Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Buea and Bamenda

For one person, living is cheaper in Bamenda: $670 a month against $739 in Buea, rent and utilities included – about $830 less a year. The total is higher in Buea despite lower rent and utilities.

36

Cost of Living Index in Buea
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Buea Living Index
32

Cost of Living Index in Bamenda
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Bamenda Living Index

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Buea

🇨🇲 Cameroon

$739

/mo nomad

Bamenda

🇨🇲 Cameroon

$670

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Buea and in Bamenda

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Buea and in Bamenda actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $739 per month in Buea vs $670 in Bamenda, rent included.

Buea $739
Bamenda $670

A couple spends around $1,340 per month in Buea vs $897 in Bamenda, rent included.

Buea $1,340
Bamenda $897

A family of three spends $1,941 per month in Buea vs $1,123 in Bamenda, rent included.

Buea $1,941
Bamenda $1,123

Buea costs about 10% more than Bamenda, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Buea and Bamenda are more affordable than the global median – Buea 46% lower, Bamenda 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.69 FCFA 991

$5.05 FCFA 2,964

-66.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$117 FCFA 68.8K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.06 FCFA 3,561

$6.52 FCFA 3,830

-7.06%

Cappuccino

$2.04 FCFA 1,199

$1.17 FCFA 685

74.36%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 FCFA 736

$1.74 FCFA 1,022

-28.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 FCFA 270

$0.63 FCFA 371

-26.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 FCFA 582

$1.56 FCFA 916

-36.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 FCFA 878

$1.66 FCFA 977

-9.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.78 FCFA 1,635

$2.78 FCFA 1,631

White Bread (500g)

$0.40 FCFA 233

$0.82 FCFA 485

-51.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 FCFA 901

$1.94 FCFA 1,143

-21.13%

Eggs

$1.87 FCFA 1,098

$2.96 FCFA 1,741

-36.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.74 FCFA 12.8K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.58 FCFA 4,450

$3.74 FCFA 2,196

102.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.36 FCFA 2,562

$4.75 FCFA 2,791

-8.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 FCFA 2,015

$2.59 FCFA 1,523

32.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 FCFA 808

$0.82 FCFA 484

68.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.88 FCFA 516

$1.17 FCFA 687

-24.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 FCFA 772

$1.29 FCFA 758

1.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 FCFA 1,013

$2.98 FCFA 1,749

-42.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 FCFA 816

$1.51 FCFA 890

-7.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 FCFA 427

$0.78 FCFA 457

-6.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 FCFA 361

$0.77 FCFA 452

-20.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.64 FCFA 1,549

$1.73 FCFA 1,018

52.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.70 FCFA 5,108

$9.62 FCFA 5,652

-9.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 FCFA 679

$1.40 FCFA 820

-17.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 FCFA 1,018

$1.65 FCFA 971

4.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 FCFA 767

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.99 FCFA 5,281

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.27 FCFA 159

$0.61 FCFA 360

-55.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 FCFA 310

$0.62 FCFA 363

-14.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.99 FCFA 2,932

$5.52 FCFA 3,244

-9.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 FCFA 702

$1.44 FCFA 843

-16.67%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$18.7K FCFA 11.0M

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$15.6K FCFA 9.1M

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$59.1 FCFA 34.7K

$171 FCFA 100.7K

-65.50%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$16.88 FCFA 9,918

$30.03 FCFA 17.6K

-43.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$167 FCFA 98.2K

$42.80 FCFA 25.1K

290.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.69 FCFA 15.1K

$17.19 FCFA 10.1K

49.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.25 FCFA 2,494

Cinema Ticket

$8.54 FCFA 5,015

$8.48 FCFA 4,982

0.71%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$506 FCFA 297.3K

$169 FCFA 99.5K

198.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,349 FCFA 2.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.09 FCFA 20.0K

$25.42 FCFA 14.9K

34.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.7 FCFA 38.6K

$42.49 FCFA 25.0K

54.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 FCFA 80.3K

$46.74 FCFA 27.5K

192.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.9 FCFA 39.9K

$51.2 FCFA 30.1K

32.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$68.7 FCFA 40.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$33.55 FCFA 19.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$130 FCFA 76.5K

$97.3 FCFA 57.2K

33.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.04

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Buea: October 24, 2026

Last update for Bamenda: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Buea

$243 32.9%

Bamenda

$244 36.4% 0.4% $1

Groceries & Markets

Buea

$242 32.8%

Bamenda

$171 * 25.6% 29.1% $70

Clothing & Footwear

Buea

$137 18.5%

Bamenda

$75 11.1% 45.5% $62

Eating Out

Buea

$71 9.6%

Bamenda

$95 14.1% 33.2% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Buea

$43 5.8%

Bamenda

$34 5.1% 20.1% $8.6

Getting Around

Buea

$2.9 * 0.4%

Bamenda

$18 2.7% 516% $15

Accommodation & Living

Buea

- * 0%

Bamenda

$34 5%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 34% higher in Buea. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇨🇲 Buea

🇨🇲 Bamenda

🕒 Local time

09:59 9:59 AM

Same time as Buea

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,325,000

1,735,000

💱 Currency

Central African CFA Franc XAF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 XAF = 1.7 USD

1,000 XAF = 1.53 EUR

1,000 XAF = 1.7 USD

1,000 XAF = 1.53 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Buea Bamenda 230 km

From you

Buea
Bamenda

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Buea vs Bamenda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $739 in Buea, $670 in Bamenda – Bamenda comes out roughly 9% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,108 per month in Buea and $1,006 in Bamenda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $506 per month in Buea and $169 in Bamenda. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $739 in Buea and $670 in Bamenda. That makes Bamenda about 9% cheaper.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $739 in Buea and $670 in Bamenda, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Buea has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $670 in Bamenda to $739 in Buea. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Bamenda. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Buea makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.