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: $1,205 in Rio de Janeiro versus $829 in Yaounde.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,748 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,260 in Yaounde.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,292 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,690 in Yaounde.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 45% more expensive than in Yaounde, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 12% lower, Yaounde 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.50 R$43.56

$3.61 FCFA 2,036

135.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.02 R$195

$53.7 FCFA 30.3K

-29.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.62 R$39.03

$5.25 FCFA 2,963

45.14%

Cappuccino

$2.24 R$11.48

$2.04 FCFA 1,151

9.80%

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

$1.56 R$7.97

$1.53 FCFA 861

1.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 R$5.32

$0.54 FCFA 304

92.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 R$11.63

$1.24 FCFA 702

83.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 R$16.93

$1.76 FCFA 992

88.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.67

$3.80 FCFA 2,144

-70.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 R$10.03

$1.11 FCFA 629

76.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 R$6.80

$1.32 FCFA 747

0.76%

Eggs

$2.22 R$11.37

$2.16 FCFA 1,218

2.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.35 R$53.0

$14.28 FCFA 8,059

-27.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 R$22.15

$6.03 FCFA 3,405

-28.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 R$48.27

$6.77 FCFA 3,823

39.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 R$13.52

$5.26 FCFA 2,968

-49.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 R$8.83

$2.11 FCFA 1,190

-18.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 R$7.79

$2.17 FCFA 1,227

-29.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 R$9.15

$1.47 FCFA 829

21.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.28

$1.69 FCFA 954

-27.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 R$5.30

$1.44 FCFA 811

-28.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 R$3.58

$1.12 FCFA 633

-37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.23

$0.68 FCFA 385

-7.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 R$14.89

$1.73 FCFA 978

68.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 R$40.15

$8.96 FCFA 5,058

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.65

$1.42 FCFA 803

-22.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 R$13.10

$2.04 FCFA 1,154

25.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 R$5.11

$0.60 FCFA 340

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.98 R$251

$17.94 FCFA 10.1K

173.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 R$6.09

$0.64 FCFA 360

85.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 R$4.49

$0.43 FCFA 243

104.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.97 R$45.97

$6.23 FCFA 3,518

43.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 R$6.45

$1.48 FCFA 833

-14.86%

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

$23.3K R$119.6K

$33.6K FCFA 19.0M

-30.52%

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

$32.2K R$165.1K

$22.3K FCFA 12.6M

44.61%

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

$132 R$675

$82.1 FCFA 46.3K

60.33%

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

$10.95 R$56.1

$18.00 FCFA 10.2K

-39.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.95 R$112

$52.9 FCFA 29.9K

-58.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.50 R$146

$24.24 FCFA 13.7K

17.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.26 R$155

$7.33 FCFA 4,135

312.82%

Cinema Ticket

$7.80 R$39.98

$8.66 FCFA 4,885

-9.93%

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

$538 R$2,756

$642 FCFA 362.3K

-16.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K R$65.6K

$2,469 FCFA 1.4M

418.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.62 R$208

$17.46 FCFA 9,854

132.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.36 R$238

$28.15 FCFA 15.9K

64.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 R$357

$26.92 FCFA 15.2K

158.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.6 R$331

$57.6 FCFA 32.5K

12.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 R$4,242

$147 FCFA 82.7K

464.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 R$2,395

$191 FCFA 107.8K

144.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,264 R$6,474

$411 FCFA 231.8K

207.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 R$3,704

$217 FCFA 122.4K

233.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,042 R$20.7K

$888 FCFA 501.4K

354.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,511 R$7,743

$621 FCFA 350.3K

143.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$613 R$3,142

$192 FCFA 108.5K

218.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

-8.23%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: September 1, 2026

Last update for Yaounde: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $828 in Rio de Janeiro and $147 in Yaounde. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 219% 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: $38.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $54.0 in Yaounde for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $261 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 45% in total monthly costs ($1,205 vs $829 including rent). Yaounde is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 219% 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: $828 in Rio de Janeiro versus $147 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 $54.0 versus $38.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,205 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $829 in Yaounde – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $829 in Yaounde versus $1,205 in Rio de Janeiro, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Yaounde but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Yaounde the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 45% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.