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 $1,019 per month in South Africa vs $627 in Cameroon, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,583 per month in South Africa vs $969 in Cameroon, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,146 per month in South Africa vs $1,310 in Cameroon, rent included.

The cost of living in South Africa is about 63% 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 23% lower, Cameroon 53% lower.

The regional cost range is wider in Cameroon ($88.0–$1,650) than in South Africa ($804–$1,358), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.89 R 146

$5.13 FCFA 2,915

73.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.93 R 657

$118 FCFA 66.8K

-66.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.90 R 80.7

$5.14 FCFA 2,920

-4.67%

Cappuccino

$2.03 R 33.48

$1.82 FCFA 1,032

11.54%

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

$1.04 R 17.05

$1.49 FCFA 847

-30.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 R 12.17

$0.70 FCFA 398

5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 R 37.72

$1.18 FCFA 669

94.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 R 42.19

$2.61 FCFA 1,481

-1.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R 17.53

$2.73 FCFA 1,549

-60.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 R 17.07

$0.71 FCFA 403

46.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.65

$1.59 FCFA 902

-1.89%

Eggs

$2.22 R 36.61

$1.97 FCFA 1,120

12.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.93 R 131

$15.51 FCFA 8,805

-48.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.57 R 75.2

$5.62 FCFA 3,193

-18.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.63 R 109

$5.79 FCFA 3,287

14.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.73

$3.50 FCFA 1,987

-57.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 R 24.17

$1.60 FCFA 909

-8.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 R 23.83

$1.68 FCFA 952

-13.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.83

$1.41 FCFA 802

11.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 R 19.73

$1.90 FCFA 1,079

-36.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 R 21.12

$1.67 FCFA 947

-23.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 R 17.02

$0.65 FCFA 370

58.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 R 15.35

$0.72 FCFA 410

29.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 R 48.39

$1.80 FCFA 1,022

63.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.14 R 84.7

$8.88 FCFA 5,043

-42.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 R 22.41

$1.31 FCFA 745

3.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 R 27.34

$1.77 FCFA 1,003

-6.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 R 26.90

$0.82 FCFA 467

98.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.21 R 728

$17.72 FCFA 10.1K

149.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 R 18.95

$0.54 FCFA 309

112.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 R 18.08

$0.49 FCFA 280

124.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.77 R 78.6

$6.15 FCFA 3,490

-22.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 R 20.56

$1.34 FCFA 759

-6.72%

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

$21.0K R 346.3K

$30.8K FCFA 17.5M

-31.63%

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

$23.4K R 385.8K

$15.5K FCFA 8.8M

51.35%

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

$114 R 1,869

$145 FCFA 82.4K

-21.74%

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

$32.92 R 542

$23.20 FCFA 13.2K

41.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.72 R 670

$131 FCFA 74.3K

-68.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.49 R 518

$22.56 FCFA 12.8K

39.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.52 R 157

$4.84 FCFA 2,749

96.69%

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 R 114

$6.46 FCFA 3,667

6.97%

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

$188 R 3,088

$535 FCFA 304.0K

-64.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,300 R 70.8K

$3,431 FCFA 1.9M

25.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.97 R 823

$64.4 FCFA 36.5K

-22.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.67 R 505

$61.6 FCFA 35.0K

-50.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 R 1,553

$141 FCFA 80.0K

-33.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.9 R 1,315

$130 FCFA 73.8K

-38.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 R 7,311

$776 FCFA 440.4K

-42.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 R 6,158

$474 FCFA 269.3K

-21.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$902 R 14.9K

$1,709 FCFA 970.3K

-47.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$720 R 11.9K

$841 FCFA 477.7K

-14.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,102 R 18.1K

$2,032 FCFA 1.2M

-45.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$756 R 12.4K

$974 FCFA 553.1K

-22.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,494 R 24.6K

$161 FCFA 91.6K

825.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.55

19.04

-39.34%

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

Last update for South Africa: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cameroon: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $367 in South Africa vs $192 in Cameroon. For reference, capital cities sit at $399 in Pretoria and $150 in Yaounde.

Average salary: $1,498 in South Africa vs $158 in Cameroon. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 91% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 46% more in South Africa.

Public transport is 78% more expensive in South Africa.

Salaries are 848% 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 24% 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 24% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,500 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.