Togo
Data updated Oct 14, 2026
Overall Score
N/A
Challenging
Avg. Rent (1BR)
N/A
Safety Index
N/A
COL Index
27.9
Overall Score
N/A
ChallengingEstimated Cost
$694/mo
single person, incl. rent
Verdict
Best for retirees
based on our recommended destinations
Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Please check the latest official travel advisory for Togo before planning your trip.
U.S. Department of State, verified Aug 28, 2026
Togo makes sense for a narrow slice of people: someone on a fixed retirement income who wants low costs and doesn't need English spoken around them, or a remote worker whose job is location-independent but whose personality is built for operating outside structured expat infrastructure. French is the working language, and proficiency in English is low across the board, so this isn't a soft landing. There's no digital nomad visa here, but a retirement or passive-income visa does exist, which is the actual legal path if you're not working for a local employer.
The headline number, $694 a month for a single person excluding rent, is real and reflects cheap daily living: a meal at a basic restaurant runs under $3, a dozen eggs is about $2, domestic beer is a dollar. But that number hides the parts that actually determine your monthly spend. Basic utilities for a mid-size apartment run around $145, a decent broadband connection is roughly $43 a month on top of a mobile plan near $21, and a gym membership alone can hit $60. Rent data for Lomé isn't reliably published, which itself is a signal: you're not working from a transparent market with comparable listings, you're negotiating case by case, often through a landlord relationship rather than a platform.
The friction shows up in infrastructure and systems, not in prices. Internet averages under 50 Mbps nationally, workable for most remote jobs but not a given, and backup connectivity matters more here than in a country with redundant fiber. Healthcare is the bigger issue: public services exist but coverage isn't universal, so you're paying out of pocket for most things, and that means private insurance or a serious emergency-evacuation plan isn't optional, it's the baseline. Combine that with low English proficiency in medical and bureaucratic settings and simple tasks, renewing a visa, dealing with a bank, explaining symptoms to a doctor, take longer and require either decent French or a fixer you trust.
For US tax purposes, Togo runs a progressive income tax scale that tops out at 35% on income above XOF 20,000,000, with brackets starting at 0% up to XOF 900,000 and climbing through several steps, capital gains taxed at a flat 15%, and dividends at 10% for residents. None of that automatically applies to you as a US citizen unless you become a tax resident under Togo's rules, but your US filing obligation doesn't go away regardless. The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion lets you shield up to $132,900 of foreign earned income in 2026, and if you're paying for housing abroad there's an additional foreign housing exclusion with a base of $21,264 and a cap of $39,870, which can matter if local rent and utilities push your housing costs up. There is no US-Togo tax treaty, so treaty-based relief on taxes is not available. ETIAS has no confirmed start date and doesn't apply to entry into Togo itself, it's a European system, and the EU's Entry/Exit System, live since October 12, 2025, is also only relevant if your travel routes through Europe, not to your Togo residency itself.
Togo vs. the West Africa average
Scores out of 10, shown as the gap between Togo and the average of the 14 other countries in West Africa. 1 clear strength, 2 clear gaps.
- Internet Speed+0.8
- Tax Friendliness+0.3
- Expat Community+0.1
- Cost of Living-0.1
- Residency Pathway-0.1
- Public Transport-0.9
- English Speaking-2.7
🚚 Moving to Togo
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Recommended Destinations in Togo
Best for Retirees
Best for Geoarbitrage
Best for Remote Workers
- Capital
- Lomé
- Official Language
- French
- Time Zone
- UTC
- Region
- Africa
- Population
- 8,278,737
- Internet Speed
- 49.82 Mbps
- Climate Zones
- tropical
View on Interactive Map
Explore data visually
🏙️ Top Cities in Togo
Explore cost of living, walkability scores, and expat ratings for individual cities in Togo.
CoL Index: 43
Est. Total: ~$673/mo
CoL Index: 27
Est. Total: ~$606/mo
How far does $1,500 go in Togo?
With a monthly budget of $1,500, you can live comfortably in Togo. After accounting for an average rent of $$0, you have approximately $1,500remaining for daily expenses.
Calculate your FIRE timeline with these costs →💰 Cost of Living in Togo
Relative to New York City (NYC = 100). A lower number means it's cheaper.
Estimate the cost of shipping your belongings to Togo →
See how Togo's cost of living compares with Cape Verde
🛒 Grocery & Family Costs
Family Costs
Can I afford to live in Togo?
Comfortable (1.0×): balanced baseline lifestyle. Adjusts day-to-day costs only — rent is unaffected.
