Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maroua and Yaounde

For one person, living is cheaper in Maroua: $352 a month against $782 in Yaounde, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Yaounde
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Yaounde Living Index

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Maroua

🇨🇲 Cameroon

$352

/mo nomad

Yaounde

🇨🇲 Cameroon

$782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Maroua and in Yaounde

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Maroua and in Yaounde actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $352 in Maroua versus $782 in Yaounde.

Maroua $352
Yaounde $782

Estimated couple costs with rent: $522 in Maroua versus $1,206 in Yaounde.

Maroua $522
Yaounde $1,206

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $693 in Maroua versus $1,629 in Yaounde.

Maroua $693
Yaounde $1,629

Living in Maroua costs roughly 55% less than in Yaounde, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Maroua 74% lower, Yaounde 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 FCFA 2,040

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.7 FCFA 29.6K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 FCFA 2,896

Cappuccino

$1.87 FCFA 1,089

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

$1.46 FCFA 854

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 FCFA 324

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 FCFA 698

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 FCFA 980

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 FCFA 970

$3.62 FCFA 2,109

-54.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 FCFA 505

$1.03 FCFA 602

-15.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 FCFA 1,723

$1.27 FCFA 743

132.28%

Eggs

$5.80 FCFA 3,380

$2.02 FCFA 1,179

187.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.21 FCFA 3,040

$13.86 FCFA 8,080

-62.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.99 FCFA 2,912

$6.02 FCFA 3,509

-17.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.33 FCFA 1,941

$6.42 FCFA 3,744

-48.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.75 FCFA 1,018

$4.97 FCFA 2,899

-64.79%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 FCFA 482

$1.95 FCFA 1,139

-57.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.88 FCFA 511

$1.99 FCFA 1,159

-55.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 FCFA 967

$1.35 FCFA 786

22.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 FCFA 1,458

$1.63 FCFA 952

53.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 FCFA 1,009

$1.39 FCFA 813

24.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 FCFA 654

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 FCFA 506

$0.65 FCFA 381

33.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.68 FCFA 982

Wine (Bottle)

$11.00 FCFA 6,416

$8.25 FCFA 4,808

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 FCFA 480

$1.32 FCFA 772

-37.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 FCFA 1,016

$1.94 FCFA 1,132

-10.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 FCFA 305

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.19 FCFA 10.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 FCFA 363

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 FCFA 261

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.87 FCFA 3,422

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 FCFA 848

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

$32.6K FCFA 19.0M

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

$21.2K FCFA 12.4M

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

$52.0 FCFA 30.3K

$80.1 FCFA 46.7K

-35.10%

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

$8.74 FCFA 5,095

$17.16 FCFA 10.0K

-49.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.3 FCFA 29.9K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.16 FCFA 10.0K

$23.85 FCFA 13.9K

-28.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.71 FCFA 999

$6.93 FCFA 4,041

-75.32%

Cinema Ticket

$8.32 FCFA 4,849

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

$615 FCFA 358.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,333 FCFA 1.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.75 FCFA 9,767

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.41 FCFA 16.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$25.17 FCFA 14.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.8 FCFA 32.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$142 FCFA 83.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$86.4 FCFA 50.4K

$183 FCFA 106.7K

-52.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 FCFA 238.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$155 FCFA 90.4K

$208 FCFA 121.2K

-25.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$855 FCFA 498.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$589 FCFA 343.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$185 FCFA 107.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Maroua: October 12, 2026

Last update for Yaounde: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Maroua

–

Yaounde

$249 31.8%

Accommodation & Living

Maroua

–

Yaounde

$183 23.4%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Maroua

–

Yaounde

$149 19%

Eating Out

Maroua

–

Yaounde

$83 10.6%

Clothing & Footwear

Maroua

–

Yaounde

$56 7.2%

Sport & Entertainment

Maroua

–

Yaounde

$40 5.2%

Getting Around

Maroua

–

Yaounde

$22 2.8%

Good to know

🇨🇲 Maroua

🇨🇲 Yaounde

🕒 Local time

21:47 9:47 PM

Same time as Maroua

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,119,000

1,817,524 Capital

💱 Currency

Central African CFA Franc XAF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 XAF = 1.71 USD

1,000 XAF = 1.53 EUR

1,000 XAF = 1.71 USD

1,000 XAF = 1.53 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Maroua Yaounde 810 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Maroua
Yaounde

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Maroua vs Yaounde: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maroua is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, leisure, and utilities. The 122% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $528 in Maroua and $1,173 in Yaounde to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Yaounde. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $352 per month in Maroua versus $782 in Yaounde – a 122% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Maroua gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Maroua gentler on the wallet – expenses run 122% less than in Yaounde. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.