Authored by the expert who managed and guided the team behind the Senegal Property Pack
Get all the data you need about the real estate market in Senegal
We constantly update this blog post so you can read fresh rent estimates for Senegal in 2026, not old figures copied from outdated market pages.
Senegal rental prices are very different between Dakar and secondary cities, so we explain the numbers in a simple way.
We focus only on residential property in Senegal, including studios, 1-bedroom apartments, 2-bedroom apartments and family rentals.
And if you’re planning to buy a property in this place, you may want to download our pack covering the real estate market in Senegal.
What are typical rents in Senegal as of 2026?
What's the average monthly rent for a studio in Senegal as of 2026?
As of 2026, the estimated average monthly rent for a studio in Senegal is about 300,000 XOF, which is roughly 500 USD or 460 EUR.
Most studios in Senegal rent for about 120,000 to 750,000 XOF per month, which is roughly 200 to 1,250 USD or 180 to 1,140 EUR, because Dakar pulls the national average upward.
The biggest reasons studio rents vary in Senegal are the city, the neighborhood, the furniture, the building quality, air conditioning, security, backup power and water reliability.
What's the average monthly rent for a 1-bedroom in Senegal as of 2026?
As of 2026, the estimated average monthly rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Senegal is about 450,000 XOF, which is roughly 750 USD or 690 EUR.
Most 1-bedroom apartments in Senegal rent for about 150,000 to 1,100,000 XOF per month, which is roughly 250 to 1,830 USD or 230 to 1,680 EUR.
The cheapest 1-bedroom rents in Senegal are often found in Thiès, Saint-Louis, Rufisque, Mbour and Ziguinchor, while the highest rents are usually in Almadies, Ngor, Plateau, Fann and Point E in Dakar.
What's the average monthly rent for a 2-bedroom in Senegal as of 2026?
As of 2026, the estimated average monthly rent for a 2-bedroom apartment in Senegal is about 700,000 XOF, which is roughly 1,170 USD or 1,070 EUR.
Most 2-bedroom apartments in Senegal rent for about 350,000 to 1,500,000 XOF per month, which is roughly 580 to 2,500 USD or 530 to 2,290 EUR.
The cheaper 2-bedroom rents in Senegal are often in secondary cities and outer Dakar areas such as Rufisque, Parcelles Assainies and Grand Yoff, while the most expensive ones are in Almadies, Ngor, Fann, Point E, Plateau and Mermoz.
By the way, you will find much more detailed rent ranges in our property pack covering the real estate market in Senegal.
What's the average rent per square meter in Senegal as of 2026?
As of 2026, the estimated average rent per square meter in Senegal is about 7,500 XOF per month, which is roughly 13 USD or 11 EUR per square meter.
A realistic rent-per-square-meter range in Senegal is about 3,500 to 25,000 XOF, which is roughly 6 to 42 USD or 5 to 38 EUR per square meter, depending mostly on whether the apartment is in Dakar or outside Dakar.
Dakar rents per square meter are much higher than rents in Thiès, Saint-Louis, Ziguinchor and most of Mbour, because Dakar concentrates jobs, embassies, universities, NGOs and formal tenant demand.
In Senegal, rent per square meter usually rises above average when a property has a prime Dakar address, sea views, full furnishing, air conditioning, parking, security, an elevator, backup power and water storage.
How much have rents changed year-over-year in Senegal in 2026?
As of 2026, average rents in Senegal are estimated to be up by about 3% to 5% year over year, with stronger growth in prime furnished Dakar apartments.
This rent growth in Senegal is mainly driven by Dakar scarcity, expat and NGO demand, higher service expectations, furnished rentals and the continued pressure on good apartments in Almadies, Ngor, Mermoz, Point E and Fann.
Compared with the previous year, rent growth in Senegal in 2026 looks more controlled, because low regional inflation and rent regulation limit broad rent jumps even when good Dakar units remain scarce.
What's the outlook for rent growth in Senegal in 2026?
