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: $829 in Yaounde versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,260 in Yaounde versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,690 in Yaounde versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Yaounde costs roughly 34% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Yaounde 40% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.61 FCFA 2,033

$4.56 ฿150

-20.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 FCFA 30.3K

$32.62 ฿1,073

64.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 FCFA 2,959

$8.90 ฿293

-41.01%

Cappuccino

$2.04 FCFA 1,150

$2.80 ฿92.2

-27.14%

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

$1.53 FCFA 860

$0.88 ฿28.94

73.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 FCFA 304

$0.49 ฿16.08

10.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.24 FCFA 701

$2.39 ฿78.5

-48.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 FCFA 990

$3.71 ฿122

-52.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.80 FCFA 2,142

$1.79 ฿58.8

112.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 FCFA 628

$1.44 ฿47.40

-22.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 FCFA 746

$1.58 ฿52.1

-16.46%

Eggs

$2.16 FCFA 1,216

$2.13 ฿69.9

1.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.28 FCFA 8,049

$19.92 ฿655

-28.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.03 FCFA 3,401

$3.43 ฿113

75.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.77 FCFA 3,818

$11.33 ฿372

-40.25%

Apples (1kg)

$5.26 FCFA 2,964

$2.95 ฿97.0

78.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 FCFA 1,189

$1.72 ฿56.6

22.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 FCFA 1,225

$2.32 ฿76.5

-6.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 FCFA 828

$2.08 ฿68.4

-29.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 FCFA 953

$1.47 ฿48.34

14.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 FCFA 810

$1.36 ฿44.65

5.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 FCFA 633

$1.10 ฿36.13

1.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 FCFA 385

$0.57 ฿18.89

19.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.73 FCFA 976

$4.27 ฿140

-59.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.96 FCFA 5,051

$18.42 ฿606

-51.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 FCFA 801

$1.87 ฿61.5

-24.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 FCFA 1,152

$2.92 ฿96.1

-30.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 FCFA 340

$2.22 ฿73.0

-72.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.94 FCFA 10.1K

$22.90 ฿753

-21.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 FCFA 359

$3.03 ฿99.6

-78.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 FCFA 242

$1.07 ฿35.32

-59.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.23 FCFA 3,514

$3.93 ฿129

58.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 FCFA 832

$1.49 ฿49.06

-0.67%

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

$33.6K FCFA 18.9M

$27.1K ฿892.0K

23.86%

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

$22.3K FCFA 12.6M

$27.5K ฿902.6K

-18.82%

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

$82.1 FCFA 46.3K

$103 ฿3,380

-20.11%

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

$18.00 FCFA 10.1K

$10.99 ฿361

63.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.9 FCFA 29.8K

$17.51 ฿576

202.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.24 FCFA 13.7K

$53.5 ฿1,760

-54.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.33 FCFA 4,129

$11.20 ฿368

-34.55%

Cinema Ticket

$8.66 FCFA 4,879

$7.48 ฿246

15.78%

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

$642 FCFA 361.9K

$557 ฿18.3K

15.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,469 FCFA 1.4M

$11.9K ฿389.7K

-79.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.46 FCFA 9,841

$64.1 ฿2,107

-72.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.15 FCFA 15.9K

$29.07 ฿956

-3.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.92 FCFA 15.2K

$96.0 ฿3,155

-71.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.6 FCFA 32.5K

$90.3 ฿2,970

-36.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$147 FCFA 82.6K

$730 ฿24.0K

-79.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 FCFA 107.6K

$500 ฿16.4K

-61.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 FCFA 231.5K

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-80.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 FCFA 122.3K

$1,209 ฿39.8K

-82.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$888 FCFA 500.8K

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-75.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$621 FCFA 349.9K

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-75.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$192 FCFA 108.4K

$503 ฿16.6K

-61.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

133.39%

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

Last update for Yaounde: August 29, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $147 in Yaounde and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 162% 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: $54.0 in Yaounde vs $33.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $261 vs $273, with Yaounde cheaper for home cooking.

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 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 162% 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: $147 in Yaounde versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $642 in Yaounde versus $557 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $829 in Yaounde versus $1,253 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 51% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.