Africa · Sub-Saharan
Togo
Togo rewards a short, focused trip more than a long stay. A relaxed capital anchors the south, the hill country is an easy detour inland, and the north has a distinctive UNESCO-listed landscape of fortified mud tower-houses. French is essential outside the most visited places, and very little English is spoken. The country is generally stable, with petty theft the main concern, but infrastructure for long-stay foreigners is thin and internet is weak. Heat, humidity and malaria risk favour the dry season from November to February.
Nomad quick facts
$930/mo
$1490/mo
34.5 Mbps
2.251 (#146 of 190)
Limited
Nov–Feb
Not available
55.4 / 100
Score breakdown
Low cost of living, distinctive culture and markets, compact and easy to travel, friendly atmosphere.
French required, basic infrastructure, weak internet, high humidity, malaria risk.
Cost of living in Togo
Togo offers very low everyday costs, particularly for accommodation, local food and transportation. Lomé is the country's main urban base, with the widest range of housing, restaurants and services. Local markets and neighborhood restaurants are inexpensive, while imported goods and higher-end accommodation can cost considerably more.
Estimated monthly cost
Single
$930/mo
Couple
$1,490/mo
Cost score inputs
Livingcost
90/100
WB PLI
37.5
Score blends a nomad-realistic monthly cost estimate (built from livingcost.org data, adjusted for short-term nomad spending like furnished housing, coworking, and eating out) with the World Bank's Household Consumption Price Level Index, a broader cross-country cost benchmark. Countries without World Bank price-level data are scored on the livingcost estimate alone. Prices displayed in USD.
The nomad cost estimate reflects a realistic single/couple monthly budget, not a bare local cost of living — actual spending still varies with lifestyle and location within a country.
Sources: livingcost.org · World Bank Household Consumption Price Level Index · Independent nomad cost estimates
Internet in Togo
Togo has modest download speed with no reliable ul/latency data; Lomé is the strongest base for remote workers, while connectivity and infrastructure become less dependable outside the capital.
Download speed
34.5 Mbps
Blends download speed (Ookla Speedtest Global Index) with upload speed and latency (Cloudflare Radar). Speeds are scored between 10 Mbps (0) and 200 Mbps (100); latency counts the opposite way — lower is better. A missing metric doesn't penalize a country, it's scored on whatever data is available.
A national average — city and neighbourhood speeds vary, especially outside major hubs.
Get an eSIM for arrival →Sources: Ookla Speedtest Global Index · Cloudflare Radar
Safety in Togo
Togo is generally manageable for visitors in Lomé and along the coast, with petty theft the main practical concern; it remains lightly touristed by nomads, so infrastructure for long-stay foreign visitors is less developed than in more established destinations.
Global safety rank
#146 of 190
Peace Index score
2.251 (lower = safer)
WJP Rule of Law rank
#90 of 143
WJP Rule of Law score
0.69 (higher = safer)
Gallup Law & Order rank
#89 of 119
Gallup Law & Order score
69 (higher = safer)
Blends three published safety indices: the Global Peace Index, the WJP Rule of Law Index (Order & Security factor), and the Gallup Global Law and Order Index. Places the Global Peace Index doesn't cover use our own estimate, based on regional peers and crime data. Each is rescaled 0-100 and combined with weights favoring GPI and Gallup slightly over WJP. Not every country is tracked by all three — the blend adjusts to whichever are available (weights are renormalized) rather than penalizing a country for a missing source, though a country tracked by fewer sources carries lower confidence.
As this is national average data, be aware that safety varies significantly by city and region within a country.
Get nomad insurance →Sources: Global Peace Index (Institute for Economics & Peace) · WJP Rule of Law Index (World Justice Project) · Gallup Global Law and Order Index
Tourism & infrastructure in Togo
Lomé's relaxed beach setting and the world's largest voodoo "fetish market" give Togo real character, while Kpalimé's green hills and waterfalls add an easy day-trip escape. This compact, refreshingly short north-south country rewards a cultural detour more than serving as a long-term nomad base.
Happiness rank
#131 of 147
English Proficiency Index
397.0 (104 out of 106)
Within-city transit
Limited
Between-city transit
Moderate
Tropical; hot and humid south with two rainy seasons and a drier north.
Best months: Nov–Feb
Togo's transit is dominated by 'oleti' motorbike taxis, the main way to move around Lomé and other towns cheaply, alongside shared taxis, with no urban rail. Intercity travel uses coaches along the main north–south corridor. Traffic and heat limit walkability, and ride-hailing (Gozem) is emerging; Lomé's beachfront centre is fairly walkable.
A weighted blend of published indices: the World Economic Forum's Travel & Tourism Development Index (weighted highest — the strongest predictor of appeal), Numbeo's Quality of Life Index, the World Happiness Report, Gallup's day-to-day enjoyment data, the EF English Proficiency Index, and a public transit assessment covering both within-city and between-city transport. Not every country is scored on all six — the blend adjusts to whichever are available rather than penalizing a country for a missing one.
Sources: WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index · Numbeo Quality of Life Index · World Happiness Report · Gallup · EF English Proficiency Index · Public transit assessment
Togo visa and entry rules for digital nomads
Tourist entry — USA passport
E-Visa required — 15 days
Tourism Visa Note
Must apply digitally through the official Togo e-Visa portal at least 6 days before traveling.
Digital nomad visa
No dedicated digital-nomad route
Visa and entry requirements can change. Check the latest information from official government sources before travelling; eligibility, documents and permitted activities depend on your nationality and personal circumstances.
Tax & residency in Togo
Tax-residency timing
No fixed day threshold identified; tax domicile or a local dwelling may trigger liability
How the day count works
No general numerical day-count threshold identified in the reviewed domestic tax-code excerpts
Other residency triggers
Tax domicile in Togo; having one or more dwellings in Togo can also bring a non-domiciled person within tax liability
Remote work before residence
May be taxable. Togo-source income of a person without tax domicile in Togo is taxable; work carried out there may be sourced locally
If you become tax resident
Persons with tax domicile in Togo are taxable on income from Togolese and foreign sources, subject to treaty rules
What this usually means for nomads
Tax domicile or a dwelling in Togo can create exposure without a fixed day threshold. Togolese-source work income may be taxable before residence. Local work, a home or strong personal and economic ties increases the risk; treaties may change the result
Tax rules can change and depend on your residency status, income structure, time spent in the country and applicable tax treaties. This information is general only and is not financial or tax advice. Consult a qualified tax professional before relying on it.
Top cities for nomads in Togo
Lomé is the relaxed seaside capital, with a large central market and the widest range of services. Kpalimé is a green hill town of waterfalls and coffee farms, and Koutammakou in the north-east is the valley of tower-houses.
Capital & largest; a relaxed seaside city with palm beaches, the huge Grand Marché & the eerie Akodessewa fetish market.
A lush western hill town of waterfalls, coffee & cocoa farms and an artisan scene; the country's best hiking.
The atmospheric former colonial capital on the coast, between the ocean & Lake Togo.
UNESCO landscape of the Batammariba's fortified mud tower-houses (takienta) in the northeast.
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