As of 2026, projected rent growth in Senegal is about 3% to 6% in Dakar and about 1% to 3% in many secondary cities.
The main forces behind the 2026 Senegal rent outlook are Dakar’s land scarcity, urban migration, embassy and NGO demand, student demand, modest inflation and slower but still positive economic growth.
The strongest rent growth in Senegal is expected in Almadies, Ngor, Mermoz, Fann, Point E, Plateau and Sacré-Cœur because tenants pay more for secure and reliable apartments there.
The main risks are weaker purchasing power, stricter rent controls, slower economic growth, oversupply in expensive furnished stock and landlords pushing rents beyond what local tenants can pay.
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Which neighborhoods rent best in Senegal as of 2026?
Which neighborhoods have the highest rents in Senegal as of 2026?
As of 2026, the three highest-rent areas in Senegal are Almadies, Ngor and Plateau in Dakar, where good apartments often rent for about 800,000 to 1,800,000 XOF per month, or roughly 1,330 to 3,000 USD and 1,220 to 2,740 EUR.
These Dakar neighborhoods command premium rents because they offer strong security, better buildings, embassy access, sea access, restaurants, offices, international schools and reliable property services.
The tenants in these high-rent Senegal neighborhoods are usually diplomats, NGO staff, executives, expats, diaspora returnees and higher-income Senegalese families.
By the way, we’ve written a blog article detailing Sources and methodology: we compared premium listings on Expat-Dakar, Keur-Immo and Expat.com. We excluded villas when estimating normal apartment rents. We also checked whether the premium was linked to real tenant demand, not just high asking prices.
Where do young professionals prefer to rent in Senegal right now?
Young professionals in Senegal often prefer Mermoz, Sacré-Cœur and Ouakam because these Dakar areas balance commute access, apartment supply, lifestyle and rents below the Almadies and Ngor luxury tier.
Young professionals in these Senegal neighborhoods typically pay about 250,000 to 800,000 XOF per month, which is roughly 420 to 1,330 USD or 380 to 1,220 EUR.
These areas attract young professionals because they offer cafés, gyms, shops, easier commutes, shared apartment options, newer buildings and better value than the most expensive coastal districts.
By the way, you will find a detailed tenant analysis in our property pack covering the real estate market in Senegal.
Where do families prefer to rent in Senegal right now?
Families in Senegal often prefer Mermoz, Fann and Point E, with strong demand also in Sacré-Cœur, Liberté, Yoff, Ouakam, Mamelles, Ngor and parts of Almadies.
Families usually pay about 600,000 to 1,500,000 XOF per month for 2-bedroom or 3-bedroom apartments in these Senegal neighborhoods, which is roughly 1,000 to 2,500 USD or 910 to 2,290 EUR.
These Dakar neighborhoods attract families because they offer larger apartments, parking, security, better water reliability, quieter streets, access to schools and easier access to services.
Popular education options near these family-friendly Dakar areas include Lycée Jean Mermoz, International School of Dakar, Enko Dakar International School, École Actuelle Bilingue and private schools around Point E and Fann.
Which areas near transit or universities rent faster in Senegal in 2026?
As of 2026, the fastest-renting areas near transit or universities in Senegal are Fann and Point E near UCAD, Mermoz and Sacré-Cœur near student and work corridors, and Plateau and Colobane near central employment and transit.
Good rentals in these high-demand Dakar areas often stay listed for about 10 to 25 days, while overpriced or poorly maintained apartments can stay available for much longer.
Properties within walking distance of universities, employment hubs or transit corridors in Dakar can carry a rent premium of about 50,000 to 200,000 XOF per month, which is roughly 80 to 330 USD or 75 to 305 EUR.
Which neighborhoods are most popular with expats in Senegal right now?
The three Senegal neighborhoods most popular with expats are Almadies, Ngor and Fann Résidence, with strong expat demand also in Plateau, Point E, Mermoz, Mamelles and Saly.
