Cost of Living Comparison Between Douala and Paros Cost of Living Comparison Between Douala and Paros

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,675 per month in Douala vs $1,787 in Paros, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,658 per month in Douala vs $2,353 in Paros, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,641 per month in Douala vs $2,920 in Paros, rent included.

Douala is about 6% cheaper than Paros, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Douala and Paros sit above the global median – Douala by 25%, Paros by 34%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.86 FCFA 5,082

$13.91 €12.17

-36.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 FCFA 71.0K

$57.6 €50.4

114.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 FCFA 3,048

$11.45 €10.02

-53.62%

Cappuccino

$1.81 FCFA 1,036

$3.85 €3.37

-52.99%

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

$1.72 FCFA 989

$2.05 €1.79

-16.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 FCFA 493

$0.55 €0.48

56.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 FCFA 645

$5.91 €5.17

-81.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 FCFA 1,479

$5.85 €5.12

-55.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.89 FCFA 1,660

$1.77 €1.55

63.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 FCFA 259

$1.50 €1.31

-70.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 FCFA 1,336

$2.74 €2.40

-14.96%

Eggs

$1.93 FCFA 1,109

$5.00 €4.37

-61.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.08 FCFA 13.2K

$16.23 €14.20

42.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 FCFA 4,596

$11.58 €10.13

-30.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.39 FCFA 3,666

$14.43 €12.63

-55.72%

Apples (1kg)

$4.84 FCFA 2,778

$2.25 €1.97

115.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 FCFA 1,188

$2.16 €1.89

-4.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 FCFA 1,202

$1.49 €1.30

40.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 FCFA 785

$1.84 €1.61

-25.54%

Potato (1kg)

$3.27 FCFA 1,876

$1.32 €1.16

147.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 FCFA 1,278

$1.29 €1.13

72.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 FCFA 416

$0.95 €0.83

-23.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 FCFA 356

$0.67 €0.58

-7.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.54 FCFA 2,030

$5.48 €4.79

-35.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.89 FCFA 5,100

$7.45 €6.52

19.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 FCFA 774

$2.06 €1.80

-34.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 FCFA 1,075

$1.76 €1.54

6.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 FCFA 360

$2.28 €2.00

-72.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.69 FCFA 10.1K

$68.8 €60.2

-74.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 FCFA 311

$4.55 €3.98

-88.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 FCFA 441

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 FCFA 4,730

$11.68 €10.22

-29.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 FCFA 784

$2.19 €1.92

-37.44%

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

$30.5K FCFA 17.5M

$22.1K €19.4K

37.63%

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

$15.6K FCFA 9.0M

$26.2K €22.9K

-40.41%

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

$169 FCFA 97.1K

$164 €143

3.35%

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

$26.16 FCFA 15.0K

$23.36 €20.44

11.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$179 FCFA 102.6K

$37.21 €32.56

380.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.95 FCFA 13.7K

$35.19 €30.79

-31.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.51 FCFA 2,012

$26.37 €23.07

-86.69%

Cinema Ticket

$8.68 FCFA 4,979

$9.08 €7.95

-4.41%

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

$542 FCFA 310.7K

$427 €373

26.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,406 FCFA 2.0M

$4,122 €3,606

-17.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.0 FCFA 46.4K

$97.5 €85.3

-16.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.3 FCFA 39.2K

$31.78 €27.80

114.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 FCFA 81.5K

$78.5 €68.7

81.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 FCFA 89.8K

$114 €99.4

37.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$907 FCFA 520.3K

$756 €662

19.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$588 FCFA 337.1K

$700 €612

-16.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 FCFA 1.1M

$1,438 €1,258

32.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 FCFA 639.7K

$620 €543

79.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 FCFA 1.2M

$2,874 €2,514

-29.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$990 FCFA 567.8K

$2,380 €2,082

-58.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$215 FCFA 123.1K

$1,122 €981

-80.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.21

4.44

332.66%

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

Last update for Douala: July 13, 2026

Last update for Paros: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $907 in Douala versus $756 in Paros. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 423% higher in Paros, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $124 in Douala versus $58.0 in Paros. Groceries tell a different story – $284 in Douala vs $300 in Paros – so Douala wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Paros: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Paros is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,513 per month in Douala and $2,680 in Paros. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Douala, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Paros, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $124 in Douala and $58.0 in Paros. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Douala, where all-in costs run around $1,675, than in Paros at $1,787. In Douala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Paros it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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