Cost of Living in Yaounde - Updated Prices & Insights

Monthly Cost of Living

Living costs for one person come to about $725 monthly including rent, or $480 excluding housing.

Estimated monthly costs for a couple: $1,195 with rent, or $939 without housing.

Monthly costs for a family of three come to about $1,665 including rent, or $1,397 for daily expenses alone.

Yaounde sits 41–46% below the global median across household types. Within Africa, costs are 29% below average – relatively affordable for the region.

Currency
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🍽 Eating Out
Cost
Range
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.87 FCFA 2,747
$3.54 FCFA 2,000
$8.85 FCFA 4,996
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.99 FCFA 24.8K
$35.20 FCFA 19.9K
$88.0 FCFA 49.7K
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.80 FCFA 3,273
$5.35 FCFA 3,021
$6.25 FCFA 3,530
Cappuccino
$2.59 FCFA 1,463
$0.69 FCFA 392
$4.31 FCFA 2,434
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48 FCFA 834
$0.73 FCFA 411
$3.62 FCFA 2,044
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 FCFA 391
$0.45 FCFA 253
$1.79 FCFA 1,011
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.17 FCFA 661
$1.04 FCFA 589
$2.09 FCFA 1,178
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 FCFA 971
$1.38 FCFA 778
$1.72 FCFA 971
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cost
Range
Milk (1 liter)
$2.83 FCFA 1,600
$2.07 FCFA 1,170
$4.31 FCFA 2,433
White Bread (500g)
$0.99 FCFA 558
$0.36 FCFA 201
$1.79 FCFA 1,013
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.11 FCFA 624
$0.73 FCFA 414
$1.21 FCFA 685
Eggs
$1.83 FCFA 1,034
$1.52 FCFA 860
$2.18 FCFA 1,231
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.96 FCFA 7,882
$6.99 FCFA 3,944
$20.95 FCFA 11.8K
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.32 FCFA 3,568
$3.61 FCFA 2,038
$10.83 FCFA 6,114
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.98 FCFA 3,374
$3.55 FCFA 2,002
$7.09 FCFA 4,004
Apples (1kg)
$4.63 FCFA 2,615
$1.81 FCFA 1,023
$7.27 FCFA 4,103
Banana (1kg)
$2.10 FCFA 1,183
$0.54 FCFA 304
$3.59 FCFA 2,027
Oranges (1kg)
$2.06 FCFA 1,162
$0.85 FCFA 482
$3.09 FCFA 1,743
Tomato (1kg)
$1.19 FCFA 672
$0.87 FCFA 489
$1.73 FCFA 978
Potato (1kg)
$1.61 FCFA 906
$0.86 FCFA 483
$1.71 FCFA 967
Onion (1kg)
$1.46 FCFA 823
$0.87 FCFA 489
$1.73 FCFA 978
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.57 FCFA 324
$0.36 FCFA 203
$0.90 FCFA 509
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.00 FCFA 563
$0.64 FCFA 360
$2.18 FCFA 1,229
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.73 FCFA 978
$1.73 FCFA 978
$1.73 FCFA 978
Wine (Bottle)
$8.78 FCFA 4,955
$4.38 FCFA 2,475
$8.78 FCFA 4,955
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 FCFA 695
$1.13 FCFA 639
$1.39 FCFA 784
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 FCFA 906
$0.90 FCFA 508
$2.71 FCFA 1,529
🚌 Getting Around
Cost
Range
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.60 FCFA 337