Expats in these Senegal neighborhoods often pay about 700,000 to 1,800,000 XOF per month, which is roughly 1,170 to 3,000 USD or 1,070 to 2,740 EUR.
These areas attract expats because they offer furnished apartments, security, air conditioning, backup power, guarded buildings, international schools, cafés, restaurants, gyms and easier access to embassies or international organizations.
The most visible expat communities in these Senegal rental areas include French, Lebanese, American, Belgian, Spanish, regional West African, NGO, diplomatic and diaspora communities.
And if you are also an expat, you may want to read our Sources and methodology: we compared Expat.com, Expat-Dakar and Keur-Immo. We focused on furnished apartments and service-rich buildings. We also used our own expat-demand notes to avoid treating all Dakar neighborhoods the same.
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Who rents, and what do tenants want in Senegal right now?
What tenant profiles dominate rentals in Senegal?
The three main tenant profiles in Senegal are local urban households, young workers and students, and higher-income expats, diplomats, NGO staff, executives and diaspora tenants.
As a practical estimate, local households represent about 55% to 65% of formal rental demand in Senegal, young workers and students about 20% to 25%, and expat or higher-income professional tenants about 10% to 20% by volume but a higher share by rent value.
Local households usually seek unfurnished 1-bedroom to 3-bedroom homes, young workers and students seek rooms, studios and shared apartments, and expats or executives seek furnished studios, 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom apartments in secure buildings.
If you want to optimize your cashflow, you can read our Sources and methodology: we used ANSD RGPH-5, UN-Habitat and Expat.com. We separated rental demand by volume and by rent value. We also used our own Senegal tenant segmentation to keep the estimates investor-friendly.
Do tenants prefer furnished or unfurnished in Senegal?
In Senegal, about 60% to 70% of long-term tenants prefer unfurnished or semi-furnished rentals, while about 30% to 40% prefer furnished rentals, mainly in Dakar and Saly.
A furnished apartment in Senegal can add about 15% to 35% to the rent, which often means an extra 75,000 to 350,000 XOF per month, or roughly 125 to 580 USD and 115 to 530 EUR.
Furnished rentals in Senegal are mainly preferred by expats, diplomats, NGO staff, executives, business travelers, diaspora returnees and tenants who do not want to buy furniture locally.
Which amenities increase rent the most in Senegal?
The five amenities that increase rent the most in Senegal are full furnishing, backup generator, water reserve, 24/7 security and parking or elevator access in a modern building.
In Senegal, full furnishing can add about 75,000 to 350,000 XOF per month, backup generator about 50,000 to 150,000 XOF, water reserve about 25,000 to 75,000 XOF, security about 40,000 to 120,000 XOF, and parking or elevator access about 30,000 to 100,000 XOF, or roughly 40 to 580 USD and 40 to 530 EUR depending on the amenity.
In our property pack covering the real estate market in Senegal, we cover what are the best investments a landlord can make.
What renovations get the best ROI for rentals in Senegal?
The five renovations that usually get the best rental ROI in Senegal are air conditioning, bathroom upgrades, kitchen cabinets, repainting and reliability upgrades such as water tanks, stronger doors and inverter or generator readiness.
In Senegal, these useful upgrades can cost about 2 million to 20 million XOF in total, or roughly 3,300 to 33,000 USD and 3,050 to 30,500 EUR, and they can lift rent by about 50,000 to 400,000 XOF per month when done in the right Dakar neighborhood.
Renovations with poor ROI in Senegal often include over-luxury finishes in mid-market areas, expensive imported furniture that wears quickly, decorative work without better utilities, and upgrades that ignore humidity, water pressure or electricity reliability.
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How strong is rental demand in Senegal as of 2026?
What's the vacancy rate for rentals in Senegal as of 2026?
As of 2026, the estimated vacancy rate for formal rental properties in Senegal is about 5% to 8%, but prime Dakar apartments can be much tighter.
