Cost of living in Cameroon

Compare the cost of your home country to the actual living costs in Cameroon, simply select your home currency and see the difference!

All data is kept up to date by local members and actual students. Our latest update was on: 30th of June 2020

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Food			Price in FCF
12 eggs dozen, large			12.50 XAF
1 beer pint in local shops, markets			7 XAF
1 kg of tomatoes			8.50 XAF
Full chicken 2kg			38.75 XAF
1litre 100% fruit juice			8.50 XAF
1 package of cigarettes imported brands			25 XAF
1 kg (2 lb.) of apples			7.50 XAF
1 bottle of red table wine, good quality			48.95 XAF
2.5 liters of Coca-Cola			0.95 XAF
1 Bread loaf standard			9.50 XAF
Whole fat Yogurt. 500ml			12 XAF
1x6 pack Dardanelle tuna			18.50 XAF
Heinz baked beans 1 tin			8 XAF
1.5 kg Sugar			10 XAF
2 liter cooking oil			20 XAF
Yum-yum noodles per pack			2.00 XAF
1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes			5.50 XAF
1 liter milk			8.50 XAF
Fast food restaurant large serving/ take away			25 XAF
Housing
Utilities per month (water, electricity, gas) for 2 people in flat			165 XAF
Wi-Fi monthly fee 8 Mbps (1 month)			145 XAF
Laundry detergent (bleach, sunlight liquid, washing surf… altogether)			58.50 XAF
House Cleaning fee per day			105 XAF
Large Gas heater price range upwards.			200 XAF
Original branded Electric Fans			200 XAF
Original branded Electric kettle.			120 XAF
40 inches Beko flat screen HD TV set			2000 XAF
Single bed Blankets			120 XAF
Personal Care
Avon for women and men cologne			100 XAF
Ladies hair plaiting.			60 XAF
Ladies Sanitaryware (Pads and Tampoons)			18 XAF
Men's haircut			40 XAF
Ibuprofen, Panadol, Grandpa Pain killers box of 12 dosses			24.50 XAF
Mobile package local network providers’ talk-time, data and messages			65 XAF
1 month of gym subscription.			105 XAF
Earphones original (Samsung. iPhone)			90 XAF
Unisex Loris perfume			30 XAF
Gadgets maintenance and repairs (cellphone, laptops, tablets...) starting price.			100 XAF
Smart phones (Samsung, Xiaomi, HTC, IPhone) price range upwards			1000 XAF
Laptops (Samsung, Lenovo, Hp, Monster, Dell etc.) price range upwards			3000 XAF
Entertainment
Boat cruise with refreshments and finger snacks			120 XAF
Go carting 30mins			120 XAF
Movie House 3d cinema			30 XAF
Summer Festivals (jet, bumper cars, lucky deep ...(per ticket)			15 XAF
Photo shoot			120 XAF
Cappuccino / expresso/ coffee			12.50 XAF
3 course dinner local restaurant two people			96.50 XAF
3 course dinner classy, exotic restaurant two people			150 XAF
Play station 4 console without games.			2000 XAF
Spalding Basketball			200 XAF
Original branded Racket and Wilson’s tennis balls			500 XAF
Transportation
Taxi fare on average 5-10km			45 XAF
Public transport per trip one way maximum fare			30 XAF
1 liter petrol/diesel			6.50 XAF
1 day rent a car cost			140 XAF
Driver’s license			2300 XAF
Clothes
1 pair of jeans (Denim or similar)			150 XAF
1 pair of men’s formal shoes			215 XAF
1 pair original sport/casual shoes (Nike, Adidas, or equivalent brands)			280 XAF
1 classy summer dress (Zara, H&M or similar retailers)			135.79 XAF
Ladies formal shoes original and durable			120 XAF
Back-pack, gym bag (Nike, Adidas, New balance)			150 XAF

The cost of living in Cameroon is relatively lower than in other countries. It is 25.22% lower than in Zimbabwe. Rent in Cameroon is, on average, 31.67% lower than in Zimbabwe.

