Cost of Living Comparison Between Yaounde and Rio de Janeiro Cost of Living Comparison Between Yaounde and Rio de Janeiro

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $829 in Yaounde versus $1,205 in Rio de Janeiro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,260 in Yaounde versus $1,748 in Rio de Janeiro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,690 in Yaounde versus $2,292 in Rio de Janeiro.

Living in Yaounde costs roughly 31% less than in Rio de Janeiro, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Yaounde 40% lower, Rio de Janeiro 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.61 FCFA 2,033

$8.50 R$43.35

-57.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 FCFA 30.3K

$38.02 R$194

41.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 FCFA 2,959

$7.62 R$38.85

-31.10%

Cappuccino

$2.04 FCFA 1,150

$2.24 R$11.43

-8.93%

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

$1.53 FCFA 860

$1.56 R$7.93

-1.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 FCFA 304

$1.04 R$5.29

-48.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.24 FCFA 701

$2.27 R$11.57

-45.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 FCFA 990

$3.31 R$16.86

-46.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.80 FCFA 2,142

$1.11 R$5.65

242.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 FCFA 628

$1.96 R$9.99

-43.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 FCFA 746

$1.33 R$6.77

-0.75%

Eggs

$2.16 FCFA 1,216

$2.22 R$11.32

-2.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.28 FCFA 8,049

$10.35 R$52.8

37.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.03 FCFA 3,401

$4.32 R$22.04

39.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.77 FCFA 3,818

$9.42 R$48.04

-28.13%

Apples (1kg)

$5.26 FCFA 2,964

$2.64 R$13.46

99.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 FCFA 1,189

$1.72 R$8.79

22.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 FCFA 1,225

$1.52 R$7.76

42.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 FCFA 828

$1.79 R$9.11

-17.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 FCFA 953

$1.23 R$6.25

37.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 FCFA 810

$1.03 R$5.28

39.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 FCFA 633

$0.70 R$3.56

60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 FCFA 385

$0.63 R$3.21

7.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.73 FCFA 976

$2.91 R$14.82

-40.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.96 FCFA 5,051

$7.84 R$39.97

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 FCFA 801

$1.10 R$5.62

29.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 FCFA 1,152

$2.56 R$13.04

-20.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 FCFA 340

$1.00 R$5.09

-40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.94 FCFA 10.1K

$48.98 R$250

-63.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 FCFA 359

$1.19 R$6.06

-46.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 FCFA 242

$0.88 R$4.47

-51.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.23 FCFA 3,514

$8.97 R$45.76

-30.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 FCFA 832

$1.26 R$6.42

17.46%

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

$33.6K FCFA 18.9M

$23.3K R$119.1K

43.92%

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

$22.3K FCFA 12.6M

$32.2K R$164.3K

-30.85%

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

$82.1 FCFA 46.3K

$132 R$672

-37.63%

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

$18.00 FCFA 10.1K

$10.95 R$55.9

64.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.9 FCFA 29.8K

$21.95 R$112

141.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.24 FCFA 13.7K

$28.50 R$145

-14.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.33 FCFA 4,129

$30.26 R$154

-75.78%

Cinema Ticket

$8.66 FCFA 4,879

$7.80 R$39.80

11.03%

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

$642 FCFA 361.9K

$538 R$2,743

19.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,469 FCFA 1.4M

$12.8K R$65.3K

-80.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.46 FCFA 9,841

$40.62 R$207

-57.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.15 FCFA 15.9K

$46.36 R$236

-39.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.92 FCFA 15.2K

$69.7 R$355

-61.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.6 FCFA 32.5K

$64.6 R$330

-10.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$147 FCFA 82.6K

$828 R$4,222

-82.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 FCFA 107.6K

$467 R$2,384

-59.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 FCFA 231.5K

$1,264 R$6,444

-67.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 FCFA 122.3K

$723 R$3,687

-69.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$888 FCFA 500.8K

$4,042 R$20.6K

-78.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$621 FCFA 349.9K

$1,511 R$7,707

-58.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$192 FCFA 108.4K

$613 R$3,127

-68.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

8.97%

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

Last update for Yaounde: August 29, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $147 in Yaounde and $828 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 219% 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 $38.00 in Rio de Janeiro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $261 vs $207 per month, with Rio de Janeiro 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 Rio de Janeiro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yaounde and Rio de Janeiro differ by about 45% in total monthly costs ($829 vs $1,205 including rent). Yaounde is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 219% lower in Rio de Janeiro. 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 $828 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Yaounde – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $38.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $829 per month in Yaounde versus $1,205 in Rio de Janeiro – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $829 in Yaounde versus $1,205 in Rio de Janeiro, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Yaounde but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Yaounde the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Yaounde gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.