Cost of Living Comparison Between Yaounde and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Yaounde and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $736 in Yaounde versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,190 in Yaounde versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,644 in Yaounde versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Yaounde costs roughly 41% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Yaounde 45% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.89 FCFA 2,806

$4.55 ฿153

7.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.62 FCFA 25.6K

$46.18 ฿1,553

-3.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 FCFA 3,246

$8.84 ฿297

-36.09%

Cappuccino

$2.73 FCFA 1,566

$3.06 ฿103

-10.78%

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

$1.43 FCFA 819

$0.73 ฿24.40

95.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 FCFA 379

$0.40 ฿13.39

65.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 FCFA 664

$2.43 ฿81.8

-52.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 FCFA 1,005

$3.78 ฿127

-53.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.86 FCFA 1,641

$2.26 ฿76.0

26.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 FCFA 583

$1.81 ฿60.9

-43.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 FCFA 635

$2.25 ฿75.8

-50.67%

Eggs

$1.79 FCFA 1,028

$2.25 ฿75.5

-20.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.15 FCFA 8,123

$19.51 ฿656

-27.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.11 FCFA 3,510

$3.65 ฿123

67.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.89 FCFA 3,382

$13.05 ฿439

-54.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.62 FCFA 2,651

$3.23 ฿109

43.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 FCFA 1,192

$1.62 ฿54.4

28.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 FCFA 1,183

$2.38 ฿80.1

-13.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 FCFA 711

$2.03 ฿68.1

-38.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 FCFA 958

$1.53 ฿51.6

9.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 FCFA 832

$1.50 ฿50.5

-3.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 FCFA 328

$0.98 ฿32.91

-41.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 FCFA 578

$0.52 ฿17.39

94.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.72 FCFA 987

$4.44 ฿149

-61.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.63 FCFA 4,954

$18.32 ฿616

-52.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 FCFA 734

$1.86 ฿62.7

-31.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 FCFA 891

$2.68 ฿90.1

-42.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 FCFA 349

$1.41 ฿47.46

-56.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.38 FCFA 9,981

$11.70 ฿393

48.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 FCFA 346

$3.11 ฿105

-80.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 FCFA 240

$1.04 ฿35.06

-59.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 FCFA 3,319

$14.11 ฿474

-59.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 FCFA 772

$1.31 ฿44.10

2.29%

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

$33.6K FCFA 19.3M

$27.8K ฿935.4K

20.86%

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

$15.6K FCFA 9.0M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-53.00%

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

$78.6 FCFA 45.1K

$122 ฿4,118

-35.83%

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

$21.11 FCFA 12.1K

$13.59 ฿457

55.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.48 FCFA 27.3K

$18.70 ฿629

153.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.58 FCFA 15.3K

$60.5 ฿2,034

-56.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.21 FCFA 4,140

$16.98 ฿571

-57.54%

Cinema Ticket

$6.66 FCFA 3,826

$9.07 ฿305

-26.57%

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

$335 FCFA 192.4K

$706 ฿23.8K

-52.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,827 FCFA 1.0M

$15.8K ฿531.5K

-88.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.31 FCFA 9,364

$58.6 ฿1,969

-72.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.04 FCFA 13.8K

$35.36 ฿1,189

-32.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.51 FCFA 11.2K

$115 ฿3,883

-83.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.0 FCFA 33.3K

$83.7 ฿2,816

-30.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$149 FCFA 85.4K

$626 ฿21.0K

-76.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$121 FCFA 69.4K

$445 ฿15.0K

-72.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 FCFA 285.7K

$2,040 ฿68.6K

-75.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$252 FCFA 144.5K

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-83.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$866 FCFA 497.3K

$3,483 ฿117.1K

-75.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$614 FCFA 352.5K

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-76.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$184 FCFA 105.9K

$500 ฿16.8K

-63.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

12.57%

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

Last update for Yaounde: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $149 in Yaounde and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 171% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Yaounde vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $289 per month, with Yaounde cheaper across the board.

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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yaounde is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 70% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 171% lower in Phuket. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $149 in Yaounde versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $335 in Yaounde versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $736 in Yaounde versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Yaounde but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Yaounde the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Yaounde is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Yaounde and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Yaounde gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.