The West African CFA franc (XOF) serves as Senegal's currency, shared with seven other nations in the West African Economic and Monetary Union. As of 2024, the exchange rate holds at approximately 655 XOF to 1 EUR and 600 XOF to 1 USD. The franc operates in a fixed peg to the euro through arrangements with the French Treasury. Bills come in denominations of 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, and 10000 francs, while coins range from 5 to 500 francs. Banks in Senegal typically charge between 1500 and 3500 XOF per ATM withdrawal for foreign cards, with daily limits usually set at 200,000 to 500,000 XOF depending on the institution. Currency exchange is available at banks, authorized bureaux de change, and major hotels, though the latter often apply markings of 3 to 5 percent above official rates. Orange Money and Wave mobile payment systems operate widely in Senegal, though foreign visitors typically cannot access these without local bank accounts or SIM cards registered to Senegalese addresses.
Dakar hosts ATMs from Société Générale, Ecobank, BICIS, CBAO, and UBA along major commercial streets including Avenue Pompidou and Boulevard Djily Mbaye. Outside the capital, ATM availability drops significantly. Saint-Louis maintains machines at BICIS and CBAO branches on Rue Blaise Diagne. Ziguinchor in Casamance has limited ATM presence through CBAO and Banque Atlantique, with frequent cash shortages during holiday periods. Touba, despite its population exceeding 900,000, has minimal banking infrastructure given the Mouride brotherhood's influence on local economic structures. Travelers planning routes through Tambacounda, Kolda, or rural Casamance must carry sufficient cash from Dakar, as ATMs fail frequently or remain unstocked for days. Credit cards see acceptance at higher-end hotels in Dakar and tourist lodges near Saloum Delta National Park and Niokolo-Koba National Park, but cash remains essential for 90 percent of transactions nationwide.
Budget accommodation in Dakar centers on neighborhoods including Plateau, Medina, and Ouakam. Auberges and basic guesthouses charge 8000 to 15,000 XOF per night for rooms with shared bathrooms and fans but no air conditioning. Hotel Faidherbe near Place de l'Indépendance and Auberge de Jeunesse de Dakar in Ouakam represent this category. Mid-range hotels with private bathrooms, air conditioning, and breakfast typically run 20,000 to 35,000 XOF, with establishments like Hotel Al Baraka in Medina or Hotel Ngor Diarama near Ngor Island fitting this bracket. Upper-tier hotels including Radisson Blu and Pullman Dakar Teranga charge 65,000 to 120,000 XOF per night. Saint-Louis offers cheaper lodging, with basic rooms at residences near the Faidherbe Bridge starting at 6000 XOF and colonial-era hotels like La Résidence charging 25,000 to 40,000 XOF. Ziguinchor guesthouses range from 8000 XOF for basic rooms to 30,000 XOF for air-conditioned accommodations with breakfast.
The beach zone stretching from Mbour through Saly to Somone caters predominantly to European package tourists, inflating prices beyond Dakar levels. Three-star hotels in Saly charge 35,000 to 60,000 XOF per night, while all-inclusive resorts reach 80,000 to 150,000 XOF. Budget options exist in Mbour town proper rather than the beachfront, with local guesthouses charging 10,000 to 18,000 XOF. Around Sine-Saloum Delta, campements in villages like Toubakouta and Missirah offer rustic lodging from 12,000 to 25,000 XOF including meals, as these locations lack restaurants. Near Niokolo-Koba National Park, accommodation concentrates in Tambacounda at 15,000 to 30,000 XOF per night, or in basic campements at park entrances for 20,000 XOF including guide services. Gorée Island has limited overnight options, with Hostellerie du Chevalier de Boufflers charging approximately 45,000 XOF for basic rooms, but most visitors take the ferry from Dakar as a day trip.
Thieboudienne, the national dish of fish and rice cooked in tomato sauce with vegetables, costs 500 to 1000 XOF at local dibiteries and neighborhood eateries serving workers. At sit-down restaurants in Dakar neighborhoods like Medina or Grand Dakar, the same dish runs 1500 to 2500 XOF. Yassa chicken or fish with onion sauce over rice costs similarly, from 800 XOF at basic spots to 3000 XOF at restaurants with table service. Mafé, the peanut-based stew with meat or fish, ranges from 1000 to 2500 XOF depending on protein and venue. Street food provides the cheapest eating options. Fataya, fried pastries filled with spiced fish or meat, sell for 100 to 200 XOF each at roadside stands. Accara, black-eyed pea fritters, cost 25 to 50 XOF per piece. Fresh baguettes, a French colonial remnant baked daily throughout Senegal, cost 150 to 175 XOF. Small bags of roasted peanuts sell for 100 XOF.
Dakar's Lebanese-run restaurants including Le Cedre and Al Baraka charge 4000 to 8000 XOF for mixed grills and mezze platters. French bistros in Plateau such as La Fourchette run 6000 to 12,000 XOF for main courses. Italian restaurants along Rue Jules Ferry charge similar amounts for pasta and pizza. Seafood restaurants at Ngor and Yoff beaches price grilled fish at 5000 to 9000 XOF per kilogram, with thiof, Senegal's prized white grouper, commanding 8000 to 10,000 XOF per kilogram. Dibiteries specializing in grilled lamb serve portions starting at 2000 XOF for smaller cuts to 5000 XOF for larger platters with bread and mustard. The popular chain Chez Fatou operates multiple locations serving Senegalese plates for 1800 to 3000 XOF. Supermarkets including Casino and Auchan in Dakar sell imported goods at markups, with a liter of milk costing 1200 XOF, baguette 175 XOF, and local vegetables like cassava and sweet potatoes at 500 to 800 XOF per kilogram.
Bissap, hibiscus juice served cold, costs 200 to 500 XOF depending on whether purchased from street vendors or restaurants. Bouye, made from baobab fruit, runs 300 to 600 XOF. Small bottles of local Flag beer or Gazelle beer cost 500 to 650 XOF at corner shops, rising to 1200 to 1800 XOF at bars and restaurants. Imported beers like Heineken or Castel cost 800 XOF at shops and 2000 to 2500 XOF at establishments. Local palm wine, though less commercialized than in neighboring nations, appears in Casamance markets at 300 to 500 XOF per liter. Attaya, the sweet green tea prepared in three rounds of increasing sweetness, serves social rather than commercial functions, though some cafes charge 500 XOF for the full ceremony. Bottled water costs 300 to 400 XOF for 1.5 liters at shops, doubling at tourist sites and hotels.