Cost of Living Comparison Between Buea and Bamenda Cost of Living Comparison Between Buea and Bamenda

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $771 per month in Buea vs $696 in Bamenda, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,415 per month in Buea vs $934 in Bamenda, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,058 per month in Buea vs $1,171 in Bamenda, rent included.

Buea costs about 11% more than Bamenda, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Buea and Bamenda are more affordable than the global median – Buea 44% lower, Bamenda 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.78 FCFA 1,016

$5.38 FCFA 3,077

-66.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 FCFA 71.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.17 FCFA 3,527

$6.47 FCFA 3,694

-4.64%

Cappuccino

$2.20 FCFA 1,257

$1.15 FCFA 658

91.30%

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

$1.34 FCFA 766

$1.72 FCFA 983

-22.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 FCFA 299

$0.66 FCFA 378

-21.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 FCFA 617

$1.61 FCFA 917

-32.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 FCFA 917

$1.73 FCFA 988

-6.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.89 FCFA 1,652

$2.97 FCFA 1,699

-2.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 FCFA 236

$0.84 FCFA 481

-51.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 FCFA 947

$2.09 FCFA 1,193

-20.57%

Eggs

$2.01 FCFA 1,150

$2.98 FCFA 1,706

-32.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.31 FCFA 13.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.88 FCFA 4,506

$3.73 FCFA 2,131

111.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.45 FCFA 2,544

$4.91 FCFA 2,804

-9.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 FCFA 2,022

$2.58 FCFA 1,473

37.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 FCFA 827

$0.91 FCFA 521

59.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 FCFA 519

$1.20 FCFA 686

-24.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 FCFA 775

$1.38 FCFA 786

-1.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 FCFA 1,027

$3.09 FCFA 1,764

-41.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 FCFA 782

$1.55 FCFA 885

-11.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 FCFA 428

$0.83 FCFA 476

-9.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 FCFA 387

$0.73 FCFA 419

-6.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.61 FCFA 1,492

$1.80 FCFA 1,029

45.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.68 FCFA 4,957

$10.08 FCFA 5,762

-13.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 FCFA 723

$1.45 FCFA 826

-13.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 FCFA 1,016

$1.79 FCFA 1,020

-0.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.34 FCFA 766

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.33 FCFA 5,334

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.25 FCFA 143

$0.60 FCFA 341

-58.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 FCFA 309

$0.61 FCFA 346

-11.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 FCFA 3,046

$5.63 FCFA 3,220

-5.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 FCFA 686

$1.45 FCFA 827

-17.24%

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

$19.5K FCFA 11.2M

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

$15.8K FCFA 9.0M

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

$62.7 FCFA 35.8K

$178 FCFA 101.6K

-64.72%

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

$17.55 FCFA 10.0K

$30.39 FCFA 17.4K

-42.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$175 FCFA 99.8K

$37.88 FCFA 21.6K

361.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.49 FCFA 15.1K

$17.96 FCFA 10.3K

47.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.37 FCFA 2,498

Cinema Ticket

$8.58 FCFA 4,905

$8.96 FCFA 5,118

-4.24%

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

$530 FCFA 302.9K

$179 FCFA 102.1K

196.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,440 FCFA 2.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.15 FCFA 20.1K

$26.27 FCFA 15.0K

33.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.9 FCFA 39.9K

$43.46 FCFA 24.8K

60.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$143 FCFA 81.8K

$47.75 FCFA 27.3K

199.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 FCFA 40.6K

$53.7 FCFA 30.7K

32.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$69.6 FCFA 39.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$35.89 FCFA 20.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$130 FCFA 74.0K

$97.5 FCFA 55.7K

32.92%

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: September 13, 2026

Last update for Bamenda: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 33% higher in Buea, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

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: $771 in Buea, $696 in Bamenda – roughly 11% apart. Buea costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,157 per month in Buea and $1,044 in Bamenda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $530 per month in Buea and $179 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 $771 in Buea and $696 in Bamenda. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $771 in Buea and $696 in Bamenda, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Bamenda – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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