A realistic vacancy range in Senegal is about 2% to 4% for well-priced modern apartments in prime Dakar, 5% to 8% for normal formal urban rentals, and 8% to 12% for overpriced or weaker units in secondary markets.
The current vacancy rate in Senegal appears lower than a normal balanced market in the best parts of Dakar, because demand for secure and reliable apartments remains stronger than the supply of good units.
Finally please note that you will have all the indicators you need in our property pack covering the real estate market in Senegal.
How many days do rentals stay listed in Senegal as of 2026?
As of 2026, correctly priced formal rentals in Senegal usually stay listed for about 20 to 45 days before finding a tenant.
In prime Dakar, good studios and 1-bedroom apartments can rent in 10 to 25 days, while overpriced luxury apartments and weaker secondary-city rentals can take 45 to 90 days.
Compared with one year ago, days on market in Senegal look broadly stable, but good furnished units in Almadies, Ngor, Point E, Fann, Mermoz and Sacré-Cœur still move faster than the national average.
Which months have peak tenant demand in Senegal?
The peak months for tenant demand in Senegal are usually August to October and January to February.
Demand rises in these months because of school calendars, expat postings, NGO and project cycles, family moves, student housing pressure and new work contracts in Dakar.
The quieter rental months in Senegal are often March, April, November and parts of December, when fewer tenants are moving and many households avoid changing homes unless they must.
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What will my monthly costs be in Senegal as of 2026?
What property taxes should landlords expect in Senegal as of 2026?
As of 2026, a landlord in Senegal should budget about 250,000 to 675,000 XOF per year in property-tax-related exposure for an apartment renting at about 700,000 XOF per month, which is roughly 420 to 1,125 USD or 380 to 1,030 EUR.
A realistic low-to-high annual property tax range in Senegal is about 100,000 to 1,200,000 XOF, or roughly 170 to 2,000 USD and 150 to 1,830 EUR, depending on the assessed rental value, location and property type.
Property taxes in Senegal are linked to the built property framework and assessed rental value, so the final amount depends on the official assessment, the taxpayer status and the applicable DGID rules.
Please note that, in our property pack covering the real estate market in Senegal, we cover what exemptions or deductions may be available to reduce property taxes for landlords.
What utilities do landlords often pay in Senegal right now?
In Senegal, landlords most often pay building charges, common-area electricity, security, elevator maintenance, water-pump maintenance, shared repairs and sometimes internet or cleaning in furnished rentals.
Typical landlord-paid costs in Senegal can be about 20,000 to 80,000 XOF per month for building charges, 25,000 to 120,000 XOF for security, 10,000 to 50,000 XOF for common utilities and 20,000 to 60,000 XOF for internet or cleaning when included, which is roughly 15 to 200 USD or 15 to 180 EUR per item.
The common practice in Senegal is that tenants pay their own electricity, water and day-to-day consumption in unfurnished rentals, while furnished expat rentals may include more services but often cap electricity because air conditioning can be expensive.
How is rental income taxed in Senegal as of 2026?
As of 2026, rental income in Senegal is taxable, and a simple investor should often reserve about 10% to 20% of net rental income until DGID or a local tax adviser confirms the exact regime.
Landlords in Senegal may be able to account for eligible costs such as property charges, maintenance, repairs, management fees and some taxes, but the exact deductions depend on taxpayer status and the rental-income regime.
Common Senegal-specific tax mistakes include ignoring the contribution globale foncière when relevant, confusing property tax with rental-income tax, using informal rent records, and assuming non-resident owners are taxed the same way as residents.
We cover these mistakes, among others, in our Sources and methodology: we used DGID, the DGID tax framework and the contribution globale foncière guide. We gave a cautious budget range because tax treatment depends on the owner. We also checked our own Senegal landlord-tax notes for practical mistakes.
We did some research and made this infographic to help you quickly compare rental yields of the major cities in Senegal versus those in neighboring countries. It provides a clear view of how this country positions itself as a real estate investment destination, which might interest you if you’re planning to invest there.