Togo
You could save
2,306/mo
Monthly Costs
Attractiveness Scores
Based on national averages. City-level costs may vary. Browse cities in Togo →
⚕️ Healthcare System
Our Top Pick for Nomads: SafetyWing
Flexible, subscription-based health cover for remote workers in Togo.
Get Covered with SafetyWing →Looking for more options? Check Ekta.
Quality & Affordability:
While public healthcare services are available, coverage is not universal, leading to out-of-pocket expenses for many. Private health insurance is recommended for expats.
Insurance Insights:
While public healthcare services are available, coverage is not universal, leading to out-of-pocket expenses for many individuals.
See how Togo's healthcare compares with Cape Verde
🛂 Visa & Residency Pathways
🛂 Visa Services
Ready to apply for a Togo visa?
Get help with your application — tourist, long-stay, and residency visas processed online.
General Overview
Process & Requirements:
Togo's long-term residency system is 'complex' and not well-documented for independent expats. Residency is almost exclusively tied to employment with a local or international company, or to establishing a significant business. A foreigner must be sponsored to obtain a long-stay visa and a residence permit (Carte de Séjour). The process is highly bureaucratic, reflecting its French administrative roots, and often requires local assistance to navigate the various government ministries. There are no formal programs for retirement or passive income.
The lack of clear, independent pathways and the heavy reliance on employment sponsorship make it a challenging destination for long-term settlement. The official travel portal is geared towards short-term visas, and detailed residency information is not easily accessible online (URL: https://voyage.gouv.tg/).
Residency & Citizenship Notes:
There is no pathway to permanent residency. The pathway to citizenship is 'difficult'. The law requires five years of residence for naturalization, but the process is highly discretionary and rarely granted to foreigners without significant ties to the country. A key barrier is that Togolese law does not recognize dual citizenship; renunciation of a previous nationality is required. This makes citizenship an unrealistic goal for most expats.
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Detailed Visa Options
🧳 Tourist & Short-Stay Information
Extension Notes
The 7-day visa on arrival can be extended for up to 90 days at the immigration service (DGPN) in Lomé. It is advised to do this shortly after arrival. Source: Togolese immigration policy.
General Visa Notes
US citizens can obtain a 7-day visa on arrival for a fee at Lomé–Gnassingbé Eyadéma International Airport and major land borders. For longer stays, it is recommended to get a visa in advance from a Togolese embassy.
Official Source: View Source
🌴 Retirement / Passive Income Visa
Income Notes
Togo's system, influenced by the French model, allows for a long-stay 'visitor' visa for those not intending to work. Applicants must provide proof of sufficient financial resources (pension, savings) to cover their stay. No fixed amount is specified. Source: General consular information.
Health Insurance Notes
For the Long Stay 'Visiteur' Visa (used for retirement), applicants must provide proof of comprehensive travel and health insurance that covers all medical and repatriation expenses for the duration of the visa. Source: General consular information from Togolese embassies.
💻 Digital Nomad Visa
Income Notes
Togo does not have a digital nomad visa. The current immigration framework does not accommodate long-term stays for independent remote workers. Source: Togolese government websites.
📈 Investor Visa
Investment Details
Investment Options & Notes
Togo does not have a formal residency by investment program. Long-term residency is tied to establishing an active business and is not based on a passive investment. Source: Togo Invest Corporation.
Path to Citizenship
Many long-stay visas require proof of health insurance. Compare international health plans before you apply.
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🛡️ Safety & Stability
An estimation of the overall level of crime. Lower is better.
World Bank political stability estimate, rescaled to 0-100. Higher is better.
Safety Notes:
According to the US State Department, travelers should exercise increased caution in Togo. Lomé reports higher theft rates; caution at night.
Types of Crime: Pickpocketing, scams, and residential burglary.
Kidnapping Risk: Low; rare incidents near northern borders.
🏦 Taxation & Finance
🏦 Tax Snapshot
FEIE Interaction
FTC Utility: medium
Togo imposes income tax at rates up to 28%, which is below the US top marginal rate. A Foreign Tax Credit may offset some US tax liability on Togolese-source income but may not fully cover US liability on all income types. The FEIE is typically the preferred tool for employed expats, with the FTC used for any residual local tax paid above the FEIE threshold or on passive income.
Presence Day Count Notes
The standard 330-day physical presence test applies within any 12-month period. Togo qualifies as a foreign country for FEIE purposes. The bona_fide_residence test requires establishing genuine residency under Togolese law, which may be supported by a long-term work permit or official residence status.
FBAR Trigger Notes
US persons with bank accounts at Togolese financial institutions (primarily Ecobank Togo, UTB, or BTCI) exceeding $10,000 aggregate must file FBAR. Togolese banking infrastructure is limited and accounts are typically held in XOF (West African CFA franc). FATCA compliance by Togolese banks is limited; US persons should document all accounts carefully.
