?
Cards work at a few Lomé hotels and supermarkets. Ecobank, Orabank and UTB ATMs are in Lomé and regional towns but can be empty or offline, so withdraw in the capital and carry cash.
How much should I budget for a week in Togo?
At mid-range, roughly US$600–1,000 per person for a week including a driver day or two, plus your international flight. Backpackers can do a week for around US$200–350 if they stick to shared transport and maquis food.
Do I need cash for the Kpalimé forest walks and Koutammakou?
Yes. Guided forest walks near Kpalimé run 5,000–15,000 CFA and Koutammakou entry with a village guide about 5,000–10,000 CFA (check locally). These are usually paid in cash on the day.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check