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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,640 per month in Douala vs $1,744 in Paros, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,621 per month in Douala vs $2,385 in Paros, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,603 per month in Douala vs $3,027 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 22%, Paros by 30%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.86 FCFA 5,002

$13.78 €11.87

-35.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 FCFA 69.8K

$57.5 €49.49

115.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.42 FCFA 3,060

$11.54 €9.94

-53.03%

Cappuccino

$1.81 FCFA 1,020

$3.84 €3.30

-52.86%

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

$1.67 FCFA 943

$1.99 €1.72

-16.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 FCFA 445

$0.56 €0.49

41.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 FCFA 662

$5.64 €4.86

-79.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 FCFA 1,481

$5.72 €4.93

-54.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.94 FCFA 1,660

$1.72 €1.48

70.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 FCFA 233

$1.44 €1.24

-71.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 FCFA 1,273

$2.66 €2.29

-15.04%

Eggs

$1.93 FCFA 1,088

$5.08 €4.37

-62.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.67 FCFA 12.8K

$16.03 €13.80

41.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.75 FCFA 4,376

$11.56 €9.95

-32.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.40 FCFA 3,611

$14.43 €12.42

-55.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.76 FCFA 2,688

$2.22 €1.91

114.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 FCFA 1,213

$2.19 €1.89

-1.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 FCFA 1,178

$1.43 €1.23

46.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 FCFA 764

$1.87 €1.61

-27.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 FCFA 1,862

$1.28 €1.10

157.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 FCFA 1,279

$1.25 €1.08

81.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 FCFA 442

$0.89 €0.76

-12.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 FCFA 351

$0.72 €0.62

-13.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.50 FCFA 1,976

$5.18 €4.46

-32.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.66 FCFA 4,889

$8.10 €6.97

6.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 FCFA 795

$2.10 €1.81

-32.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 FCFA 1,070

$1.78 €1.53

6.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 FCFA 388

$2.26 €1.95

-69.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.73 FCFA 10.0K

$70.7 €60.9

-74.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 FCFA 289

$4.61 €3.97

-88.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 FCFA 468

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.22 FCFA 4,639

$11.77 €10.14

-30.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 FCFA 781

$2.19 €1.89

-36.99%

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

$31.2K FCFA 17.6M

$21.9K €18.9K

42.54%

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

$16.2K FCFA 9.1M

$26.4K €22.7K

-38.66%

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

$167 FCFA 94.5K

$164 €141

2.12%

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

$26.28 FCFA 14.8K

$23.13 €19.91

13.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$180 FCFA 101.6K

$36.43 €31.36

394.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.78 FCFA 13.4K

$35.39 €30.46

-32.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.57 FCFA 2,013

$25.84 €22.25

-86.18%

Cinema Ticket

$8.67 FCFA 4,892

$9.48 €8.16

-8.54%

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

$530 FCFA 298.9K

$423 €364

25.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,419 FCFA 1.9M

$4,100 €3,530

-16.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.9 FCFA 46.2K

$98.9 €85.1

-17.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.5 FCFA 38.6K

$31.81 €27.38

115.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 FCFA 79.4K

$79.5 €68.4

76.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 FCFA 88.3K

$117 €101

33.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$917 FCFA 517.4K

$779 €670

17.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$586 FCFA 331.0K

$707 €609

-17.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 FCFA 1.1M

$1,441 €1,241

35.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,097 FCFA 619.1K

$607 €522

80.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,043 FCFA 1.2M

$3,053 €2,628

-33.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$983 FCFA 554.7K

$2,505 €2,156

-60.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 FCFA 93.3K

$1,141 €983

-85.51%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Paros: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $917 in Douala versus $779 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 590% 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 $57.0 in Paros. Groceries tell a different story – $281 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 6%, 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 $2,460 per month in Douala and $2,616 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 7% 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 $57.0 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 $1,640, than in Paros at $1,744. 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.