International Students should be aware that Cameroon operates primarily on a cash system for day-to-day transactions. Credit cards and travelers’ checks are not widely accepted. For students who plan on a long-term stay, it is recommended to open an account in one of Cameroon’s major banks. These will issue debit cards or travelers' cheques that can be used to transact locally

Frequently asked questions:

• How affordable are things in Cameroon?
• Do they offer on-campus accommodation?
• How affordable is the transport?
• What is the general cost of living in Cameroon?

Accommodation

International Students can apply for on-campus accommodation at an added cost on fees paid which is far more affordable than private accommodation. They have access to personal or shared dormitories depending on the institution.

University on-campus dormitories are however very limited and so they are given on a first-come-first-served basis.
Students can however rent a shared flat to share the cost of rentals.

A shared flat costs roughly 102813 which is slightly cheaper than single accommodation. Students should also take note of the town or city zones. Rentals are slightly cheaper outside of the city center while they are price inside the city center.

Rent for a single apartment inside the city center costs about CFA97 333 while it costs about CFA55 000 outside the city center. Some, however, find it more convenient to live within the city center to access all the services they need in one place without having to get into public transport.

To make things easier for you, just go to our RocApply website and click accommodation and get our list of possible accommodation options for you.

Shopping and Groceries

There are various shopping malls and supermarkets which students can choose from for their groceries, appliances, and other accessories. These include Casino Supermarkets, DOW Distribution, Eco Marché Ecoprix, Le Bon Point. Leader Price, Mahima Supermarkets, and Carrefour.

A simple grocery basket containing rice, bread, milk, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, beef, eggs, drinks, and cooking oil cost about CFA 8266. Students can opt to buy ingredients and other provisions and prepare their meals together rather than order food or eat out and cook separately. The pooling of resources makes it more affordable and less costly.

Transport

There are several transport modes that Students can use in Cameroon. Students can simply use taxis which cost about CFA 250 for a one-way ticket or a 1km tariff and about CFA 7500 for a monthly pass which is still quite affordable.

Another option is to rent a car. Students can either rent a car to pick them up and drop them off at their destination or can rent a car for a period as long as a month for convenience.

An extra charge is added for drivers who rent and drop off the rented vehicle in a different location. Buses also operate in major cities and their cost depends on the place of travel and distance to be traveled. Though very unreliable and overcrowded, busses tend to be cheaper than taxis.

Students can travel by train and is a bit faster than the bus system. The main service provider is Cameroon Railways (CAMRAIL). This is a bit efficient as there will not be too much scramble and congestion like on buses so students can travel better.

Tickets can either be first or second class offering a bit more convenience to travelers. Minibusses and bush taxis have no set schedule and leave whenever the vehicle is full which means traveling gets a bit faster.

Medical Insurance

Individual, international health insurance is recommended for international students in Cameroon Medical insurance is a necessity when living in another country.

One of the most important reasons why international Students should get insurance because of the very high cost of healthcare if they are uninsured and living in another country.

Students should also consider the type of cover offered by the Insurer (whether full or partial) before subscribing to that insurer.

Bills and Utilities: Basic utilities like water, electricity, heating, and gas cost at about CFA 86.16 per month while voice calls 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local cost CFA 0.13 per minute.

For your convenience, we have compiled a list of prices for goods and services for students both in the Communaute Financiere Africaine (CFA) and the United States Dollar (US$).

Note: prices may vary depending on the service providers, location, discount deals, and the season.

RocApply tips:

• If you want to travel overnight, the train provides a couchette for overnight travel.
• Pool flats or shared apartments are cheaper than single apartments
• Living or renting closer to campus saves extra costs on transport and saves time as well.
• On-campus accommodation is cheaper but on a first-come-first-served basis so students have to apply in advance.