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 $859 per month in Guangzhou (Canton) vs $736 in Yaounde, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,406 per month in Guangzhou (Canton) vs $1,190 in Yaounde, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,952 per month in Guangzhou (Canton) vs $1,644 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) 36% lower, Yaounde 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.82 ¥19.11

$4.89 FCFA 2,803

-42.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.90 ¥148

$44.62 FCFA 25.6K

-50.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 ¥32.27

$5.65 FCFA 3,243

-15.58%

Cappuccino

$3.11 ¥21.03

$2.73 FCFA 1,564

13.92%

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

$0.50 ¥3.40

$1.43 FCFA 818

-65.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.01

$0.66 FCFA 379

-54.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 ¥6.84

$1.16 FCFA 663

-12.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ¥11.04

$1.75 FCFA 1,004

-6.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ¥12.78

$2.86 FCFA 1,640

-33.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.00 ¥13.51

$1.02 FCFA 583

96.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 ¥8.73

$1.11 FCFA 634

16.22%

Eggs

$1.57 ¥10.60

$1.79 FCFA 1,027

-12.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.92 ¥128

$14.15 FCFA 8,115

33.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 ¥30.97

$6.11 FCFA 3,506

-25.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.34 ¥97.1

$5.89 FCFA 3,379

143.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 ¥14.25

$4.62 FCFA 2,648

-54.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 ¥8.43

$2.08 FCFA 1,191

-39.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥13.42

$2.06 FCFA 1,182

-3.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.61

$1.24 FCFA 711

14.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 ¥6.34

$1.67 FCFA 957

-43.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.15

$1.45 FCFA 832

-26.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 ¥3.74

$0.57 FCFA 327

-3.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥4.41

$1.01 FCFA 577

-35.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.77 ¥25.48

$1.72 FCFA 986

119.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.08 ¥81.8

$8.63 FCFA 4,949

39.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥6.25

$1.28 FCFA 733

-28.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 ¥9.52

$1.55 FCFA 890

-9.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.94

$0.61 FCFA 349

-27.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.85 ¥168

$17.38 FCFA 9,970

42.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 ¥11.56

$0.60 FCFA 346

185.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.36

$0.42 FCFA 240

-16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.09 ¥41.19

$5.78 FCFA 3,315

5.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥8.02

$1.34 FCFA 771

-11.94%

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

$21.1K ¥142.8K

$33.6K FCFA 19.3M

-37.25%

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

$19.5K ¥132.0K

$15.6K FCFA 9.0M

24.91%

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

$60.0 ¥406

$78.6 FCFA 45.1K

-23.58%

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

$13.13 ¥88.8

$21.11 FCFA 12.1K

-37.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.76 ¥79.6

$47.48 FCFA 27.2K

-75.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.79 ¥283

$26.58 FCFA 15.2K

57.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.83 ¥93.6

$7.21 FCFA 4,136

91.82%

Cinema Ticket

$6.34 ¥42.92

$6.66 FCFA 3,822

-4.80%

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

$313 ¥2,117

$335 FCFA 192.2K

-6.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ¥106.9K

$1,827 FCFA 1.0M

764.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.68 ¥275

$16.31 FCFA 9,354

149.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.49 ¥193

$24.04 FCFA 13.8K

18.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 ¥471

$19.51 FCFA 11.2K

257.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.2 ¥408

$58.0 FCFA 33.3K

3.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$495 ¥3,352

$149 FCFA 85.3K

232.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 ¥1,855

$121 FCFA 69.3K

126.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,143 ¥7,735

$498 FCFA 285.4K

129.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 ¥4,193

$252 FCFA 144.4K

146.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,867 ¥60.0K

$866 FCFA 496.8K

923.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,363 ¥22.8K

$614 FCFA 352.2K

447.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,278 ¥8,652

$184 FCFA 105.8K

593.14%

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): July 12, 2026

Last update for Yaounde: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $495 in Guangzhou (Canton) 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 593% 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 $45.00 in Yaounde. Groceries tell a different story – $253 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: $859 in Guangzhou (Canton), $736 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 $1,288 per month in Guangzhou (Canton) 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $859 in Guangzhou (Canton) and $736 in Yaounde. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 43% 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 $736, than in Guangzhou (Canton) at $859. 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.