Get all the data you need about the real estate market in Cameroon
We update this blog post regularly so the data you see here always reflects current market conditions.
Cameroon's rental market is one of the most active in Central Africa, with strong urban demand concentrated in Douala, Yaounde, Buea, and Limbe.
If you know where to look, residential rental yields in Cameroon can be surprisingly attractive, especially in mid-market neighborhoods where purchase prices stay accessible.
And if you're planning to buy a property in Cameroon, you may want to download our real estate pack about Cameroon.
Fact-checked and reviewed by our local expert
Cedella Besong 🇨🇲
Co-Founder & CEO, CFB Holding
A quick summary table
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Cameroon neighborhood with best rental yield | Molyko, Buea (student studio, 10.2% gross) |
| Cameroon neighborhood with weakest rental yield | Bastos, Yaounde (3-bedroom apartment, 7.0% gross / 4.1% net) |
| Average gross yield across Cameroon | ~8.6% |
| Average net yield across Cameroon | ~6.0% |
| Median purchase price in surveyed Cameroon neighborhoods | ~XAF 24,000,000 |
| Average monthly rent in Cameroon | ~XAF 196,000 |
| Average occupancy rate | ~90% |
| Fastest leasing market in Cameroon | Molyko, Buea (student studio, avg. 8 days to rent) |
| Slowest leasing market in Cameroon | Bastos, Yaounde (3-bedroom, avg. 23 days to rent) |
| Highest occupancy Cameroon neighborhood | Molyko, Buea (student studio, 95% occupancy) |
| Best value high-yield segment in Cameroon | Studio and 1-bedroom apartments in Molyko, Emana, and Bonamoussadi |
| Yield gap between top and bottom Cameroon segments | ~3.2 percentage points (gross), ~4.0 points (net) |
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Cameroon neighborhoods and property types in 2026 ranked by rental yield
This table ranks the top neighborhoods and property types in Cameroon by gross rental yield.
For each neighborhood and property type, the table includes average purchase price, average monthly rent, gross rental yield, net rental yield, annual fees, average occupancy, average time to rent, main rental demand, main risk, and investment profile.
By the way, you'll find much more detailed data in our real estate pack about Cameroon.
| # | Neighborhood | Property type | Gross rental yield | Net rental yield | Average purchase price | Average monthly rent | Ownership annual fees | Average occupancy | Average time to rent | Main rental demand | Main risk | Rental Investment Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Molyko (Buea) | Student studio | 10.2% | 8.1% | XAF 11,500,000 | XAF 98,000 | XAF 230,000 | 95% | 8 days | University students | Semester vacancy swings | Top Pick |
| 2 | Emana (Yaounde) | Studio apartment | 10.0% | 7.8% | XAF 12,000,000 | XAF 100,000 | XAF 260,000 | 93% | 10 days | Young salaried tenants | Access-road quality issues | Top Pick |
| 3 | Odza (Yaounde) | Studio apartment | 10.0% | 7.7% | XAF 11,800,000 | XAF 98,000 | XAF 270,000 | 92% | 11 days | Airport-area workers | Weaker off-road micro-locations | Top Pick |
| 4 | Bonamoussadi (Douala) | Studio apartment | 9.9% | 7.5% | XAF 14,500,000 | XAF 120,000 | XAF 320,000 | 92% | 10 days | Young professionals | Oversupply in new builds | Strong Potential |
| 5 | Akwa (Douala) | Studio apartment | 9.7% | 7.1% | XAF 15,500,000 | XAF 125,000 | XAF 420,000 | 90% | 12 days | Downtown service workers | Noise and mixed-use wear | Strong Potential |
