Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Cameroon Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Cameroon

Name: Cameroon
Address: CM

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,137 per month in South Africa vs $849 in Cameroon, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,773 per month in South Africa vs $1,367 in Cameroon, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,408 per month in South Africa vs $1,884 in Cameroon, rent included.

The cost of living in South Africa is about 34% higher than in Cameroon on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both South Africa and Cameroon are more affordable than the global median – South Africa 17% lower, Cameroon 38% lower.

Cost ranges are similar: South Africa spans $633–$1,817, Cameroon $357–$1,382. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.22 R 182

$3.85 FCFA 2,196

191.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.86 R 697

$89.6 FCFA 51.1K

-52.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.77 R 93.8

$6.22 FCFA 3,550

-7.23%

Cappuccino

$2.41 R 39.22

$1.94 FCFA 1,106

24.23%

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

$1.19 R 19.41

$1.71 FCFA 973

-30.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R 14.22

$0.67 FCFA 385

29.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 R 39.06

$1.27 FCFA 722

88.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 R 48.66

$1.71 FCFA 977

74.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 R 20.32

$2.88 FCFA 1,644

-56.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 R 17.83

$0.75 FCFA 428

46.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 R 28.72

$1.78 FCFA 1,014

-0.56%

Eggs

$2.51 R 40.82

$2.16 FCFA 1,233

16.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.46 R 138

$15.44 FCFA 8,814

-45.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.41 R 88.0

$5.30 FCFA 3,025

2.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 R 129

$6.12 FCFA 3,495

29.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 R 29.55

$3.56 FCFA 2,031

-48.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 R 27.40

$1.31 FCFA 747

29.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 R 28.14

$1.56 FCFA 891

10.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 R 28.78

$1.47 FCFA 841

20.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 R 23.90

$2.21 FCFA 1,263

-33.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 R 23.82

$1.66 FCFA 950

-12.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 R 20.40

$0.77 FCFA 437

62.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 R 18.81

$0.69 FCFA 396

68.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 R 53.9

$1.79 FCFA 1,022

84.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.88 R 79.3

$8.61 FCFA 4,916

-43.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 R 24.84

$1.48 FCFA 843

3.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 R 33.29

$1.98 FCFA 1,131

3.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 R 27.42

$0.82 FCFA 470

106.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.8 R 1,020

$17.36 FCFA 9,909

261.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 R 17.51

$0.60 FCFA 344

80.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 R 15.35

$0.55 FCFA 313

70.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.90 R 128

$6.12 FCFA 3,493

29.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 R 23.21

$1.50 FCFA 854

-4.67%

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

$36.6K R 595.3K

$30.9K FCFA 17.7M

18.35%

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

$31.1K R 506.0K

$18.1K FCFA 10.4M

71.46%

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

$131 R 2,132

$151 FCFA 86.2K

-13.21%

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

$35.38 R 575

$23.68 FCFA 13.5K

49.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.24 R 671

$135 FCFA 77.0K

-69.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.46 R 560

$28.27 FCFA 16.1K

21.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.85 R 193

$5.87 FCFA 3,349

101.87%

Cinema Ticket

$7.58 R 123

$8.69 FCFA 4,960

-12.77%

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

$231 R 3,764

$535 FCFA 305.5K

-56.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,534 R 90.0K

$3,366 FCFA 1.9M

64.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 R 895

$65.3 FCFA 37.3K

-15.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.73 R 548

$64.6 FCFA 36.9K

-47.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 R 1,631

$139 FCFA 79.6K

-28.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.5 R 1,487

$127 FCFA 72.6K

-28.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 R 8,151

$359 FCFA 205.1K

39.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 R 6,805

$156 FCFA 88.8K

168.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 R 15.5K

$859 FCFA 490.3K

11.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$826 R 13.4K

$277 FCFA 158.0K

198.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,158 R 18.8K

$2,038 FCFA 1.2M

-43.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$788 R 12.8K

$991 FCFA 565.8K

-20.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,542 R 25.1K

$155 FCFA 88.4K

895.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.24

18.96

-40.72%

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

Last update for South Africa: September 13, 2026

Last update for Cameroon: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $444 in South Africa vs $112 in Cameroon. For reference, capital cities sit at $320 in Bloemfontein and $147 in Yaounde.

Average salary: $1,543 in South Africa vs $163 in Cameroon. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 296% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 95% more in Cameroon.

Public transport is 70% more expensive in South Africa.

Salaries are 847% higher in South Africa, and purchasing power comes out stronger in South Africa.

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

South Africa vs Cameroon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cameroon is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 41% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in South Africa, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but South Africa consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Cameroon, contributing to the overall 41% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Cameroon, but in South Africa it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Cameroon is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.