Cost of Living Comparison Between Guangzhou (Canton) and Yaounde Cost of Living Comparison Between Guangzhou (Canton) and Yaounde

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $850 per month in Guangzhou (Canton) vs $725 in Yaounde, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,416 per month in Guangzhou (Canton) vs $1,195 in Yaounde, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,981 per month in Guangzhou (Canton) vs $1,665 in Yaounde, rent included.

Guangzhou (Canton) costs about 17% more than Yaounde, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Guangzhou (Canton) and Yaounde are more affordable than the global median – Guangzhou (Canton) 37% lower, Yaounde 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.74 ¥18.57

$4.87 FCFA 2,747

-43.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.37 ¥151

$43.99 FCFA 24.8K

-49.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 ¥32.29

$5.80 FCFA 3,273

-17.76%

Cappuccino

$3.17 ¥21.43

$2.59 FCFA 1,463

22.39%

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

$0.50 ¥3.40

$1.48 FCFA 834

-66.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.02

$0.69 FCFA 391

-56.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 ¥6.84

$1.17 FCFA 661

-13.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 ¥11.21

$1.72 FCFA 971

-3.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ¥12.78

$2.83 FCFA 1,600

-33.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 ¥13.77

$0.99 FCFA 558

105.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 ¥8.72

$1.11 FCFA 624

16.22%

Eggs

$1.56 ¥10.57

$1.83 FCFA 1,034

-14.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.15 ¥130

$13.96 FCFA 7,882

37.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.70 ¥31.84

$6.32 FCFA 3,568

-25.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.33 ¥97.0

$5.98 FCFA 3,374

139.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 ¥14.38

$4.63 FCFA 2,615

-54.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 ¥8.49

$2.10 FCFA 1,183

-40.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 ¥13.49

$2.06 FCFA 1,162

-3.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ¥10.03

$1.19 FCFA 672

24.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 ¥6.43

$1.61 FCFA 906

-40.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 ¥7.34

$1.46 FCFA 823

-26.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ¥3.81

$0.57 FCFA 324

-1.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.12

$1.00 FCFA 563

-39.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥26.57

$1.73 FCFA 978

127.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.48 ¥71.0

$8.78 FCFA 4,955

19.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.31

$1.23 FCFA 695

-24.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 ¥9.54

$1.60 FCFA 906

-11.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.97

$0.60 FCFA 337

-26.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.10 ¥170

$17.76 FCFA 10.0K

41.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.62 ¥10.98

$0.65 FCFA 365

149.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.34

$0.38 FCFA 215

-7.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.12 ¥41.39

$5.60 FCFA 3,159

9.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥7.86

$1.35 FCFA 761

-14.07%

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

$21.3K ¥144.0K

$33.1K FCFA 18.7M

-35.79%

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

$19.5K ¥131.7K

$16.2K FCFA 9.1M

20.38%

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

$60.2 ¥408

$79.3 FCFA 44.8K

-24.06%

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

$12.94 ¥87.6

$21.48 FCFA 12.1K

-39.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.49 ¥77.8

$46.79 FCFA 26.4K

-75.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.75 ¥276

$26.01 FCFA 14.7K

56.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.85 ¥93.7

$7.26 FCFA 4,096

90.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.47 ¥43.81

$6.54 FCFA 3,693

-1.07%

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

$319 ¥2,161

$346 FCFA 195.3K

-7.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ¥109.7K

$1,832 FCFA 1.0M

784.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.23 ¥279

$16.69 FCFA 9,420

147.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.59 ¥194

$23.83 FCFA 13.5K

19.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 ¥467

$19.67 FCFA 11.1K

251.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.7 ¥417

$58.2 FCFA 32.9K

5.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$492 ¥3,333

$153 FCFA 86.2K

222.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 ¥1,824

$118 FCFA 66.5K

128.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 ¥7,680

$503 FCFA 283.7K

125.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$618 ¥4,181

$256 FCFA 144.6K

141.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,864 ¥60.0K

$887 FCFA 500.6K

899.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,369 ¥22.8K

$626 FCFA 353.4K

438.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,314 ¥8,894

$189 FCFA 106.8K

594.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

-32.00%

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

Last update for Guangzhou (Canton): June 1, 2026

Last update for Yaounde: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $492 in Guangzhou (Canton) versus $153 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 595% higher in Guangzhou (Canton), 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 $22.00 in Guangzhou (Canton) versus $44.00 in Yaounde. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Guangzhou (Canton) vs $240 in Yaounde – so Yaounde 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

Guangzhou (Canton) vs Yaounde: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $850 in Guangzhou (Canton), $725 in Yaounde – roughly 17% apart. Guangzhou (Canton) costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,275 per month in Guangzhou (Canton) and $1,088 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $850 in Guangzhou (Canton) and $725 in Yaounde. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 41% less in Yaounde. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Yaounde, where all-in costs run around $725, than in Guangzhou (Canton) at $850. In Yaounde it covers expenses comfortably, while in Guangzhou (Canton) 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, Guangzhou (Canton) makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.