Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Yaounde and Maroua

For one person, living is cheaper in Maroua: $352 a month against $782 in Yaounde, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Yaounde
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Yaounde Living Index

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Yaounde

🇨🇲 Cameroon

$782

/mo nomad

Maroua

🇨🇲 Cameroon

$352

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Yaounde and in Maroua

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $782 in Yaounde versus $352 in Maroua.

Yaounde $782
Maroua $352

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,206 in Yaounde versus $522 in Maroua.

Yaounde $1,206
Maroua $522

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,629 in Yaounde versus $693 in Maroua.

Yaounde $1,629
Maroua $693

Living in Yaounde is roughly 122% more expensive than in Maroua, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Yaounde 42% lower, Maroua 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 FCFA 2,040

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.7 FCFA 29.6K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 FCFA 2,896

Cappuccino

$1.87 FCFA 1,089

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

$1.46 FCFA 854

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 FCFA 324

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 FCFA 698

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 FCFA 980

Milk (1 liter)

$3.62 FCFA 2,109

$1.66 FCFA 970

118.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 FCFA 602

$0.87 FCFA 505

18.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 FCFA 743

$2.95 FCFA 1,723

-56.95%

Eggs

$2.02 FCFA 1,179

$5.80 FCFA 3,380

-65.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.86 FCFA 8,080

$5.21 FCFA 3,040

166.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.02 FCFA 3,509

$4.99 FCFA 2,912

20.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.42 FCFA 3,744

$3.33 FCFA 1,941

92.79%

Apples (1kg)

$4.97 FCFA 2,899

$1.75 FCFA 1,018

184.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 FCFA 1,139

$0.83 FCFA 482

134.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 FCFA 1,159

$0.88 FCFA 511

126.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 FCFA 786

$1.66 FCFA 967

-18.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 FCFA 952

$2.50 FCFA 1,458

-34.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 FCFA 813

$1.73 FCFA 1,009

-19.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 FCFA 654

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 FCFA 381

$0.87 FCFA 506

-25.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.68 FCFA 982

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 FCFA 4,808

$11.00 FCFA 6,416

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 FCFA 772

$0.82 FCFA 480

60.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 FCFA 1,132

$1.74 FCFA 1,016

11.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 FCFA 305

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.19 FCFA 10.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 FCFA 363

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 FCFA 261

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.87 FCFA 3,422

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 FCFA 848

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

$32.6K FCFA 19.0M

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

$21.2K FCFA 12.4M

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

$80.1 FCFA 46.7K

$52.0 FCFA 30.3K

54.08%

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

$17.16 FCFA 10.0K

$8.74 FCFA 5,095

96.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.3 FCFA 29.9K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.85 FCFA 13.9K

$17.16 FCFA 10.0K

38.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.93 FCFA 4,041

$1.71 FCFA 999

305.26%

Cinema Ticket

$8.32 FCFA 4,849

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

$615 FCFA 358.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,333 FCFA 1.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.75 FCFA 9,767

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.41 FCFA 16.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$25.17 FCFA 14.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.8 FCFA 32.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$142 FCFA 83.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 FCFA 106.7K

$86.4 FCFA 50.4K

111.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 FCFA 238.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$208 FCFA 121.2K

$155 FCFA 90.4K

33.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$855 FCFA 498.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$589 FCFA 343.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$185 FCFA 107.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Yaounde: October 11, 2026

Last update for Maroua: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Yaounde

$249 31.8%

Maroua

–

Accommodation & Living

Yaounde

$183 23.4%

Maroua

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Yaounde

$149 19%

Maroua

–

Eating Out

Yaounde

$83 10.6%

Maroua

–

Clothing & Footwear

Yaounde

$56 7.2%

Maroua

–

Sport & Entertainment

Yaounde

$40 5.2%

Maroua

–

Getting Around

Yaounde

$22 2.8%

Maroua

–

Good to know

🇨🇲 Yaounde

🇨🇲 Maroua

🕒 Local time

18:49 6:49 PM

Same time as Yaounde

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,817,524 Capital

3,119,000

💱 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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Between locations

Yaounde Maroua 810 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Yaounde
Maroua

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 Maroua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maroua is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 122% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,173 in Yaounde and $528 in Maroua to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Yaounde. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $782 per month in Yaounde versus $352 in Maroua – a 122% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Maroua gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 Maroua gentler on the wallet – expenses run 122% less than in Yaounde. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.