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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $829 per month in Yaounde vs $2,602 in Penrith, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,260 per month in Yaounde vs $3,761 in Penrith, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,690 per month in Yaounde vs $4,920 in Penrith, rent included.

Yaounde is about 68% cheaper than Penrith, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Yaounde sits 40% below the global median, while Penrith is 89% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.61 FCFA 2,033

$19.86 A$27.57

-81.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 FCFA 30.3K

$93.9 A$130

-42.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 FCFA 2,959

$10.62 A$14.75

-50.56%

Cappuccino

$2.04 FCFA 1,150

$2.14 A$2.97

-4.67%

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

$1.53 FCFA 860

$3.13 A$4.35

-51.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 FCFA 304

$2.77 A$3.84

-80.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.24 FCFA 701

$8.76 A$12.16

-85.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 FCFA 990

$4.93 A$6.84

-64.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.80 FCFA 2,142

$1.61 A$2.24

136.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 FCFA 628

$3.32 A$4.61

-66.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 FCFA 746

$2.71 A$3.76

-51.29%

Eggs

$2.16 FCFA 1,216

$5.33 A$7.40

-59.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.28 FCFA 8,049

$14.31 A$19.87

-0.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.03 FCFA 3,401

$11.12 A$15.43

-45.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.77 FCFA 3,818

$16.19 A$22.47

-58.18%

Apples (1kg)

$5.26 FCFA 2,964

$3.97 A$5.51

32.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 FCFA 1,189

$3.34 A$4.63

-36.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 FCFA 1,225

$3.51 A$4.87

-38.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 FCFA 828

$5.32 A$7.38

-72.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 FCFA 953

$3.14 A$4.36

-46.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 FCFA 810

$2.79 A$3.87

-48.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 FCFA 633

$2.76 A$3.84

-59.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 FCFA 385

$1.50 A$2.09

-54.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.73 FCFA 976

$45.98 A$63.8

-96.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.96 FCFA 5,051

$14.99 A$20.81

-40.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 FCFA 801

$4.70 A$6.52

-69.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 FCFA 1,152

$5.56 A$7.72

-63.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 FCFA 340

$2.70 A$3.75

-77.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.94 FCFA 10.1K

$75.0 A$104

-76.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 FCFA 359

$4.21 A$5.85

-84.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 FCFA 242

$1.67 A$2.32

-74.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.23 FCFA 3,514

$43.44 A$60.3

-85.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 FCFA 832

$1.25 A$1.73

18.40%

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

$33.6K FCFA 18.9M

$27.4K A$38.1K

22.41%

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

$22.3K FCFA 12.6M

$31.2K A$43.3K

-28.62%

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

$82.1 FCFA 46.3K

$190 A$264

-56.84%

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

$18.00 FCFA 10.1K

$27.35 A$37.97

-34.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.9 FCFA 29.8K

$58.0 A$80.5

-8.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.24 FCFA 13.7K

$52.2 A$72.5

-53.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.33 FCFA 4,129

$19.26 A$26.73

-61.94%

Cinema Ticket

$8.66 FCFA 4,879

$16.72 A$23.20

-48.21%

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

$642 FCFA 361.9K

$2,432 A$3,377

-73.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,469 FCFA 1.4M

$21.0K A$29.1K

-88.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.46 FCFA 9,841

$78.0 A$108

-77.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.15 FCFA 15.9K

$58.0 A$80.5

-51.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.92 FCFA 15.2K

$125 A$174

-78.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.6 FCFA 32.5K

$136 A$188

-57.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$147 FCFA 82.6K

$1,461 A$2,029

-89.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 FCFA 107.6K

$1,345 A$1,867

-85.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 FCFA 231.5K

$2,580 A$3,582

-84.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 FCFA 122.3K

$1,876 A$2,604

-88.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$888 FCFA 500.8K

$7,012 A$9,735

-87.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$621 FCFA 349.9K

$5,650 A$7,843

-89.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$192 FCFA 108.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.95

118.49%

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

Last update for Yaounde: August 29, 2026

Last update for Penrith: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $147 in Yaounde versus $1,461 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 $54.0 in Yaounde versus $94.0 in Penrith. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $261 vs $418 – 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 214% 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 $1,243 per month in Yaounde and $3,903 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 318% less in Yaounde. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $642 per month in Yaounde and $2,432 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 $829, than in Penrith at $2,602. 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.