Maybe the total sum of the trip sounds high, but if we take into account the length of the route and time spent in travel, it is not so bad. These are the overall cost of living, including food, transport and accommodation. In addition to this, the sum include use of the Internet, Skype calls, beers and souvenirs, fixing the equipment, the purchase of sweets, sites entry fees (I called them “extras”) - all costs when travelling. If we count these "little costs of daily common life" during 9 months, it will accumulate quite a large amount. For food, 
transport and accommodation I spent an average 280 € per month (living in Poland I would spent just a little less). Unfortunately visas cost was very high (€ 839), I was willing to spend much more on great attractions and tours (1162 €). "Extras" cost me 377 €, which is less than 10 € per week.
I used the cheapest possible local transport and I also hitchhiked (particularly in Gabon, Angola, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Swaziland and South Africa). Similarly with the accommodations - the cheapest as possible, and nearly half of the nights were for free. So it is hard to minimize the costs at this point. However, we shouldn't save on food, we have the only one health. "Extras" depend on personal needs and possibilities, these costs can be stimulated in both sides. The cost calculation during the trip includes the visas purchased before home departure.
Below I present the travel costs, prices are in Euro. I described in detail the situation in each country, exactly as it was in 2007. Of course the prices and some data could already changed. Although I've bargained a lot, I wasn't always well orientated, so in some cases things can be done better, cheaper or just in different way.
a) The expenses before departure (in Poland) per one person: 409 € (without visas)
malaria drug, Lariam - 68 €;
medical kit, vitamins, water purification tablets - 24 €;
vaccination for typhoid (I already had done one for yellow fever and hepatitis) - 29 €;
health insurance - 121 €;
Lonely Planet guide "Western Africa on shoestring" (part of Southern and Central Africa we had some photocopies) together for 3 oss - 10 € / person;
transport, courier and translation to the embassy in Warsaw - 25 € / person;
Passport photos - 13 €;
train Zory - Wroclaw 11 €;
flight by Raynair (taxes included) Wroclaw (Poland) - Bergamo (Italy) 25 €;
flight Bergamo (Italy) - Seville (Spain) 29 €;
bus Seville - Algeciras (and a trip to Gibraltar) 22 €;
ferry Algeciras - Ceuta (Spanish enclave on the African continent) 32 €.
b) The expenses occurred during the travel: 5022 € (including visas to Senegal, DR of Congo and Angola, purchased before leaving Poland)
| Africa | days | visas, departure taxes | accommodation |
transport | food | admissions, fees, tours | extras | total |
| Northern | 15 | €20 | (11) €38 | €145 | €55 | €4 | €4 | €266 |
| Western | 92 | €186 | (52) €177 | €314 | €347 | €458 | €121 | €1603 |
| Central | 61 | €412 | (21) €70 | €160 | €202 | €30 | €64 | €938 |
| Southern | 115 | €221 | (66) €313 | €363 | €459 | €671 | €188 | €2215 |
| total | 283 | €839 | (150) €598 | €982 | €1063 | €1163 | €377 | €5022 |
c) the additional expenses: 978 €
The value of currency in the country I calculated by checking the bank statement, so all charges and hidden fees were included. For using the ATM machines I was charged additionally 31 € / person.
Photography - I still had a dozen slide Kodak rolls, which sponsored my previous trip. Purchase the rest of rolls cost me 80 €, developed all 40 rolls cost 159 €.
Skype calls cost me - 18 €
Insurance company refund me all costs spent for medical treatment (malaria and leg infection).
Flight ticket I purchased on Internet just before departure Cape Town in South Africa, via Singapore to Sydney cost me 690 €.
The total expenses this over the 9-month journey (including expenses before and after the trip) across Africa were 6409 €, what is about 158 € per week. From Ceuta to the Cape of Good Hope the average cost of living was 9.3 € per day (for food, accommodation and transport).
The food expenses were 1063 € in 283 days = 3.7 € per day
The transport expenses were 982 €, or 2.3 € per 100 km, or otherwise 3.5 € per day. If I wouldn't use the hitchhiking (23% of the trip) it would be more expensive. We covered daily distance average of 153 km. We get in to 516 different types of vehicles. On trekking (city walks are not included) we walked a total of 1,013 km. I travelled over 30 countries and 1 territory in 283 days, through a total of 43,460 km (including 794 km by sea or river).
