Cost of Living Comparison Between Douala and Yaounde Cost of Living Comparison Between Douala and Yaounde

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,378 per month in Douala vs $829 in Yaounde, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,258 per month in Douala vs $1,260 in Yaounde, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,138 per month in Douala vs $1,690 in Yaounde, rent included.

Douala costs about 66% more than Yaounde, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Douala sits 0% above the global median, while Yaounde is 40% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.32 FCFA 2,438

$3.61 FCFA 2,033

19.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 FCFA 70.0K

$53.7 FCFA 30.3K

130.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.14 FCFA 4,023

$5.25 FCFA 2,959

36.00%

Cappuccino

$2.15 FCFA 1,212

$2.04 FCFA 1,150

5.39%

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

$1.66 FCFA 934

$1.53 FCFA 860

8.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 FCFA 483

$0.54 FCFA 304

59.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.26 FCFA 710

$1.24 FCFA 701

1.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 FCFA 1,537

$1.76 FCFA 990

55.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.02 FCFA 1,699

$3.80 FCFA 2,142

-20.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 FCFA 250

$1.11 FCFA 628

-60.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 FCFA 1,285

$1.32 FCFA 746

72.73%

Eggs

$1.92 FCFA 1,084

$2.16 FCFA 1,216

-11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.46 FCFA 13.2K

$14.28 FCFA 8,049

64.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.05 FCFA 4,534

$6.03 FCFA 3,401

33.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.32 FCFA 3,560

$6.77 FCFA 3,818

-6.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.92 FCFA 2,771

$5.26 FCFA 2,964

-6.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 FCFA 1,234

$2.11 FCFA 1,189

3.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 FCFA 1,221

$2.17 FCFA 1,225

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 FCFA 775

$1.47 FCFA 828

-6.80%

Potato (1kg)

$3.40 FCFA 1,918

$1.69 FCFA 953

101.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 FCFA 1,214

$1.44 FCFA 810

49.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 FCFA 453

$1.12 FCFA 633

-28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 FCFA 390

$0.68 FCFA 385

1.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.59 FCFA 1,457

$1.73 FCFA 976

49.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.80 FCFA 4,959

$8.96 FCFA 5,051

-1.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 FCFA 840

$1.42 FCFA 801

4.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 FCFA 1,001

$2.04 FCFA 1,152

-12.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 FCFA 385

$0.60 FCFA 340

13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.92 FCFA 10.1K

$17.94 FCFA 10.1K

-0.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.59 FCFA 334

$0.64 FCFA 359

-7.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 FCFA 518

$0.43 FCFA 242

113.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.64 FCFA 4,872

$6.23 FCFA 3,514

38.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 FCFA 825

$1.48 FCFA 832

-1.35%

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

$30.7K FCFA 17.3M

$33.6K FCFA 18.9M

-8.50%

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

$16.0K FCFA 9.0M

$22.3K FCFA 12.6M

-27.98%

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

$171 FCFA 96.4K

$82.1 FCFA 46.3K

108.26%

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

$26.15 FCFA 14.7K

$18.00 FCFA 10.1K

45.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$186 FCFA 104.9K

$52.9 FCFA 29.8K

251.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 FCFA 23.3K

$24.24 FCFA 13.7K

70.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.33 FCFA 4,129

Cinema Ticket

$8.64 FCFA 4,871

$8.66 FCFA 4,879

-0.23%

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

$536 FCFA 302.3K

$642 FCFA 361.9K

-16.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,540 FCFA 2.0M

$2,469 FCFA 1.4M

43.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.8 FCFA 47.2K

$17.46 FCFA 9,841

379.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.5 FCFA 38.6K

$28.15 FCFA 15.9K

143.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 FCFA 79.7K

$26.92 FCFA 15.2K

425.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 FCFA 86.9K

$57.6 FCFA 32.5K

167.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 FCFA 328.8K

$147 FCFA 82.6K

297.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 FCFA 184.9K

$191 FCFA 107.6K

71.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 FCFA 770.3K

$411 FCFA 231.5K

232.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$568 FCFA 320.1K

$217 FCFA 122.3K

161.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,067 FCFA 1.2M

$888 FCFA 500.8K

132.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,001 FCFA 564.4K

$621 FCFA 349.9K

61.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$230 FCFA 129.6K

$192 FCFA 108.4K

19.61%

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 Douala: August 31, 2026

Last update for Yaounde: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $583 in Douala versus $147 in Yaounde. 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 20% higher in Douala, 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 $54.0 in Yaounde. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $261 – making Yaounde the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Yaounde: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Douala is pricier by about 66%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,068 per month in Douala and $1,243 in Yaounde. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 11% more in Douala, 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 $54.0 in Yaounde. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Yaounde, where all-in costs run around $829, than in Douala at $1,378. In Yaounde it covers expenses comfortably, while in Douala it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yaounde – 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 Yaounde. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Douala makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.