Cost of Living Comparison Between Buea and Yaounde Cost of Living Comparison Between Buea and Yaounde

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $777 in Buea versus $829 in Yaounde.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Buea versus $1,260 in Yaounde.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,041 in Buea versus $1,690 in Yaounde.

Living in Buea costs roughly 6% less than in Yaounde, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Buea 43% lower, Yaounde 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.78 FCFA 1,005

$3.61 FCFA 2,033

-50.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 FCFA 69.4K

$53.7 FCFA 30.3K

129.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.11 FCFA 3,444

$5.25 FCFA 2,959

16.38%

Cappuccino

$2.14 FCFA 1,207

$2.04 FCFA 1,150

4.90%

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

$1.30 FCFA 733

$1.53 FCFA 860

-15.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 FCFA 272

$0.54 FCFA 304

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.07 FCFA 604

$1.24 FCFA 701

-13.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 FCFA 883

$1.76 FCFA 990

-10.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.97 FCFA 1,673

$3.80 FCFA 2,142

-21.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.39 FCFA 218

$1.11 FCFA 628

-64.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 FCFA 934

$1.32 FCFA 746

25.76%

Eggs

$1.99 FCFA 1,122

$2.16 FCFA 1,216

-7.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.80 FCFA 12.8K

$14.28 FCFA 8,049

59.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.02 FCFA 4,519

$6.03 FCFA 3,401

33.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.37 FCFA 2,464

$6.77 FCFA 3,818

-35.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.59 FCFA 2,025

$5.26 FCFA 2,964

-31.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 FCFA 781

$2.11 FCFA 1,189

-34.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.87 FCFA 488

$2.17 FCFA 1,225

-59.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 FCFA 807

$1.47 FCFA 828

-2.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 FCFA 980

$1.69 FCFA 953

2.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 FCFA 812

$1.44 FCFA 810

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 FCFA 447

$1.12 FCFA 633

-29.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 FCFA 387

$0.68 FCFA 385

1.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.61 FCFA 1,472

$1.73 FCFA 976

50.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.94 FCFA 5,039

$8.96 FCFA 5,051

-0.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 FCFA 686

$1.42 FCFA 801

-14.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 FCFA 968

$2.04 FCFA 1,152

-15.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 FCFA 340

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.94 FCFA 10.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.28 FCFA 159

$0.64 FCFA 359

-56.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 FCFA 305

$0.43 FCFA 242

25.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.23 FCFA 2,950

$6.23 FCFA 3,514

-16.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 FCFA 700

$1.48 FCFA 832

-16.22%

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

$19.4K FCFA 11.0M

$33.6K FCFA 18.9M

-42.12%

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

$15.7K FCFA 8.9M

$22.3K FCFA 12.6M

-29.37%

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

$61.6 FCFA 34.7K

$82.1 FCFA 46.3K

-25.06%

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

$17.75 FCFA 10.0K

$18.00 FCFA 10.1K

-1.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$176 FCFA 99.0K

$52.9 FCFA 29.8K

231.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.36 FCFA 14.9K

$24.24 FCFA 13.7K

8.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.40 FCFA 2,479

$7.33 FCFA 4,129

-39.97%

Cinema Ticket

$8.98 FCFA 5,062

$8.66 FCFA 4,879

3.70%

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

$540 FCFA 304.1K

$642 FCFA 361.9K

-15.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,502 FCFA 2.0M

$2,469 FCFA 1.4M

41.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.55 FCFA 20.0K

$17.46 FCFA 9,841

103.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.4 FCFA 39.1K

$28.15 FCFA 15.9K

146.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 FCFA 80.3K

$26.92 FCFA 15.2K

429.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.3 FCFA 39.6K

$57.6 FCFA 32.5K

22.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$147 FCFA 82.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 FCFA 107.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 FCFA 231.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 FCFA 122.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$888 FCFA 500.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$621 FCFA 349.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$135 FCFA 76.1K

$192 FCFA 108.4K

-29.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.04

46.46%

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

Last update for Buea: August 31, 2026

Last update for Yaounde: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Yaounde pays 42% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $123 in Buea vs $54.0 in Yaounde. Groceries flip the comparison at $254 vs $261, with Buea cheaper for home cooking.

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 Yaounde: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buea and Yaounde differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($777 vs $829 including rent). Buea is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 42% lower in Yaounde. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $540 in Buea versus $642 in Yaounde. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Buea – a meal for two runs $123 versus $54.0 in Yaounde. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Buea gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Buea gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Yaounde. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.