Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Yaounde Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Yaounde

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $945 in Rio de Janeiro versus $736 in Yaounde.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,472 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,190 in Yaounde.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,000 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,644 in Yaounde.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 28% more expensive than in Yaounde, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 29% lower, Yaounde 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.35 R$37.42

$4.89 FCFA 2,806

50.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.43 R$180

$44.62 FCFA 25.6K

-20.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.28 R$32.00

$5.65 FCFA 3,246

11.15%

Cappuccino

$1.90 R$9.68

$2.73 FCFA 1,566

-30.40%

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

$1.29 R$6.55

$1.43 FCFA 819

-9.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 R$4.64

$0.66 FCFA 379

37.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 R$8.91

$1.16 FCFA 664

50.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 R$13.92

$1.75 FCFA 1,005

56.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.75

$2.86 FCFA 1,641

-60.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 R$8.70

$1.02 FCFA 583

67.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.26

$1.11 FCFA 635

28.83%

Eggs

$2.04 R$10.38

$1.79 FCFA 1,028

13.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 R$39.43

$14.15 FCFA 8,123

-45.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 R$17.75

$6.11 FCFA 3,510

-42.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 R$40.77

$5.89 FCFA 3,382

35.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 R$11.72

$4.62 FCFA 2,651

-50.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 R$8.01

$2.08 FCFA 1,192

-24.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 R$7.70

$2.06 FCFA 1,183

-26.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 R$7.87

$1.24 FCFA 711

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.34

$1.67 FCFA 958

-25.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 R$5.68

$1.45 FCFA 832

-22.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 R$3.26

$0.57 FCFA 328

12.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 R$2.89

$1.01 FCFA 578

-43.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.00 R$10.18

$1.72 FCFA 987

16.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 R$40.33

$8.63 FCFA 4,954

-8.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 R$6.41

$1.28 FCFA 734

-1.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 R$10.43

$1.55 FCFA 891

32.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 R$6.56

$0.61 FCFA 349

111.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.50 R$201

$17.38 FCFA 9,981

127.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.43

$0.60 FCFA 346

78.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 R$3.38

$0.42 FCFA 240

57.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.39 R$37.64

$5.78 FCFA 3,319

27.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.64

$1.34 FCFA 772

-17.16%

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

$20.7K R$105.3K

$33.6K FCFA 19.3M

-38.48%

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

$27.5K R$140.1K

$15.6K FCFA 9.0M

76.23%

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

$103 R$524

$78.6 FCFA 45.1K

31.04%

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

$11.99 R$61.0

$21.11 FCFA 12.1K

-43.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.51 R$94.2

$47.48 FCFA 27.3K

-61.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.11 R$133

$26.58 FCFA 15.3K

-1.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.43 R$124

$7.21 FCFA 4,140

238.83%

Cinema Ticket

$6.34 R$32.27

$6.66 FCFA 3,826

-4.80%

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

$554 R$2,820

$335 FCFA 192.4K

65.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K R$60.0K

$1,827 FCFA 1.0M

544.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.24 R$230

$16.31 FCFA 9,364

177.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.69 R$212

$24.04 FCFA 13.8K

73.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 R$389

$19.51 FCFA 11.2K

291.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$315

$58.0 FCFA 33.3K

6.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 R$2,260

$149 FCFA 85.4K

198.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 R$1,657

$121 FCFA 69.4K

169.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 R$4,311

$498 FCFA 285.7K

70.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$578 R$2,941

$252 FCFA 144.5K

129.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,657 R$18.6K

$866 FCFA 497.3K

322.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 R$7,509

$614 FCFA 352.5K

140.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$594 R$3,023

$184 FCFA 105.9K

221.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

88.83%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: July 13, 2026

Last update for Yaounde: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $444 in Rio de Janeiro and $149 in Yaounde. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 222% 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: $35.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $45.00 in Yaounde for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $240 per month, with Rio de Janeiro 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

Rio de Janeiro vs Yaounde: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro and Yaounde differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($945 vs $736 including rent). Yaounde is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 222% higher in Rio de Janeiro, 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: $444 in Rio de Janeiro versus $149 in Yaounde. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Yaounde – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $35.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $945 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $736 in Yaounde – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Yaounde 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 Yaounde gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.