$0.51 FCFA 288
$1.53 FCFA 864
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$17.76 FCFA 10.0K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.65 FCFA 365
$0.55 FCFA 312
$0.82 FCFA 466
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.38 FCFA 215
$0.23 FCFA 129
$0.46 FCFA 258
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.60 FCFA 3,159
$4.31 FCFA 2,431
$6.90 FCFA 3,892
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 FCFA 761
$1.27 FCFA 717
$1.46 FCFA 822
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.1K FCFA 18.7M
$31.4K FCFA 17.7M
$34.9K FCFA 19.7M
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$16.2K FCFA 9.1M
$12.6K FCFA 7.1M
$26.9K FCFA 15.2M
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cost
Range
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$79.3 FCFA 44.8K
$70.5 FCFA 39.8K
$88.1 FCFA 49.8K
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.48 FCFA 12.1K
$17.90 FCFA 10.1K
$37.60 FCFA 21.2K
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$46.79 FCFA 26.4K
$43.86 FCFA 24.8K
$52.6 FCFA 29.7K
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cost
Range
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$26.01 FCFA 14.7K
$6.94 FCFA 3,916
$43.34 FCFA 24.5K
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.26 FCFA 4,096
$5.44 FCFA 3,069
$7.26 FCFA 4,096
Cinema Ticket
$6.54 FCFA 3,693
$4.36 FCFA 2,460
$11.34 FCFA 6,398
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cost
Range
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$346 FCFA 195.3K
$44.84 FCFA 25.3K
$647 FCFA 365.2K
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,832 FCFA 1.0M
$536 FCFA 302.6K
$3,127 FCFA 1.8M
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cost
Range
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$16.69 FCFA 9,420
$6.26 FCFA 3,535
$17.87 FCFA 10.1K
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.83 FCFA 13.5K
$8.66 FCFA 4,891
$43.33 FCFA 24.5K
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$19.67 FCFA 11.1K
$12.52 FCFA 7,066
$26.83 FCFA 15.1K
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$58.2 FCFA 32.9K
$17.46 FCFA 9,858
$78.6 FCFA 44.4K
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cost
Range
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$153 FCFA 86.2K
$108 FCFA 60.8K
$269 FCFA 152.1K
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$118 FCFA 66.5K
$69.9 FCFA 39.4K
$437 FCFA 246.4K
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$503 FCFA 283.7K
$320 FCFA 180.8K
$1,957 FCFA 1.1M
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$256 FCFA 144.6K
$177 FCFA 99.8K
$353 FCFA 199.5K
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$887 FCFA 500.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$626 FCFA 353.4K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cost
Range
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$189 FCFA 106.8K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6
-