401k/IRA Treatment
Pension Income
Foreign pension income received by Togo tax residents is subject to progressive income tax rates up to 28%. No specific pension exemption for foreign pensions exists under Togolese law.
Locally TaxedSocial Security
No US-Togo totalization or income tax treaty exists. US Social Security benefits received by a Togo resident are treated as foreign-source income and may be included in the taxable base subject to progressive rates.
Locally TaxedRoth Distributions
Roth distributions have no treaty protection in Togo. Amounts received may be characterized as income and subject to local progressive rates, though characterization depends on individual circumstances and local tax authority interpretation.
Locally TaxedUS 401k/IRA Distributions
No US-Togo tax treaty exists. Distributions from US 401(k) or IRA accounts received by a Togo tax resident would be treated as foreign-source income and included in taxable income under the progressive personal income tax schedule, with rates up to 28%. No treaty protection is available.
Locally TaxedCapital Gains Tax
Togo taxes capital gains (plus-values) at a distinct FLAT rate of 15%, rather than folding them into the ordinary progressive IRPP schedule as previously recorded. This applies across asset types (shares, real estate, crypto) per current guidance, subject to confirmation of any asset-specific variations directly against the CGI. This rate is flat, not progressive, despite the general IRPP schedule (which does not apply to gains) being progressive. Corporate capital gains continue to be taxed at the standard 27% CIT rate.
Togo applies a distinct flat 15% rate to capital gains rather than taxing them as ordinary progressive income. This corrects a prior characterization that folded gains into the 8-band IRPP schedule (now topping out at 35%). The capital gains rate itself is flat, not progressive. Corporate capital gains remain taxed at the standard 27% corporate income tax rate.
Dividend Tax Rate
Dividends paid by Togolese companies to residents and non-residents are subject to a withholding tax. The standard withholding rate on dividends is 10% for residents and may apply similarly to non-residents absent a tax treaty. Togo has limited tax treaty coverage and the US-Togo tax treaty does not exist, so US persons receive no treaty reduction.
withholding
Rate: 10.0%
Standard withholding rate on dividends distributed by Togolese entities to both resident and non-resident shareholders.
Tax Treaties Notes:
No US-Togo tax treaty.
Retiree Tax Benefits:
No retiree programs. Infrastructure challenges.
Cost Savings vs. U.S.:
Very low costs (e.g., $500/month in Lomé). Basic healthcare.
Pick between Form 2555 (Foreign Earned Income Exclusion) and Form 1116 (Foreign Tax Credit) with an expat tax service.
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Fidelity →See how Togo's taxes compares with Cape Verde
☀️ Climate & Environment
Climate Zones:
Seasonal Variations:
Togo has a tropical climate with a long rainy season from April to October in the south and a single rainy season from May to September in the north. Temperatures are generally high throughout the year.
😊 Quality of Life
Cultural Amenities:
Museums & Cultural Institutions
Togo is home to several museums, including the National Museum in Lomé, which showcases the country's history and culture.
The Musée International du Golfe de Guinée offers exhibits on the region's maritime history.
Performing Arts
Togo has a rich tradition of music and dance, with genres like traditional drumming and folk songs playing significant roles.
The National Theatre in Lomé hosts various performances, including plays and musical shows.
Cultural Festivals
The Evala Festival is a traditional wrestling event held by the Kabyé people in northern Togo.
The Tem Festival celebrates the culture and traditions of the Tem people.
Culinary Culture
Togolese cuisine includes dishes like fufu (pounded yam), ablo (steamed cornmeal), and grilled fish.
The country's food reflects its diverse ethnic groups and regional influences.
🌐 Infrastructure & Connectivity
Our proprietary ranking of public transit accessibility and reliability.
Internet Reliability:
Togo has developing internet infrastructure with ongoing improvements in urban areas.
Speed & Quality: Average fixed broadband speed in Togo is 49.82 Mbps, with expanding mobile networks.
Availability: Limited fixed infrastructure, concentrated in Lomé. Mobile coverage is expanding.
Cost: Moderate pricing for the region, typically $20-40/month.
Reliability for Remote Work: Adequate for basic remote work in urban areas, though infrastructure is still developing.
Transportation Network:
Togo has basic transportation infrastructure suitable for its small size but with limited development.
Roads: Road network connects major cities but rural roads are often unpaved.
Rail: Single railway line connects to neighboring countries.
Domestic Travel: Limited domestic flights; most transport relies on buses and shared taxis.
Recommended services for Togo
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Traveling Mailbox →Frequently Asked Questions about Togo
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