Top 5 Most Expensive African Cities to Land in 2025

As of 2024, statistics reveal that 42 African countries now impose transfer taxes and fees, an increase from 35 in 2022, out of a total of 52 assessed.

Transfer taxes, charges, and fees refer to the costs incurred when a traveler passes through one nation en route to another.

These fees are often applied at international airports and can significantly raise the overall ticket price, especially for tourists making multiple journeys across the continent.

Although the average additional cost to ticket prices due to transfer-related fees has slightly decreased, from USD 34.5 in 2022 to USD 34.4 in 2024, the overall effect remains substantial.

“Passengers in Africa also pay taxes, charges, and fees for transfer and on arrival, as shown in the tables below: 42 countries now apply transfer in Africa in 202,4, compared to 35 in 2022, over the 52 selected,” the Afraa Taxes and Charges Study Review 2024, reveals.

“Transfer taxes, charges, and fees increase cket price by an average amount of USD 34.4 compared to USD 34.5 in 2022. Arrival-related taxes, charges, and fees increased from an average USD 14.1 in 2021 to USD 34.1 in 2024,” the report adds.

The maintenance and extension of these taxes exacerbates the already heavy burden on travelers, as African airfares are already among the highest in the world in relation to earning power.

Moreover, transfer taxes are not the only taxes that travelers must pay.

In addition, they have to pay airport building fees, security fees, passenger service fees, government taxes, and arrival fees, all of which can dramatically raise the price of a ticket that would otherwise be competitively priced.

The increasing number of nations imposing these fees highlights the financial burden on airport authorities and African governments, many of which use them to fund maintenance, security, and infrastructure.

Having said that, these are the top 5 African cities in terms of the taxes, fees, and charges that travelers must pay upon arrival.