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

Last update: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Expect to pay about $153 for a central one-bedroom, or $118 outside the center. At 81% of the average salary ($189), rent is manageable but leaves limited room for savings.

Average take-home pay sits at $189, while typical expenses reach $725. The gap means tight budgeting for locals, though expats with foreign income can live comfortably.

Expect to spend about $240 monthly on groceries. Dining out at a mid-range restaurant costs roughly $44.00 for two – broadly in line with the African average.

Public transport is priced at around $17.76 per month – among the cheapest in Africa (average $29.00).

Cost Highlights

Preschool or kindergarten, full day, private, 1 child is more expensive than 98% of cities in Africa

Milk is more expensive than 96% of cities in Africa

Yaounde Median Internet Speeds (Updated April 2026)

Mobile

Download
Mbps
Upload
Mbps
Latency
ms

Fixed Broadband

Download
Mbps
Upload
Mbps
Latency
ms
The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
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Cost of Living in Yaounde - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Yaounde a good value for cost of living for travelers, expats, and digital nomads compared with other regional options?
Yaounde offers a sensible balance for travelers, expats, and digital nomads when evaluating value. You will find a spectrum from affordable guesthouses to comfortable long-stay apartments, with markets, bakeries, and casual eateries offering budget-friendly meals. Relative to some African capitals, the lifestyle emphasizes practicality and access over extravagance. Public transport and ride-hailing are typical, though service quality can vary by district and time of day. If you plan ahead – staying in a walkable neighborhood, securing longer leases to reduce monthly costs, and mixing local dining with occasional outings – you will feel the value in your daily rhythm. Cost of Living in Yaounde, Cameroon helps frame your planning. Tip: Start with a month-long stay in a couple of neighborhoods to test the vibe before committing.
What does daily life look like in Yaounde in terms of housing search, food options, transport, and errands?
Housing options range from walk-up studios near markets to larger apartments in established neighborhoods. Use local agents or trusted platforms, and visit in person to verify water, power, and internet reliability. For daily life, you will find fresh produce at neighborhood markets and affordable street-food options for quick meals. Transport includes minibuses, taxis, and ride-hailing apps, with more traffic near downtown during peak hours. For work, several cafes and coworking spaces offer reliable wifi by day. Errands are easiest when you live within a short walk of groceries, pharmacies, and clinics. Understanding the Yaounde living cost helps you budget for a comfortable apartment, reliable wifi, and regular groceries. Tip: Map a couple of neighborhoods with easy access to both groceries and transit before you commit.
How can you balance quality of life with budgeting and seasonal changes to fit your preferred neighborhood?
Quality of life in Yaounde hinges on choosing a neighborhood that matches your pace and access needs. Use a simple budgeting framework: allocate rent and utilities first, then groceries, transport, and a modest leisure allowance. Consider the seasonal shifts – cooler evenings can be pleasant, while the rainy season affects road conditions and travel times. To save, share accommodation with a partner or flatmates, cook at home with local ingredients, and choose ride-shares or buses for longer commutes. Neighborhood fit matters: look for areas with reliable internet, nearby markets, safe sidewalks, and easy access to parks or cafes for breaks. Tip: give yourself time to test two neighborhoods during different days and weather.
What makes Yaounde a budget-friendly city to live in?
Compared to most cities worldwide, Yaounde is just cheap – all-in costs average $725 monthly. Both housing and daily necessities sit below the international median, which explains its popularity with budget travelers, nomads, and locals on modest incomes.
How affordable is daily life in Yaounde?
Your money goes further in Yaounde than in most cities its size. Expect to spend roughly $725 per month with housing included – groceries, transport, and eating out are all priced well below what you'd pay in comparable urban centers.
Is the average income in Yaounde enough to cover living costs and save?
At $189 take-home, most residents in Yaounde can cover the $725 monthly cost of living. Those earning $1,088 or more have room to save; below-average earners will find things noticeably tighter.
How much should I budget for housing in Yaounde?
Where you live in Yaounde makes all the difference. Central one-bedrooms cost about $153; commute-friendly outer districts come in around $118. Overall, the market runs from $118 to $153 depending on size, location, and apartment condition.
What does commuting cost in Yaounde?
A monthly transit pass in Yaounde goes for roughly $17.76, which is one of the lighter items on a monthly budget. Coverage across residential and business areas is solid, and most residents without a car rely on it daily.
What are kindergarten prices in Yaounde?
Childcare averages $346 monthly at a private kindergarten in Yaounde. For many families, this single cost rivals rent, so it's essential to factor in before making a move.
Is $1,000 enough to live comfortably in Yaounde?
$1,000 stretches far in Yaounde – all-in monthly costs average only $725. The surplus means you can build savings, travel a bit, and live above the local average without much effort.
Is Yaounde expat-friendly?
Expats in Yaounde enjoy vibrant nightlife, wellness scene, café culture, and monthly costs average around $725. The international crowd is active and welcoming, and practical stuff – bank accounts, apartment hunting, healthcare – is all manageable with some basic prep.
Is it possible to save on a local salary in Yaounde?
Monthly expenses in Yaounde run around $725, so putting money aside takes more than $1,088 in income. Keeping housing costs low and avoiding lifestyle creep are the keys to building a decent savings rate here.
Can you backpack through Yaounde cheaply?
Budget travelers love Yaounde – low prices across accommodation, food, and transport make it one of the most backpacker-friendly cities around. Long-stay costs come to just $725 monthly; short-term visitors can get by on even less with hostels and local food.

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