Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Yaounde Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Yaounde

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $725 in Yaounde.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,195 in Yaounde.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,665 in Yaounde.

Living in Phuket is roughly 74% more expensive than Yaounde, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Yaounde 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$4.87 FCFA 2,769

-3.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,488

$43.99 FCFA 25.0K

3.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$5.80 FCFA 3,298

45.34%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿96.0

$2.59 FCFA 1,474

13.13%

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

$0.69 ฿22.48

$1.48 FCFA 840

-53.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.04

$0.69 FCFA 394

-46.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.17 FCFA 667

105.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$1.72 FCFA 978

116.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.2

$2.83 FCFA 1,612

-21.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿60.1

$0.99 FCFA 563

84.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿71.1

$1.11 FCFA 629

95.50%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.6

$1.83 FCFA 1,042

20.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿647

$13.96 FCFA 7,944

41.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.32 FCFA 3,596

-42.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿444

$5.98 FCFA 3,401

126.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$4.63 FCFA 2,636

-29.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.8

$2.10 FCFA 1,192

-23.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$2.06 FCFA 1,171

16.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.3

$1.19 FCFA 677

74.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.1

$1.61 FCFA 913

-4.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.56

$1.46 FCFA 829

1.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.42

$0.57 FCFA 327

73.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.73

$1.00 FCFA 567

-49.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$1.73 FCFA 986

154.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿636

$8.78 FCFA 4,994

120.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.3

$1.23 FCFA 700

44.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.9

$1.60 FCFA 913

69.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.96

$0.60 FCFA 339

128.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿374

$17.76 FCFA 10.1K

-35.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿99.0

$0.65 FCFA 368

364.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.61

$0.38 FCFA 217

160.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿462

$5.60 FCFA 3,184

151.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.68

$1.35 FCFA 767

0.74%

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

$28.2K ฿924.7K

$33.1K FCFA 18.8M

-14.88%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$16.2K FCFA 9.2M

103.60%

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

$122 ฿3,991

$79.3 FCFA 45.1K

53.41%

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

$13.57 ฿445

$21.48 FCFA 12.2K

-36.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿600

$46.79 FCFA 26.6K

-60.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,975

$26.01 FCFA 14.8K

131.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

$7.26 FCFA 4,128

136.09%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿285

$6.54 FCFA 3,722

32.87%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$346 FCFA 196.8K

100.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿514.4K

$1,832 FCFA 1.0M

756.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,952

$16.69 FCFA 9,495

256.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,140

$23.83 FCFA 13.6K

45.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,758

$19.67 FCFA 11.2K

482.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,731

$58.2 FCFA 33.1K

43.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.1K

$153 FCFA 86.9K

301.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$118 FCFA 67.1K

270.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.7K

$503 FCFA 286.0K

316.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.5K

$256 FCFA 145.8K

489.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.9K

$887 FCFA 504.5K

322.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.8K

$626 FCFA 356.2K

317.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

$189 FCFA 107.6K

168.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-11.17%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Yaounde: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $153 in Yaounde. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 169% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $44.00 in Yaounde for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $240 per month, with Yaounde cheaper across the board.

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

Phuket vs Yaounde: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yaounde is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 74% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 169% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $153 in Yaounde. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $346 in Yaounde. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $725 in Yaounde versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Yaounde but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Yaounde the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Yaounde is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Yaounde are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Yaounde gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.