Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Yaounde and Douala

For one person, living is cheaper in Yaounde: $782 a month against $1,334 in Douala, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

38

Cost of Living Index in Yaounde
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Yaounde Living Index
65

Cost of Living Index in Douala
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Douala Living Index

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Yaounde

🇨🇲 Cameroon

$782

/mo nomad

Douala

🇨🇲 Cameroon

$1,334

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Yaounde and in Douala

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Yaounde and in Douala actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $782 per month in Yaounde vs $1,334 in Douala, rent included.

Yaounde $782
Douala $1,334

A couple spends around $1,206 per month in Yaounde vs $2,136 in Douala, rent included.

Yaounde $1,206
Douala $2,136

A family of three spends $1,629 per month in Yaounde vs $2,939 in Douala, rent included.

Yaounde $1,629
Douala $2,939

Yaounde is about 41% cheaper than Douala, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Yaounde and Douala are more affordable than the global median – Yaounde 42% lower, Douala 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 FCFA 2,040

$4.27 FCFA 2,493

-18.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.7 FCFA 29.6K

$117 FCFA 68.5K

-56.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 FCFA 2,896

$6.86 FCFA 3,999

-27.55%

Cappuccino

$1.87 FCFA 1,089

$2.05 FCFA 1,194

-8.78%

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

$1.46 FCFA 854

$1.64 FCFA 958

-10.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 FCFA 324

$0.82 FCFA 477

-31.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 FCFA 698

$1.16 FCFA 679

3.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 FCFA 980

$2.52 FCFA 1,470

-33.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.62 FCFA 2,109

$2.85 FCFA 1,661

27.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 FCFA 602

$0.40 FCFA 234

157.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 FCFA 743

$2.22 FCFA 1,296

-42.79%

Eggs

$2.02 FCFA 1,179

$1.85 FCFA 1,079

9.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.86 FCFA 8,080

$21.80 FCFA 12.7K

-36.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.02 FCFA 3,509

$7.70 FCFA 4,491

-21.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.42 FCFA 3,744

$6.40 FCFA 3,732

0.31%

Apples (1kg)

$4.97 FCFA 2,899

$4.62 FCFA 2,696

7.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 FCFA 1,139

$2.01 FCFA 1,171

-2.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 FCFA 1,159

$2.01 FCFA 1,173

-1.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 FCFA 786

$1.32 FCFA 768

2.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 FCFA 952

$3.14 FCFA 1,830

-48.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 FCFA 813

$2.11 FCFA 1,230

-34.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 FCFA 654

$0.77 FCFA 450

45.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 FCFA 381

$0.62 FCFA 364

4.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.68 FCFA 982

$2.49 FCFA 1,452

-32.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 FCFA 4,808

$8.60 FCFA 5,014

-4.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 FCFA 772

$1.40 FCFA 818

-5.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 FCFA 1,132

$1.77 FCFA 1,033

9.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 FCFA 305

$0.61 FCFA 357

-14.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.19 FCFA 10.0K

$16.69 FCFA 9,730

3.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 FCFA 363

$0.59 FCFA 343

5.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 FCFA 261

$0.83 FCFA 482

-45.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.87 FCFA 3,422

$8.17 FCFA 4,765

-28.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 FCFA 848

$1.44 FCFA 842

1.39%

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

$32.6K FCFA 19.0M

$29.9K FCFA 17.4M

8.97%

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

$21.2K FCFA 12.4M

$15.1K FCFA 8.8M

40.51%

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

$80.1 FCFA 46.7K

$163 FCFA 95.0K

-50.83%

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

$17.16 FCFA 10.0K

$25.52 FCFA 14.9K

-32.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.3 FCFA 29.9K

$172 FCFA 100.5K

-70.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.85 FCFA 13.9K

$41.07 FCFA 24.0K

-41.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.93 FCFA 4,041

Cinema Ticket

$8.32 FCFA 4,849

$8.59 FCFA 5,010

-3.14%

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

$615 FCFA 358.4K

$511 FCFA 297.9K

20.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,333 FCFA 1.4M

$3,332 FCFA 1.9M

-30.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.75 FCFA 9,767

$78.7 FCFA 45.9K

-78.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.41 FCFA 16.0K

$66.3 FCFA 38.7K

-58.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$25.17 FCFA 14.7K

$140 FCFA 81.9K

-82.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.8 FCFA 32.6K

$147 FCFA 85.7K

-62.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$142 FCFA 83.0K

$557 FCFA 324.7K

-74.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 FCFA 106.7K

$323 FCFA 188.3K

-43.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 FCFA 238.1K

$1,298 FCFA 756.6K

-68.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$208 FCFA 121.2K

$533 FCFA 310.9K

-61.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$855 FCFA 498.8K

$1,974 FCFA 1.2M

-56.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$589 FCFA 343.7K

$950 FCFA 554.1K

-37.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$185 FCFA 107.8K

$222 FCFA 129.5K

-16.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.04

-31.72%

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

Last update for Yaounde: October 11, 2026

Last update for Douala: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Yaounde

$249 31.8%

Douala

$274 20.5% 10% $25

Accommodation & Living

Yaounde

$183 23.4%

Douala

$323 24.2% 76.5% $140

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Yaounde

$149 19%

Douala

$361 27% 143% $212

Eating Out

Yaounde

$83 10.6%

Douala

$100 7.5% 21% $17

Clothing & Footwear

Yaounde

$56 7.2%

Douala

$195 14.6% 245% $138

Sport & Entertainment

Yaounde

$40 5.2%

Douala

$58 4.4% 43.9% $18

Getting Around

Yaounde

$22 2.8%

Douala

$24 1.8% 7.7% $1.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $142 in Yaounde versus $557 in Douala. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 20% higher in Douala, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Yaounde versus $117 in Douala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $274 – making Yaounde the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇲 Yaounde

🇨🇲 Douala

🕒 Local time

15:08 3:08 PM

Same time as Yaounde

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,817,524 Capital

2,000,000

💱 Currency

Central African CFA Franc XAF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 XAF = 1.71 USD

1,000 XAF = 1.53 EUR

1,000 XAF = 1.71 USD

1,000 XAF = 1.53 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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

Yaounde vs Douala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Douala is pricier by about 71%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,173 per month in Yaounde and $2,001 in Douala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yaounde, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Douala, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Yaounde and $117 in Douala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Yaounde, where all-in costs run around $782, than in Douala at $1,334. In Yaounde it covers expenses comfortably, while in Douala it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yaounde – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Yaounde. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Douala makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.