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: $725 in Yaounde versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,195 in Yaounde versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,665 in Yaounde versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Yaounde costs roughly 43% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Yaounde 46% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.87 FCFA 2,747

$4.70 ฿153

3.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.99 FCFA 24.8K

$45.37 ฿1,482

-3.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.80 FCFA 3,272

$8.43 ฿275

-31.20%

Cappuccino

$2.59 FCFA 1,463

$2.93 ฿95.6

-11.60%

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

$1.48 FCFA 834

$0.69 ฿22.40

114.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 FCFA 391

$0.37 ฿11.99

86.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 FCFA 661

$2.41 ฿78.6

-51.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 FCFA 970

$3.72 ฿122

-53.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.83 FCFA 1,600

$2.23 ฿72.9

26.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 FCFA 558

$1.83 ฿59.8

-45.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 FCFA 624

$2.17 ฿70.8

-48.85%

Eggs

$1.83 FCFA 1,034

$2.21 ฿72.3

-17.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 FCFA 7,881

$19.74 ฿645

-29.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 FCFA 3,567

$3.63 ฿119

74.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.98 FCFA 3,374

$13.53 ฿442

-55.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.63 FCFA 2,615

$3.28 ฿107

41.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 FCFA 1,182

$1.61 ฿52.6

30.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 FCFA 1,162

$2.41 ฿78.6

-14.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 FCFA 672

$2.08 ฿68.1

-42.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 FCFA 906

$1.53 ฿49.93

5.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 FCFA 822

$1.48 ฿48.36

-1.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 FCFA 324

$0.99 ฿32.29

-42.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 FCFA 562

$0.51 ฿16.67

96.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.73 FCFA 978

$4.41 ฿144

-60.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.78 FCFA 4,954

$19.38 ฿633

-54.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 FCFA 695

$1.78 ฿58.1

-30.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 FCFA 906

$2.71 ฿88.6

-40.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 FCFA 337

$1.37 ฿44.79

-56.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.76 FCFA 10.0K

$11.39 ฿372

55.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 FCFA 365

$3.02 ฿98.6

-78.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 FCFA 215

$0.99 ฿32.48

-61.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 FCFA 3,158

$14.10 ฿461

-60.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 FCFA 761

$1.36 ฿44.51

-0.74%

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

$33.1K FCFA 18.7M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

17.48%

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

$16.2K FCFA 9.1M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-50.88%

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

$79.3 FCFA 44.8K

$122 ฿3,975

-34.82%

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

$21.48 FCFA 12.1K

$13.57 ฿443

58.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.79 FCFA 26.4K

$18.31 ฿598

155.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.01 FCFA 14.7K

$60.2 ฿1,967

-56.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.26 FCFA 4,095

$17.14 ฿560

-57.64%

Cinema Ticket

$6.54 FCFA 3,692

$8.69 ฿284

-24.74%

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

$346 FCFA 195.2K

$693 ฿22.6K

-50.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,832 FCFA 1.0M

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-88.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.69 FCFA 9,419

$59.5 ฿1,944

-71.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.83 FCFA 13.5K

$34.77 ฿1,136

-31.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.67 FCFA 11.1K

$115 ฿3,743

-82.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.2 FCFA 32.9K

$83.3 ฿2,720

-30.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$153 FCFA 86.2K

$613 ฿20.0K

-75.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 FCFA 66.5K

$437 ฿14.3K

-73.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 FCFA 283.7K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-76.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 FCFA 144.6K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-83.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$887 FCFA 500.5K

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-76.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$626 FCFA 353.4K

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-76.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$189 FCFA 106.8K

$508 ฿16.6K

-62.77%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $153 in Yaounde and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 169% 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: $44.00 in Yaounde vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $293 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 74% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Phuket earns 169% less. 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: $153 in Yaounde versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $346 in Yaounde versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $725 in Yaounde versus $1,265 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 74% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.