The accommodation expenses were 598 € - an average of 2.1 € per night, but thanks to the fact that I paid for 53% of all nights only. If I include the only paid accommodation, it would be the average cost of 4 € per night. I spent a total of 94 nights in hostels, 50 times I was sleeping in a tent at the campgrounds, 6 times a paid for hospitality. I spent free of charge 23 nights in the transport, 50 nights in the wild, 60 times I spent nights in hospitality.
Detailed cost calculation
Northern Africa
| country | days | visas | accommodation | transport | food | admissions, fees, tours | extras | total |
| Morocco with Western Sahara | 10 | - | (7) €23 | €92 | €38 | €2 | €2 | €157 |
| Mauritania | 5 | €20 | (4) €15 | €53 | €16 | €2 | €2 | €108 |
| total | 15 | €20 | (11) €38 | €145 | €54 | €4 | €4 | €265 |
In Northern Africa the average cost of living was 16 € per day (for food, accommodation and transport).
I travelled across 2 countries and 1 dependent territory in 15 days, paying for 73% of accommodations, 90% of transport (462km free hitchhiking), total of 4,790 km (an average of 319 km per day).
Western Africa
| country | days | visas | accommodation | transport | food | admissions, fees, tours | extras | total |
| Senegal | 11 | €35 | (5) €25 | €66 | €45 | €3 | €21 | €195 |
| Gambia | 3 | - | (1)€5 | €7 | €8 | - | €2 | €22 |
| Guinea Bissau | 6 | €16 | (2)€8 | €17 | €20 | €16 | €2 | €79 |
| Guinea | 4 | €32 | (1)€1 | €1 | €6 | - | €8 | €48 |
| Mali | 16 | €24 | (5)€14 | €41 | €76 | €8 | €11 | €174 |
| Burkina Faso | 12 | €24 | (12)€52 | €43 | €48 | €6 | €24 | €197 |
| Cote d'Ivoire | 2 | €8 | (1)€3 | €3 | €5 | - | €2 | €21 |
| Ghana | 12 | €24 | (8)€19 | €29 | €46 | €7 | €13 | €138 |
| Togo | 2 | €8 | (2)€7 | €4 | €9 | €1 | - | €29 |
| Benin | 6 | €8 | (6)€18 | €19 | €25 | €17 | €3 | €90 |
| Niger | 20 | €8 | (9)€27 | €85 | €59 | €399 | €31 | €609 |
| total | 92 | €187 | (52)€179 | €315 | €347 | €457 | €117 | €1,602 |
In Western Africa the average cost of living was 9 € per day (for food, accommodation and transport).
I travelled across 11 countries in 92 days, paying for 56% of accommodations, 97% of transport (366km free hitchhiking), total of 11,505 km (an average of 125 km per day).
Central Africa
| country | days | visas, departure taxes | accommodation | transport | food | admissions, fees, tours | extras | total |
| Chad | 5 | €24 | (1) €6 | €13 | €18 | €2 | €5 | €68 |
| Cameroon | 22 | €79 | (13)€32 | €74 | €82 | €16 | €31 | €314 |
| Nigeria | 1 | - | - | - | €0.5 | €0.5 | - | €1 |
| Equatorial Guinea | 5 | €59 | (2)€8 | €19 | €21 | €12 | €1 | €119 |
| Gabon | 6 | €56 | (3)€13 | €12 | €24 | - | €4 | €109 |
| Congo | 4 | €81 | (1)€3 | €31 | €16 | - | €3 | €134 |
| Congo Democratic | 4 | €79 | (1)€7 | €4 | €9 | €1 | €11 | €111 |
| Angola | 14 | €34 | - | €6 | €32 | - | €9 | €81 |
| total | 61 | €412 | (21)€69 | €159 | €202 | €32 | €64 | €937 |
In Central Africa the average cost of living was 7 € per day (for food, accommodation and transport).
I travelled across 8 countries in 61 days, paying for 34% of accommodations, 63% of transport (2986km free hitchhiking), total of 8,026 km (an average of 131 km per day).
