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: $736 in Yaounde versus $945 in Rio de Janeiro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,190 in Yaounde versus $1,472 in Rio de Janeiro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,644 in Yaounde versus $2,000 in Rio de Janeiro.

Living in Yaounde costs roughly 22% less than in Rio de Janeiro, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Yaounde 45% lower, Rio de Janeiro 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.89 FCFA 2,806

$7.35 R$37.42

-33.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.62 FCFA 25.6K

$35.43 R$180

25.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 FCFA 3,246

$6.28 R$32.00

-10.03%

Cappuccino

$2.73 FCFA 1,566

$1.90 R$9.68

43.68%

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

$1.43 FCFA 819

$1.29 R$6.55

10.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 FCFA 379

$0.91 R$4.64

-27.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 FCFA 664

$1.75 R$8.91

-33.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 FCFA 1,005

$2.73 R$13.92

-35.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.86 FCFA 1,641

$1.13 R$5.75

153.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 FCFA 583

$1.71 R$8.70

-40.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 FCFA 635

$1.43 R$7.26

-22.38%

Eggs

$1.79 FCFA 1,028

$2.04 R$10.38

-12.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.15 FCFA 8,123

$7.74 R$39.43

82.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.11 FCFA 3,510

$3.49 R$17.75

75.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.89 FCFA 3,382

$8.01 R$40.77

-26.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.62 FCFA 2,651

$2.30 R$11.72

100.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 FCFA 1,192

$1.57 R$8.01

32.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 FCFA 1,183

$1.51 R$7.70

36.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 FCFA 711

$1.55 R$7.87

-20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 FCFA 958

$1.24 R$6.34

34.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 FCFA 832

$1.12 R$5.68

29.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 FCFA 328

$0.64 R$3.26

-10.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 FCFA 578

$0.57 R$2.89

77.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.72 FCFA 987

$2.00 R$10.18

-14.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.63 FCFA 4,954

$7.92 R$40.33

8.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 FCFA 734

$1.26 R$6.41

1.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 FCFA 891

$2.05 R$10.43

-24.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 FCFA 349

$1.29 R$6.56

-52.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.38 FCFA 9,981

$39.50 R$201

-56.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 FCFA 346

$1.07 R$5.43

-43.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 FCFA 240

$0.66 R$3.38

-36.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 FCFA 3,319

$7.39 R$37.64

-21.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 FCFA 772

$1.11 R$5.64

20.72%

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

$33.6K FCFA 19.3M

$20.7K R$105.3K

62.54%

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

$15.6K FCFA 9.0M

$27.5K R$140.1K

-43.26%

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

$78.6 FCFA 45.1K

$103 R$524

-23.69%

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

$21.11 FCFA 12.1K

$11.99 R$61.0

76.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.48 FCFA 27.3K

$18.51 R$94.2

156.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.58 FCFA 15.3K

$26.11 R$133

1.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.21 FCFA 4,140

$24.43 R$124

-70.49%

Cinema Ticket

$6.66 FCFA 3,826

$6.34 R$32.27

5.05%

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

$335 FCFA 192.4K

$554 R$2,820

-39.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,827 FCFA 1.0M

$11.8K R$60.0K

-84.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.31 FCFA 9,364

$45.24 R$230

-63.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.04 FCFA 13.8K

$41.69 R$212

-42.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.51 FCFA 11.2K

$76.5 R$389

-74.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.0 FCFA 33.3K

$62.0 R$315

-6.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$149 FCFA 85.4K

$444 R$2,260

-66.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$121 FCFA 69.4K

$326 R$1,657

-62.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 FCFA 285.7K

$847 R$4,311

-41.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$252 FCFA 144.5K

$578 R$2,941

-56.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$866 FCFA 497.3K

$3,657 R$18.6K

-76.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$614 FCFA 352.5K

$1,475 R$7,509

-58.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$184 FCFA 105.9K

$594 R$3,023

-68.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

-47.04%

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

Last update for Yaounde: July 13, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $149 in Yaounde and $444 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 222% 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 $35.00 in Rio de Janeiro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $183 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 28% in total monthly costs ($736 vs $945 including rent). Yaounde is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 222% 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: $149 in Yaounde versus $444 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 $45.00 versus $35.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $736 per month in Yaounde versus $945 in Rio de Janeiro – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Yaounde gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 28% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.