Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Yaounde and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Yaounde: $789 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

38

Cost of Living Index in Yaounde
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Yaounde Living Index
74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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Yaounde

🇨🇲 Cameroon

$789

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Yaounde and in Istanbul

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 Istanbul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $789 per month in Yaounde vs $1,526 in Istanbul, rent included.

Yaounde $789
Istanbul $1,526

A couple spends around $1,225 per month in Yaounde vs $2,399 in Istanbul, rent included.

Yaounde $1,225
Istanbul $2,399

A family of three spends $1,661 per month in Yaounde vs $3,272 in Istanbul, rent included.

Yaounde $1,661
Istanbul $3,272

Yaounde is about 48% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Yaounde sits 41% below the global median, while Istanbul is 14% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.51 FCFA 2,051

$11.88 ₺585

-70.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.5 FCFA 29.5K

$55.1 ₺2,714

-8.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.22 FCFA 3,053

$9.14 ₺450

-42.89%

Cappuccino

$1.96 FCFA 1,145

$4.24 ₺209

-53.77%

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

$1.53 FCFA 898

$1.75 ₺86.0

-12.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 FCFA 318

$0.54 ₺26.83

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 FCFA 744

$4.69 ₺231

-72.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 FCFA 1,014

$5.97 ₺294

-71.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.66 FCFA 2,143

$1.26 ₺62.1

190.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 FCFA 638

$0.95 ₺46.81

14.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 FCFA 772

$2.31 ₺114

-42.86%

Eggs

$2.10 FCFA 1,228

$2.47 ₺122

-14.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 FCFA 7,923

$10.55 ₺520

28.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.16 FCFA 3,605

$5.60 ₺276

10.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.70 FCFA 3,919

$21.21 ₺1,045

-68.41%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 FCFA 3,037

$1.93 ₺95.1

168.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 FCFA 1,178

$2.29 ₺113

-12.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 FCFA 1,180

$1.28 ₺63.1

57.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 FCFA 803

$1.84 ₺90.8

-25.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 FCFA 960

$0.67 ₺32.86

144.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 FCFA 847

$0.59 ₺29.31

145.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 FCFA 635

$1.33 ₺65.4

-18.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 FCFA 388

$0.59 ₺29.10

11.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.68 FCFA 981

$2.36 ₺116

-28.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.32 FCFA 4,869

$13.47 ₺664

-38.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 FCFA 803

$2.42 ₺119

-43.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 FCFA 1,146

$3.54 ₺174

-44.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 FCFA 339

$0.83 ₺40.64

-30.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.43 FCFA 10.2K

$66.5 ₺3,273

-73.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.59 FCFA 343

$1.35 ₺66.6

-56.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 FCFA 262

$0.85 ₺42.05

-47.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.06 FCFA 3,546

$10.86 ₺535

-44.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 FCFA 826

$1.47 ₺72.3

-4.08%

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

$32.4K FCFA 19.0M

$51.6K ₺2.5M

-37.14%

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

$21.3K FCFA 12.5M

$44.4K ₺2.2M

-52.10%

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

$80.3 FCFA 47.0K

$89.2 ₺4,395

-10.01%

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

$17.09 FCFA 9,997

$11.60 ₺572

47.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 FCFA 30.4K

$16.10 ₺793

222.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.33 FCFA 13.6K

$77.3 ₺3,805

-69.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.27 FCFA 4,251

$22.66 ₺1,116

-67.92%

Cinema Ticket

$8.59 FCFA 5,025

$8.34 ₺411

3.00%

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

$610 FCFA 357.1K

$974 ₺48.0K

-37.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,355 FCFA 1.4M

$25.8K ₺1.3M

-90.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.95 FCFA 9,915

$52.7 ₺2,597

-67.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.00 FCFA 15.8K

$39.16 ₺1,929

-31.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$25.98 FCFA 15.2K

$103 ₺5,083

-74.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.7 FCFA 32.6K

$96.6 ₺4,759

-42.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$140 FCFA 81.9K

$994 ₺49.0K

-85.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 FCFA 108.2K

$629 ₺31.0K

-70.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 FCFA 239.5K

$2,024 ₺99.7K

-79.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$211 FCFA 123.2K

$1,155 ₺56.9K

-81.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$847 FCFA 495.6K

$3,160 ₺155.7K

-73.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$593 FCFA 347.2K

$1,838 ₺90.5K

-67.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$190 FCFA 111.1K

$1,203 ₺59.3K

-84.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.09

-68.36%

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

Last update for Yaounde: October 4, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Yaounde

$253 32%

Istanbul

$264 17.3% 4.2% $11

Accommodation & Living

Yaounde

$185 23.3%

Istanbul

$629 41.2% 240% $444

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Yaounde

$149 18.8%

Istanbul

$117 7.7% 21.7% $32

Eating Out

Yaounde

$85 10.8%

Istanbul

$218 14.3% 155% $133

Clothing & Footwear

Yaounde

$57 7.1%

Istanbul

$131 8.6% 132% $75

Sport & Entertainment

Yaounde

$41 5.1%

Istanbul

$94 6.1% 132% $53

Getting Around

Yaounde

$23 2.9%

Istanbul

$75 4.9% 234% $53

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $140 in Yaounde versus $994 in Istanbul. 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 534% higher in Istanbul, 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 $50.0 in Yaounde versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $264 – making Yaounde the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇲 Yaounde

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

07:29 7:29 AM

09:29 9:29 AM

2 h ahead of Yaounde

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,817,524 Capital

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Central African CFA Franc XAF Fr

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 XAF = 1.71 USD

1,000 XAF = 1.52 EUR

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to XAF – Central African CFA Franc Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🌐 Central African CFA Franc (Fr)

Central African CFA Franc exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 585 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.52 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 49.26 TRY (100 TRY = 2.03 USD). 1 EUR = 55.25 TRY (100 TRY = 1.81 EUR).

USD to XAF in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Yaounde Istanbul 4,480 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Yaounde
Istanbul

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 93%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,183 per month in Yaounde and $2,289 in Istanbul. 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.

Kindergarten costs $610 per month in Yaounde and $974 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Istanbul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Yaounde, where all-in costs run around $789, than in Istanbul at $1,526. In Yaounde it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul 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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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