Cost of Living Comparison Between Yaounde and Penrith Cost of Living Comparison Between Yaounde and Penrith

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $736 per month in Yaounde vs $2,196 in Penrith, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,190 per month in Yaounde vs $3,214 in Penrith, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,644 per month in Yaounde vs $4,232 in Penrith, rent included.

Yaounde is about 66% cheaper than Penrith, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Yaounde sits 45% below the global median, while Penrith is 64% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.89 FCFA 2,806

$10.86 A$15.50

-54.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.62 FCFA 25.6K

$87.4 A$125

-48.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 FCFA 3,246

$9.71 A$13.86

-41.81%

Cappuccino

$2.73 FCFA 1,566

$2.54 A$3.63

7.48%

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

$1.43 FCFA 819

$2.59 A$3.71

-44.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 FCFA 379

$2.34 A$3.34

-71.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 FCFA 664

$6.52 A$9.32

-82.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 FCFA 1,005

$4.57 A$6.52

-61.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.86 FCFA 1,641

$1.37 A$1.95

108.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 FCFA 583

$2.22 A$3.17

-54.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 FCFA 635

$0.88 A$1.26

26.14%

Eggs

$1.79 FCFA 1,028

$3.35 A$4.78

-46.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.15 FCFA 8,123

$9.85 A$14.06

43.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.11 FCFA 3,510

$8.28 A$11.83

-26.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.89 FCFA 3,382

$14.46 A$20.65

-59.27%

Apples (1kg)

$4.62 FCFA 2,651

$2.33 A$3.33

98.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 FCFA 1,192

$2.95 A$4.21

-29.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 FCFA 1,183

$2.98 A$4.26

-30.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 FCFA 711

$4.79 A$6.84

-74.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 FCFA 958

$2.32 A$3.31

-28.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 FCFA 832

$1.93 A$2.76

-24.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 FCFA 328

$2.35 A$3.36

-75.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 FCFA 578

$0.74 A$1.05

36.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.72 FCFA 987

$30.46 A$43.50

-94.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.63 FCFA 4,954

$14.58 A$20.81

-40.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 FCFA 734

$4.99 A$7.13

-74.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 FCFA 891

$5.81 A$8.30

-73.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 FCFA 349

$2.62 A$3.74

-76.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.38 FCFA 9,981

$64.3 A$91.8

-72.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 FCFA 346

$4.11 A$5.86

-85.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 FCFA 240

$1.80 A$2.57

-76.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 FCFA 3,319

$41.08 A$58.7

-85.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 FCFA 772

$1.15 A$1.65

16.52%

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

$33.6K FCFA 19.3M

$29.0K A$41.5K

15.79%

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

$15.6K FCFA 9.0M

$22.6K A$32.2K

-30.77%

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

$78.6 FCFA 45.1K

$160 A$229

-50.95%

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

$21.11 FCFA 12.1K

$29.40 A$41.99

-28.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.48 FCFA 27.3K

$52.4 A$74.8

-9.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.58 FCFA 15.3K

$48.06 A$68.6

-44.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.21 FCFA 4,140

$15.79 A$22.55

-54.34%

Cinema Ticket

$6.66 FCFA 3,826

$13.49 A$19.26

-50.63%

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

$335 FCFA 192.4K

$1,780 A$2,541

-81.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,827 FCFA 1.0M

$13.3K A$19.0K

-86.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.31 FCFA 9,364

$71.8 A$103

-77.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.04 FCFA 13.8K

$57.0 A$81.5

-57.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.51 FCFA 11.2K

$98.5 A$141

-80.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.0 FCFA 33.3K

$115 A$165

-49.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$149 FCFA 85.4K

$1,117 A$1,595

-86.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$121 FCFA 69.4K

$1,068 A$1,525

-88.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 FCFA 285.7K

$2,003 A$2,860

-75.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$252 FCFA 144.5K

$1,696 A$2,423

-85.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$866 FCFA 497.3K

$6,908 A$9,864

-87.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$614 FCFA 352.5K

$4,569 A$6,525

-86.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$184 FCFA 105.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.29

-4.61%

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

Last update for Yaounde: July 13, 2026

Last update for Penrith: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $149 in Yaounde versus $1,117 in Penrith. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Yaounde versus $87.0 in Penrith. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $327 – making Yaounde the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Penrith: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penrith costs about 198% more than Yaounde, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,104 per month in Yaounde and $3,294 in Penrith. 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.

Public transport costs about 270% less in Yaounde. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $335 per month in Yaounde and $1,780 in Penrith. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Yaounde, where all-in costs run around $736, than in Penrith at $2,196. In Yaounde it covers expenses comfortably, while in Penrith 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, Penrith makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.