Cost of Living Comparison Between Douala and Bafoussam Cost of Living Comparison Between Douala and Bafoussam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,380 in Douala versus $987 in Bafoussam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,235 in Douala versus $1,675 in Bafoussam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,089 in Douala versus $2,363 in Bafoussam.

Living in Douala is roughly 40% more expensive than in Bafoussam, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Douala is 1% above, Bafoussam is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.45 FCFA 2,495

$4.50 FCFA 2,525

-1.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 FCFA 68.6K

$122 FCFA 68.2K

0.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.01 FCFA 3,929

$7.13 FCFA 3,999

-1.68%

Cappuccino

$2.13 FCFA 1,194

$2.23 FCFA 1,249

-4.48%

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

$1.65 FCFA 923

$1.71 FCFA 959

-3.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 FCFA 488

$0.86 FCFA 483

1.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 FCFA 684

$1.25 FCFA 703

-2.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 FCFA 1,459

$2.59 FCFA 1,453

0.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.92 FCFA 1,639

$2.79 FCFA 1,562

4.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 FCFA 250

$0.42 FCFA 233

7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 FCFA 1,263

$2.23 FCFA 1,250

0.90%

Eggs

$1.91 FCFA 1,072

$1.98 FCFA 1,112

-3.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.74 FCFA 12.8K

$23.15 FCFA 13.0K

-1.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.87 FCFA 4,412

$7.74 FCFA 4,341

1.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.65 FCFA 3,728

$6.40 FCFA 3,590

3.91%

Apples (1kg)

$4.70 FCFA 2,633

$4.92 FCFA 2,759

-4.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 FCFA 1,158

$2.07 FCFA 1,161

-0.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 FCFA 1,221

$2.06 FCFA 1,158

5.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 FCFA 776

$1.37 FCFA 767

0.73%

Potato (1kg)

$3.46 FCFA 1,939

$3.32 FCFA 1,862

4.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 FCFA 1,265

$2.17 FCFA 1,216

4.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 FCFA 417

$0.79 FCFA 445

-6.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 FCFA 386

$0.64 FCFA 357

7.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.61 FCFA 2,022

$3.56 FCFA 1,998

1.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 FCFA 5,058

$9.09 FCFA 5,099

-0.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 FCFA 844

$1.46 FCFA 821

2.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 FCFA 1,007

$1.87 FCFA 1,046

-3.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 FCFA 384

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.55 FCFA 9,840

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 FCFA 361

$0.63 FCFA 355

1.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 FCFA 472

$0.86 FCFA 481

-2.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 FCFA 4,832

$8.44 FCFA 4,734

2.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 FCFA 842

$1.49 FCFA 838

0.67%

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

$31.1K FCFA 17.5M

$31.3K FCFA 17.6M

-0.57%

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

$16.1K FCFA 9.0M

$15.9K FCFA 8.9M

1.73%

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

$168 FCFA 94.4K

$167 FCFA 93.7K

0.75%

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

$26.63 FCFA 14.9K

$26.00 FCFA 14.6K

2.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$184 FCFA 103.1K

$181 FCFA 101.4K

1.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.49 FCFA 23.8K

Cinema Ticket

$8.66 FCFA 4,857

$8.67 FCFA 4,862

-0.12%

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

$529 FCFA 296.5K

$536 FCFA 300.8K

-1.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,494 FCFA 2.0M

$3,523 FCFA 2.0M

-0.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.5 FCFA 46.8K

$82.5 FCFA 46.2K

1.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.5 FCFA 38.4K

$70.0 FCFA 39.2K

-2.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$145 FCFA 81.5K

$144 FCFA 80.9K

0.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 FCFA 86.3K

$153 FCFA 86.1K

0.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 FCFA 288.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 FCFA 177.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,679 FCFA 941.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 FCFA 360.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,100 FCFA 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,007 FCFA 564.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$215 FCFA 120.7K

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 Douala: August 18, 2026

Last update for Bafoussam: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $122 in Douala vs $122 in Bafoussam. Groceries flip the comparison at $285 vs $283, with Bafoussam 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

Douala vs Bafoussam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bafoussam wins on cost – living expenses run 40% lower than in Douala. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bafoussam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,070 in Douala and $1,480 in Bafoussam to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $529 in Douala versus $536 in Bafoussam. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bafoussam – a meal for two runs $122 versus $122 in Douala. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $987 in Bafoussam versus $1,380 in Douala, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bafoussam but tight or insufficient in Douala. The gap between the two cities makes Bafoussam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Douala and Bafoussam are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bafoussam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Douala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.