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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,675 per month in Douala vs $736 in Yaounde, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,658 per month in Douala vs $1,190 in Yaounde, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,641 per month in Douala vs $1,644 in Yaounde, rent included.

Douala costs about 128% more than Yaounde, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Douala sits 25% above the global median, while Yaounde is 45% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.86 FCFA 5,087

$4.89 FCFA 2,806

81.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 FCFA 71.1K

$44.62 FCFA 25.6K

177.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 FCFA 3,051

$5.65 FCFA 3,246

-6.02%

Cappuccino

$1.81 FCFA 1,037

$2.73 FCFA 1,566

-33.70%

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

$1.72 FCFA 990

$1.43 FCFA 819

20.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 FCFA 494

$0.66 FCFA 379

30.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 FCFA 645

$1.16 FCFA 664

-3.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 FCFA 1,481

$1.75 FCFA 1,005

47.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.89 FCFA 1,662

$2.86 FCFA 1,641

1.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 FCFA 259

$1.02 FCFA 583

-55.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 FCFA 1,337

$1.11 FCFA 635

109.91%

Eggs

$1.93 FCFA 1,110

$1.79 FCFA 1,028

7.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.08 FCFA 13.3K

$14.15 FCFA 8,123

63.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 FCFA 4,600

$6.11 FCFA 3,510

31.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.39 FCFA 3,670

$5.89 FCFA 3,382

8.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.84 FCFA 2,781

$4.62 FCFA 2,651

4.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 FCFA 1,190

$2.08 FCFA 1,192

-0.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 FCFA 1,203

$2.06 FCFA 1,183

1.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 FCFA 786

$1.24 FCFA 711

10.48%

Potato (1kg)

$3.27 FCFA 1,878

$1.67 FCFA 958

95.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 FCFA 1,279

$1.45 FCFA 832

53.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 FCFA 417

$0.57 FCFA 328

28.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 FCFA 356

$1.01 FCFA 578

-38.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.54 FCFA 2,033

$1.72 FCFA 987

105.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.89 FCFA 5,105

$8.63 FCFA 4,954

3.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 FCFA 775

$1.28 FCFA 734

5.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 FCFA 1,076

$1.55 FCFA 891

20.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 FCFA 361

$0.61 FCFA 349

3.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.69 FCFA 10.2K

$17.38 FCFA 9,981

1.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 FCFA 311

$0.60 FCFA 346

-10.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 FCFA 441

$0.42 FCFA 240

83.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 FCFA 4,735

$5.78 FCFA 3,319

42.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 FCFA 785

$1.34 FCFA 772

2.24%

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

$30.5K FCFA 17.5M

$33.6K FCFA 19.3M

-9.40%

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

$15.6K FCFA 9.0M

0.09%

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

$169 FCFA 97.2K

$78.6 FCFA 45.1K

115.37%

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

$26.16 FCFA 15.0K

$21.11 FCFA 12.1K

23.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$179 FCFA 102.7K

$47.48 FCFA 27.3K

276.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.95 FCFA 13.8K

$26.58 FCFA 15.3K

-9.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.51 FCFA 2,014

$7.21 FCFA 4,140

-51.32%

Cinema Ticket

$8.68 FCFA 4,985

$6.66 FCFA 3,826

30.33%

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

$542 FCFA 311.0K

$335 FCFA 192.4K

61.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,406 FCFA 2.0M

$1,827 FCFA 1.0M

86.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.0 FCFA 46.5K

$16.31 FCFA 9,364

396.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.3 FCFA 39.2K

$24.04 FCFA 13.8K

184.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 FCFA 81.6K

$19.51 FCFA 11.2K

628.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 FCFA 89.9K

$58.0 FCFA 33.3K

169.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$907 FCFA 520.8K

$149 FCFA 85.4K

509.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$588 FCFA 337.5K

$121 FCFA 69.4K

386.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 FCFA 1.1M

$498 FCFA 285.7K

283.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 FCFA 640.4K

$252 FCFA 144.5K

343.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 FCFA 1.2M

$866 FCFA 497.3K

133.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$990 FCFA 568.4K

$614 FCFA 352.5K

61.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$215 FCFA 123.2K

$184 FCFA 105.9K

16.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.21

220.17%

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

Last update for Douala: July 13, 2026

Last update for Yaounde: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $907 in Douala versus $149 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 16% 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 $45.00 in Yaounde. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $284 vs $240 – 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 128%, 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 $2,513 per month in Douala and $1,104 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 18% 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 $45.00 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 $736, than in Douala at $1,675. 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.