Africa · Yaounde
Cost of living in Cameroon
Cameroon is 67% cheaper than the US, ranking #155 of 203 countries we cover for cost of living.
World Bank data through 2024 · last reviewed 2026-06.
What drives the cost here
Price levels by category, where the world average = 100. Above 100 is pricier than the global norm; below it is cheaper.
In Cameroon, communication is the priciest category relative to the world (132), while housing & utilities is the most affordable (24).
Category price levels: World Bank ICP 2021 (world average = 100) · source
What your money is worth here
A $100,000 US lifestyle would cost roughly $33,000 in Cameroon.
Quality of life
55/100 · #160 of 198Beyond cost — health, safety, and connectivity. The score is a transparent, equal-weight composite of the verified metrics below (see methodology).
About Cameroon
Powerful chiefdoms ruled much of the area of present-day Cameroon before it became a German colony known as Kamerun in 1884. After World War I, the territory was divided between France and the UK as League of Nations mandates. French Cameroon became independent in 1960 as the Republic of Cameroon. The following year, the southern portion of neighboring British Cameroon voted to merge with the new country to form the Federal Republic of Cameroon.
Read the full background
In 1972, a new constitution replaced the federation with a unitary state, the United Republic of Cameroon. The country has generally enjoyed stability, which has enabled the development of agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry. Nonetheless, unrest and violence in the country's two western, English-speaking regions have persisted since 2016. Movement toward democratic reform is slow, and political power remains firmly in the hands of President Paul BIYA.
Background from the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived 2026-06-03.
Frequently asked
Is Cameroon expensive to live in?
Cameroon is 67% cheaper than the US, ranking #155 of the 203 countries we track. Its most expensive category relative to the world is communication; housing & utilities costs the least.
How much money do you need to live in Cameroon?
A lifestyle that costs $100,000 in the United States would cost roughly $33,000 in Cameroon, going by overall price levels. The salary translator turns your own figure into a local equivalent.
Is Cameroon cheaper than the United States?
Yes. Its overall price level is 33.2, against 100 for the United States.
What is the quality of life in Cameroon?
Cameroon scores 55 out of 100 on our quality-of-life index (#160 of 198), a composite of life expectancy, safety, health, and connectivity, with life expectancy around 64 years.
Every number, sourced.
We cite the exact source and year for each figure. Derived values are computed at build time, never hand-entered.
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