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: $725 in Yaounde versus $960 in Rio de Janeiro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,195 in Yaounde versus $1,479 in Rio de Janeiro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,665 in Yaounde versus $1,997 in Rio de Janeiro.

Living in Yaounde costs roughly 24% less than in Rio de Janeiro, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Yaounde 46% lower, Rio de Janeiro 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.87 FCFA 2,747

$7.20 R$36.46

-32.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.99 FCFA 24.8K

$35.52 R$180

23.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.80 FCFA 3,272

$6.44 R$32.63

-9.94%

Cappuccino

$2.59 FCFA 1,463

$1.97 R$9.99

31.47%

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

$1.48 FCFA 834

$1.27 R$6.45

16.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 FCFA 391

$0.90 R$4.55

-23.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 FCFA 661

$1.76 R$8.94

-33.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 FCFA 970

$2.68 R$13.59

-35.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.83 FCFA 1,600

$1.16 R$5.89

143.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 FCFA 558

$1.70 R$8.60

-41.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 FCFA 624

$1.41 R$7.15

-21.28%

Eggs

$1.83 FCFA 1,034

$2.00 R$10.12

-8.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 FCFA 7,881

$8.05 R$40.75

73.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 FCFA 3,567

$3.62 R$18.32

74.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.98 FCFA 3,374

$8.20 R$41.53

-27.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.63 FCFA 2,615

$2.40 R$12.14

92.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 FCFA 1,182

$1.58 R$8.00

32.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 FCFA 1,162

$1.49 R$7.56

38.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 FCFA 672

$1.56 R$7.90

-23.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 FCFA 906

$1.30 R$6.60

23.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 FCFA 822

$1.10 R$5.58

32.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 FCFA 324

$0.68 R$3.46

-16.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 FCFA 562

$0.58 R$2.93

72.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.73 FCFA 978

$1.95 R$9.87

-11.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.78 FCFA 4,954

$8.73 R$44.20

0.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 FCFA 695

$1.21 R$6.15

1.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 FCFA 906

$2.15 R$10.90

-25.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 FCFA 337

$1.23 R$6.23

-51.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.76 FCFA 10.0K

$39.30 R$199

-54.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 FCFA 365

$1.11 R$5.63

-41.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 FCFA 215

$0.71 R$3.61

-46.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 FCFA 3,158

$7.37 R$37.33

-24.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 FCFA 761

$1.07 R$5.43

26.17%

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

$33.1K FCFA 18.7M

$20.4K R$103.1K

62.77%

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

$16.2K FCFA 9.1M

$27.1K R$137.2K

-40.36%

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

$79.3 FCFA 44.8K

$104 R$526

-23.58%

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

$21.48 FCFA 12.1K

$12.18 R$61.7

76.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.79 FCFA 26.4K

$18.70 R$94.7

150.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.01 FCFA 14.7K

$25.68 R$130

1.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.26 FCFA 4,095

$24.37 R$123

-70.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.54 FCFA 3,692

$6.60 R$33.44

-0.91%

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

$346 FCFA 195.2K

$542 R$2,744

-36.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,832 FCFA 1.0M

$11.8K R$59.8K

-84.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.69 FCFA 9,419

$44.23 R$224

-62.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.83 FCFA 13.5K

$41.91 R$212

-43.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.67 FCFA 11.1K

$76.8 R$389

-74.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.2 FCFA 32.9K

$62.0 R$314

-6.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$153 FCFA 86.2K

$438 R$2,220

-65.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 FCFA 66.5K

$331 R$1,674

-64.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 FCFA 283.7K

$838 R$4,246

-40.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 FCFA 144.6K

$569 R$2,883

-54.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$887 FCFA 500.5K

$3,356 R$17.0K

-73.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$626 FCFA 353.4K

$1,389 R$7,032

-54.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$189 FCFA 106.8K

$548 R$2,775

-65.49%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $153 in Yaounde and $438 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 190% 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 $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $188 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 32% in total monthly costs ($725 vs $960 including rent). Yaounde is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Rio de Janeiro earns 190% 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 $438 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 $44.00 versus $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $725 per month in Yaounde versus $960 in Rio de Janeiro – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $725 in Yaounde versus $960 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 32% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.