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: $960 in Rio de Janeiro versus $725 in Yaounde.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,479 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,195 in Yaounde.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,997 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,665 in Yaounde.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 32% more expensive than Yaounde, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 28% lower, Yaounde 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.20 R$36.46

$4.87 FCFA 2,747

47.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.52 R$180

$43.99 FCFA 24.8K

-19.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.44 R$32.63

$5.80 FCFA 3,272

11.03%

Cappuccino

$1.97 R$9.99

$2.59 FCFA 1,463

-23.94%

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

$1.27 R$6.45

$1.48 FCFA 834

-14.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.55

$0.69 FCFA 391

30.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.94

$1.17 FCFA 661

50.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 R$13.59

$1.72 FCFA 970

55.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R$5.89

$2.83 FCFA 1,600

-59.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 R$8.60

$0.99 FCFA 558

71.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.15

$1.11 FCFA 624

27.03%

Eggs

$2.00 R$10.12

$1.83 FCFA 1,034

9.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 R$40.75

$13.96 FCFA 7,881

-42.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 R$18.32

$6.32 FCFA 3,567

-42.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.20 R$41.53

$5.98 FCFA 3,374

37.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.14

$4.63 FCFA 2,615

-48.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 R$8.00

$2.10 FCFA 1,182

-24.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.56

$2.06 FCFA 1,162

-27.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 R$7.90

$1.19 FCFA 672

31.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.60

$1.61 FCFA 906

-19.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.58

$1.46 FCFA 822

-24.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.46

$0.57 FCFA 324

19.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 R$2.93

$1.00 FCFA 562

-42.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 R$9.87

$1.73 FCFA 978

12.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.73 R$44.20

$8.78 FCFA 4,954

-0.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R$6.15

$1.23 FCFA 695

-1.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 R$10.90

$1.60 FCFA 906

34.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 R$6.23

$0.60 FCFA 337

105.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 R$199

$17.76 FCFA 10.0K

121.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.63

$0.65 FCFA 365

70.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.61

$0.38 FCFA 215

86.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 R$37.33

$5.60 FCFA 3,158

31.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.43

$1.35 FCFA 761

-20.74%

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

$20.4K R$103.1K

$33.1K FCFA 18.7M

-38.56%

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

$27.1K R$137.2K

$16.2K FCFA 9.1M

67.66%

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

$104 R$526

$79.3 FCFA 44.8K

30.86%

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

$12.18 R$61.7

$21.48 FCFA 12.1K

-43.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 R$94.7

$46.79 FCFA 26.4K

-60.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.68 R$130

$26.01 FCFA 14.7K

-1.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.37 R$123

$7.26 FCFA 4,095

235.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 R$33.44

$6.54 FCFA 3,692

0.92%

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

$542 R$2,744

$346 FCFA 195.2K

56.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K R$59.8K

$1,832 FCFA 1.0M

544.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.23 R$224

$16.69 FCFA 9,419

165.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.91 R$212

$23.83 FCFA 13.5K

75.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 R$389

$19.67 FCFA 11.1K

290.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$314

$58.2 FCFA 32.9K

6.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 R$2,220

$153 FCFA 86.2K

187.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 R$1,674

$118 FCFA 66.5K

180.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 R$4,246

$503 FCFA 283.7K

66.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 R$2,883

$256 FCFA 144.6K

122.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,356 R$17.0K

$887 FCFA 500.5K

278.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,389 R$7,032

$626 FCFA 353.4K

121.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 R$2,775

$189 FCFA 106.8K

189.74%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Yaounde: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Rio de Janeiro and $153 in Yaounde. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 190% 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: $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $44.00 in Yaounde for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 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 32% in total monthly costs ($960 vs $725 including rent). Yaounde is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Rio de Janeiro pays 190% 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: $438 in Rio de Janeiro versus $153 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 $44.00 versus $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $960 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $725 in Yaounde – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $725 in Yaounde versus $960 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 32% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.