Let me describe the practical reality of budget travel in West Africa, which almost no budget travel content covers seriously.

Ghana is the most accessible entry point for Anglophone travelers. Visa on arrival ($150 for US citizens — expensive but manageable), English widely spoken, reliable banking and ATM infrastructure, and the safety situation is excellent. Accra has good budget accommodation ($15-25/night), the food markets are extraordinary (jollof rice, fufu, kelewele), and the day trips to Cape Coast and Elmina are historically essential.

Senegal is the Francophone equivalent. Dakar has direct flights from Europe making it accessible, the Atlantic coast is beautiful, and Thiès and Saint-Louis provide authentic Senegalese culture without Dakar's chaotic energy. Accommodation $12-20/night.

The cost reality: West Africa is not as cheap as Southeast Asia. Daily budget including accommodation, food, and transport runs $35-50 in Ghana and Senegal. But the exchange rate means local-currency transactions feel cheap — a full plate of jollof rice costs roughly $2-3 at a local chop bar in Accra.

The transport reality: shared taxis (tro-tros in Ghana, sept-places in Senegal) connect cities at very low cost but with variable schedules and road quality. Budget extra time for any surface journey.