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 $930 per month in Guangzhou (Canton) vs $829 in Yaounde, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,444 per month in Guangzhou (Canton) vs $1,260 in Yaounde, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,957 per month in Guangzhou (Canton) vs $1,690 in Yaounde, rent included.

Guangzhou (Canton) costs about 12% more than Yaounde, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Guangzhou (Canton) and Yaounde are more affordable than the global median – Guangzhou (Canton) 32% lower, Yaounde 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.90 ¥19.45

$3.61 FCFA 2,033

-19.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.46 ¥198

$53.7 FCFA 30.3K

-45.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.32 ¥35.67

$5.25 FCFA 2,959

1.33%

Cappuccino

$3.20 ¥21.45

$2.04 FCFA 1,150

56.86%

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

$0.54 ¥3.65

$1.53 FCFA 860

-64.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ¥2.17

$0.54 FCFA 304

-40.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 ¥9.82

$1.24 FCFA 701

17.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 ¥18.23

$1.76 FCFA 990

54.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ¥12.83

$3.80 FCFA 2,142

-49.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 ¥13.88

$1.11 FCFA 628

86.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.02

$1.32 FCFA 746

-20.45%

Eggs

$1.50 ¥10.06

$2.16 FCFA 1,216

-30.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.59 ¥111

$14.28 FCFA 8,049

16.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 ¥33.43

$6.03 FCFA 3,401

-17.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.45 ¥83.6

$6.77 FCFA 3,818

83.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 ¥14.62

$5.26 FCFA 2,964

-58.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ¥8.14

$2.11 FCFA 1,189

-42.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 ¥9.93

$2.17 FCFA 1,225

-31.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.62

$1.47 FCFA 828

17.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 ¥6.76

$1.69 FCFA 953

-40.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.06

$1.44 FCFA 810

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 ¥5.50

$1.12 FCFA 633

-26.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ¥4.43

$0.68 FCFA 385

-2.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.77 ¥25.31

$1.73 FCFA 976

117.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.15 ¥81.6

$8.96 FCFA 5,051

35.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ¥7.13

$1.42 FCFA 801

-25.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ¥13.50

$2.04 FCFA 1,152

-1.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.94

$0.60 FCFA 340

-26.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.78 ¥139

$17.94 FCFA 10.1K

15.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 ¥11.82

$0.64 FCFA 359

175.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.55

$0.43 FCFA 242

-11.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.05 ¥47.28

$6.23 FCFA 3,514

13.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ¥8.62

$1.48 FCFA 832

-13.51%

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

$19.0K ¥127.4K

$33.6K FCFA 18.9M

-43.51%

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

$19.7K ¥132.3K

$22.3K FCFA 12.6M

-11.55%

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

$58.5 ¥392

$82.1 FCFA 46.3K

-28.77%

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

$15.36 ¥103

$18.00 FCFA 10.1K

-14.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.91 ¥93.3

$52.9 FCFA 29.8K

-73.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.5 ¥446

$24.24 FCFA 13.7K

174.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.32 ¥82.7

$7.33 FCFA 4,129

68.08%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ¥43.57

$8.66 FCFA 4,879

-25.06%

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

$1,633 ¥11.0K

$642 FCFA 361.9K

154.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ¥173.1K

$2,469 FCFA 1.4M

944.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 ¥342

$17.46 FCFA 9,841

192.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.28 ¥264

$28.15 FCFA 15.9K

39.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 ¥550

$26.92 FCFA 15.2K

204.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 ¥514

$57.6 FCFA 32.5K

32.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$528 ¥3,545

$147 FCFA 82.6K

260.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 ¥1,897

$191 FCFA 107.6K

48.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,369 ¥9,189

$411 FCFA 231.5K

233.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 ¥3,200

$217 FCFA 122.3K

119.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,746 ¥58.7K

$888 FCFA 500.8K

884.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,319 ¥22.3K

$621 FCFA 349.9K

434.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,261 ¥8,463

$192 FCFA 108.4K

555.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.45

-73.46%

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

Last update for Guangzhou (Canton): August 29, 2026

Last update for Yaounde: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $528 in Guangzhou (Canton) 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 556% 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 $29.00 in Guangzhou (Canton) versus $54.0 in Yaounde. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $245 vs $261 – making Guangzhou (Canton) 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $930 in Guangzhou (Canton), $829 in Yaounde – roughly 12% apart. Guangzhou (Canton) costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,395 per month in Guangzhou (Canton) 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $930 in Guangzhou (Canton) and $829 in Yaounde. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 16% 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 $829, than in Guangzhou (Canton) at $930. 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.