What sources have we used to write this blog article?
Whether it’s in our blog articles or the market analyses included in our property pack about Senegal, we always rely on the strongest methodology we can … and we don’t throw out numbers at random.
We also aim to be fully transparent, so below we’ve listed the authoritative sources we used, and explained how we used them and the methods behind our estimates.
| Source | Why we trust it | How we used it |
|---|---|---|
| ANSD publications page | ANSD is Senegal’s national statistics agency, so it is the main official source for local economic indicators. | We used ANSD to anchor the 2026 Senegal rent view in official data. We checked inflation, construction and services signals before estimating rent growth. |
| ANSD RGPH-5 2023 census | The national census is the strongest source for population, households and housing structure in Senegal. | We used the census to understand where rental demand is structurally concentrated. We treated Dakar’s dominance as a key reason national rent averages are Dakar-weighted. |
| BCEAO main indicators | BCEAO is the central bank for WAEMU, which includes Senegal. | We used BCEAO for inflation and monetary context. We used modest regional inflation to avoid overstating broad 2026 rent growth in Senegal. |
| IMF Senegal country page | The IMF provides current macro forecasts used by governments, banks and investors. | We used IMF forecasts to frame the 2026 rent-growth outlook. We treated weaker growth as a limit on aggressive rent increases outside prime Dakar. |
| World Bank Senegal MPO | The World Bank gives country-level economic forecasts and policy context for Senegal. | We used it to triangulate the IMF outlook. We used the fiscal and growth context to keep rent-growth assumptions realistic. |
| World Bank urban population data | World Bank urbanization data is standardized and useful for comparing Senegal with other countries. | We used it to support the long-term urban rental-demand story. We linked urbanization pressure to Dakar, Thiès, Mbour and Saint-Louis. |
| UN-Habitat Senegal country brief | UN-Habitat is a specialist UN agency for urbanization, housing and city development. | We used it to explain the structural imbalance between Dakar and secondary cities. We treated “Senegal rents” as mostly Dakar-weighted for formal apartments. |
| DGID official website | DGID is Senegal’s official tax and land administration. | We used DGID to frame landlord tax and property-tax exposure. We avoided using private tax blogs as the main source for tax rules. |
| DGID contribution globale foncière guide | This official DGID guide explains the simplified property-income tax regime. | We used it to explain how some small landlords may be taxed. We kept the guidance practical because exact treatment depends on the owner. |
| DGID built-property tax guide | This official DGID guide explains the contribution foncière des propriétés bâties. | We used it to estimate recurring property-tax exposure for landlords. We expressed the result as a budget range because assessed rental value can vary. |
| CONAREL rent regulation commission | CONAREL is the official body for residential rent regulation in Senegal. | We used it to reflect Senegal’s rent-control context. We considered the 2023 rent-reduction framework when interpreting 2026 asking rents. |
| Expat-Dakar rental listings | Expat-Dakar is one of Senegal’s largest live property classified platforms. | We used it to observe current asking rents by area and apartment type. We discounted asking rents slightly because listed rents are not always final signed rents. |
| Keur-Immo rental listings | Keur-Immo is a specialized Senegal property portal with neighborhood-level listings. | We used it to cross-check Dakar neighborhood rents, especially Mermoz and Almadies. We used it to identify premiums for security, elevators, generators and parking. |
| Numbeo Dakar cost-of-living page | Numbeo is a recognized global cost-of-living database, although its data is crowdsourced. | We used Numbeo only as a secondary benchmark for Dakar apartment rents. We did not rely on it alone because crowdsourced data can be noisy. |
| Expat.com Dakar rental guide | Expat.com is useful for practical expat rental behavior and market timing. | We used it to triangulate expat demand and rental timing. We treated it as practical market evidence, not official statistics. |
Get fresh and reliable information about the market in Senegal
Don't base significant investment decisions on outdated data. Get updated and accurate information.