Cost of Living Comparison Between Penrith and Yaounde Cost of Living Comparison Between Penrith and Yaounde

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,136 per month in Penrith vs $725 in Yaounde, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,163 per month in Penrith vs $1,195 in Yaounde, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,190 per month in Penrith vs $1,665 in Yaounde, rent included.

Penrith costs about 195% more than Yaounde, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Penrith sits 59% above the global median, while Yaounde is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.17 A$15.66

$4.87 FCFA 2,747

129.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.5 A$124

$43.99 FCFA 24.8K

101.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.75 A$13.67

$5.80 FCFA 3,272

68.10%

Cappuccino

$2.64 A$3.71

$2.59 FCFA 1,463

1.93%

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

$2.71 A$3.80

$1.48 FCFA 834

83.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 A$3.17

$0.69 FCFA 391

227.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.41 A$8.99

$1.17 FCFA 661

447.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 A$6.29

$1.72 FCFA 970

161.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 A$1.98

$2.83 FCFA 1,600

-50.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 A$3.23

$0.99 FCFA 558

132.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 A$1.26

$1.11 FCFA 624

-18.92%

Eggs

$3.38 A$4.73

$1.83 FCFA 1,034

84.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.24 A$14.35

$13.96 FCFA 7,881

-26.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 A$11.63

$6.32 FCFA 3,567

31.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.46 A$20.27

$5.98 FCFA 3,374

141.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 A$3.24

$4.63 FCFA 2,615

-50.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 A$4.05

$2.10 FCFA 1,182

37.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 A$4.19

$2.06 FCFA 1,162

45.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 A$6.68

$1.19 FCFA 672

300.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.27 A$3.18

$1.61 FCFA 906

40.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 A$2.66

$1.46 FCFA 822

30.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 A$3.49

$0.57 FCFA 324

336.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 A$1.08

$1.00 FCFA 562

-23.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.97 A$43.42

$1.73 FCFA 978

1690.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.92 A$20.92

$8.78 FCFA 4,954

69.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.22 A$7.32

$1.23 FCFA 695

324.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.07 A$8.51

$1.60 FCFA 906

279.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 A$3.67

$0.60 FCFA 337

336.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.7 A$90.7

$17.76 FCFA 10.0K

264.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 A$5.48

$0.65 FCFA 365

501.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 A$2.42

$0.38 FCFA 215

352.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.85 A$55.9

$5.60 FCFA 3,158

611.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 A$1.58

$1.35 FCFA 761

-16.30%

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

$29.0K A$40.7K

$33.1K FCFA 18.7M

-12.37%

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

$23.3K A$32.7K

$16.2K FCFA 9.1M

44.30%

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

$163 A$228

$79.3 FCFA 44.8K

105.27%

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

$29.58 A$41.47

$21.48 FCFA 12.1K

37.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.6 A$73.8

$46.79 FCFA 26.4K

12.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.41 A$67.9

$26.01 FCFA 14.7K

86.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.75 A$22.09

$7.26 FCFA 4,095

116.94%

Cinema Ticket

$13.47 A$18.88

$6.54 FCFA 3,692

105.96%

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

$1,756 A$2,461

$346 FCFA 195.2K

407.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K A$18.4K

$1,832 FCFA 1.0M

617.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.0 A$99.5

$16.69 FCFA 9,419

325.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 A$79.5

$23.83 FCFA 13.5K

137.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 A$137

$19.67 FCFA 11.1K

396.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 A$160

$58.2 FCFA 32.9K

95.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 A$1,566

$153 FCFA 86.2K

631.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 A$1,519

$118 FCFA 66.5K

819.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,989 A$2,789

$503 FCFA 283.7K

295.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,654 A$2,319

$256 FCFA 144.6K

545.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,090 A$8,539

$887 FCFA 500.5K

586.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,081 A$7,123

$626 FCFA 353.4K

711.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,517 A$3,529

$189 FCFA 106.8K

1230.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.29

4.83%

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

Last update for Penrith: June 2, 2026

Last update for Yaounde: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,117 in Penrith 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 1231% higher in Penrith, 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 $88.0 in Penrith versus $44.00 in Yaounde. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 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

Penrith vs Yaounde: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penrith costs about 195% more than Yaounde, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,204 per month in Penrith 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.

Public transport costs about 264% less in Yaounde. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,756 per month in Penrith and $346 in Yaounde. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Yaounde, where all-in costs run around $725, than in Penrith at $2,136. In Yaounde it covers expenses comfortably, while in Penrith 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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Yaounde. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Penrith makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.