Southern Africa
| country | days | visas, departure taxes | accommodation | transport | food | admissions, fees, tours | extras | total |
| Namibia | 24 | €22 | (12) €65 | €212 | €100 | €61 | €37 | €497 |
| Botswana | 8 | €63 | (5)€22 | €10 | €38 | €58 | €7 | €198 |
| Zimbabwe | 8 | €22 | (4)€8 | €8 | €21 | €66 | €10 | €135 |
| Zambia | 3 | €26 | (2)€4 | €33 | €9 | €72 | €4 | €148 |
| Malawi | 4 | €16 | (2)€4 | €13 | €11 | - | €17 | €61 |
| Mozambique | 16 | €21 | (11)€34 | €54 | €55 | €124 | €13 | €301 |
| Swaziland | 3 | - | (3)€15 | €4 | €18 | - | €1 | €38 |
| Lesotho | 10 | €5 | (8)€42 | €17 | €35 | €56 | €16 | €171 |
| South Africa | 39 | €46 | (20)€119 | €13 | €171 | €235 | €83 | €667 |
| total | 115 | €221 | (77)€313 | €364 | €458 | €672 | €188 | €2,216 |
In Southern Africa the average cost of living was 10 € per day (for food, accommodation and transport).
I travelled across 9 countries in 115 days, paying for 67% of accommodations, 68% of transport (6189km free hitchhiking), total of 19,139 km (an average of 166 km per day).
Average
It's to estimate the costs of travelling. I try to give the most relevant data reflecting the current situation of budget travel:
Average for 1 night accommodation - gives the average amount I paid for the accommodation which I used (not included the free nights). I had to spend a minimum of 3 nights in the country to take this information to the statistics.
Average for transport per 100 km - average price which I paid for public transport per 100 km. It's apply to buses or trains only (that is without minibuses, taxis, or water transport) to the non-touristic places. In the calculation I included the long distances only - in bigger countries more than 100 km and in smaller one more then 50 km.
Average daily food expenses - including all meals, sweets and soft drinks. In my case, for example in Namibia and Niger daily meals was in financial terms very similar. This does not mean, however, that the prices in these countries are similar, because of course the Namibia is much more expensive than Niger. The difference lies in the fact that in Namibia I was buying from the supermarket, and in Niger the low prices in shops and restaurants have caused that I ate much more then I should. Similarly with Gabon, Congo, Angola and SA where we often were guests and people feed us often. I had to spend at least 3 days in the country to give the info.
| country | average per 1 night accommodation | average per 100 km ride | average daily food | country | average per 1 night accommodation | average per 100 km ride | average daily food | |
| Morocco | €3.3 | €2.4 | €3.9 | Guinea E. | - | €3.7 | €4.0 | |
| Mauritania | €3.7 | €2.7 | €3.2 | Gabon | €4.2 | €4.7 | €3.8 | |
| Senegal | €4.9 | €2.1 | €5.0 | Congo | - | €2.5 | €3.5 | |
| Gambia | - | €1.5 | €2.7 | Congo Dem. | - | €2.5 | - | |
| Guinea B. | - | €1.9 | €3.4 | Angola | - | €6.0 | - | |
| Guinea | - | - | €1.6 | Namibia | €5.4 | €2.0 | €4.2 | |
| Mali | €2.7 | €2.0 | €4.7 | Botswana | €5.5 | €1.4 | €4.7 | |
| Burkina F. | €4.3 | €2.8 | €3.9 | Zimbabwe | - | €0.1 | €2.6 | |
| Ghana | €2.3 | €1.5 | €3.7 | Zambia | - | €2.9 | €2.9 | |
| Benin | €3.0 | €2.0 | €4.1 | Malawi | - | €1.2 | €2.9 | |
| Niger | €3.0 | €2.4 | €3.7 | Mozambique | €3.1 | €2.0 | €3.5 | |
| Chad | - | - | €3.8 | Swaziland | €4.8 | €3.1 | - | |
| Cameroon | €2.5 | €1.9 | €3.8 | Lesotho | €5.2 | €3.0 | €3.5 | |
| SA | €6.0 | €4.6 | €4.4 |