Dont want to carry too much or too little. Whats the average cash people carry when travelling around Côte d'Ivoire?
While backpacking through Cote d’Ivoire in April, I typically withdrew 80,000-100,000 CFA every few days and divided it between my wallet, a pouch, and a hidden sleeve in my backpack. On a normal day in Abidjan, I carried about 25,000-30,000 CFA in small notes, which covered transport, street food, and entry to cultural sites. Rural areas like Man or Korhogo had fewer ATMs, so I always stocked up in cities beforehand. It’s all about planning too little is frustrating, too much can be risky.
Just got back from Abidjan and found myself spending anywhere between 20,000 and 35,000 CFA per day depending on activities. I carried 15,000 CFA on me at most enough for transport, meals, and small purchases. I kept a backup 50,000 CFA hidden in my luggage just in case. Since most hostels and shops didn’t accept cards, cash was essential. The trick was to avoid carrying too much at once but still have enough to avoid emergency withdrawals at night.
I spent two weeks moving around Cote d’Ivoire from Yamoussoukro to San Pedro and quickly learned that small bills are gold. I carried about 30,000 CFA (around $50) with me daily, mostly in 1,000 and 2,000 notes, which worked well for taxis, meals, and entrance fees. Many vendors don’t have change for large bills like 10,000 CFA, so I’d break those up at gas stations or supermarkets. I withdrew around 100,000 CFA at a time from BICICI ATMs and kept extra cash hidden in a money belt.
When I travelled around Abidjan and Grand-Bassam in March, I found that carrying around 40,000 to 60,000 CFA francs per day (roughly €60-90) was more than enough. Most places, including taxis, restaurants, and small shops, are cash-only, and card acceptance is limited. I’d usually keep about 20,000 CFA in my day bag and the rest tucked safely in my hotel room. ATMs are available, but not always nearby or reliable, so I withdrew larger amounts every 2-3 days.