| 6 | Makepe (Douala) | Studio apartment | 9.4% | 7.2% | XAF 15,000,000 | XAF 118,000 | XAF 310,000 | 92% | 11 days | Young office workers | Local infrastructure unevenness | Strong Potential |
| 7 | Molyko (Buea) | 1-bedroom apartment | 9.3% | 7.3% | XAF 16,500,000 | XAF 128,000 | XAF 300,000 | 94% | 9 days | Lecturers and couples | Student-cycle demand shifts | Strong Potential |
| 8 | Emana (Yaounde) | 2-bedroom apartment | 9.3% | 7.0% | XAF 22,000,000 | XAF 170,000 | XAF 380,000 | 92% | 12 days | Small families | Water and power backup costs | Strong Potential |
| 9 | Odza (Yaounde) | 2-bedroom apartment | 9.2% | 6.8% | XAF 22,500,000 | XAF 172,000 | XAF 400,000 | 91% | 13 days | Airport and service workers | Transport dependence | Good Potential |
| 10 | Bonamoussadi (Douala) | 2-bedroom apartment | 9.0% | 6.6% | XAF 24,000,000 | XAF 180,000 | XAF 450,000 | 91% | 12 days | Couples and small families | Tenant bargaining pressure | Good Potential |
| 11 | Makepe (Douala) | 2-bedroom apartment | 8.9% | 6.6% | XAF 23,500,000 | XAF 175,000 | XAF 430,000 | 91% | 12 days | Couples and junior managers | Uneven building quality | Good Potential |
| 12 | Nlongkak (Yaounde) | Studio apartment | 8.8% | 6.7% | XAF 14,000,000 | XAF 103,000 | XAF 320,000 | 91% | 13 days | Central-city professionals | Older stock maintenance | Good Potential |
| 13 | Mile 4 (Limbe) | 1-bedroom apartment | 8.7% | 6.3% | XAF 18,000,000 | XAF 130,000 | XAF 360,000 | 89% | 16 days | Oil and service workers | Localized demand volatility | Good Potential |
| 14 | Akwa (Douala) | 1-bedroom apartment | 8.5% | 6.0% | XAF 20,000,000 | XAF 142,000 | XAF 480,000 | 89% | 14 days | Central business employees | Traffic and parking friction | Good Potential |
| 15 | Emana (Yaounde) | 3-bedroom apartment | 8.4% | 6.0% | XAF 32,000,000 | XAF 225,000 | XAF 620,000 | 90% | 14 days | Middle-income families | Building-service inconsistency | Good Potential |
| 16 | Odza (Yaounde) | 3-bedroom house | 8.4% | 5.8% | XAF 35,000,000 | XAF 245,000 | XAF 760,000 | 88% | 16 days | Airport-linked families | Maintenance cost drift | Good Potential |
| 17 | Nlongkak (Yaounde) | 2-bedroom apartment | 8.4% | 6.0% | XAF 25,000,000 | XAF 175,000 | XAF 520,000 | 90% | 14 days | Ministry and NGO staff | Aging apartment stock | Good Potential |
| 18 | Molyko (Buea) | 2-bedroom apartment | 8.3% | 6.2% | XAF 23,000,000 | XAF 160,000 | XAF 420,000 | 92% | 10 days | Lecturers and young families | Demand softens off-term | Good Potential |
| 19 | Mile 4 (Limbe) | 2-bedroom apartment | 8.2% | 5.8% | XAF 27,000,000 | XAF 185,000 | XAF 560,000 | 88% | 17 days | Corporate tenants | Slower reletting in weak months | Good Potential |
| 20 | Makepe (Douala) | 3-bedroom apartment | 8.1% | 5.7% | XAF 31,000,000 | XAF 210,000 | XAF 650,000 | 89% | 15 days | Families near schools | Service-charge creep | Good Potential |
| 21 | Bonamoussadi (Douala) | 3-bedroom apartment | 8.1% | 5.6% | XAF 32,000,000 | XAF 215,000 | XAF 690,000 | 88% | 16 days | Established local families | Rising competition from new stock | Moderate Appeal |
| 22 | Akwa (Douala) | 2-bedroom apartment | 7.9% | 5.3% | XAF 28,000,000 | XAF 185,000 | XAF 700,000 | 87% | 17 days | Shared downtown households | Mixed-use tenant turnover | Moderate Appeal |
| 23 | Nlongkak (Yaounde) | 3-bedroom apartment | 7.8% | 5.3% | XAF 36,000,000 | XAF 235,000 | XAF 820,000 | 88% | 16 days | Established urban families | Older-building capital repairs | Moderate Appeal |
| 24 | Mile 4 (Limbe) | 3-bedroom house | 7.7% | 5.0% | XAF 42,000,000 | XAF 270,000 | XAF 1,000,000 | 86% | 20 days | Families and managers | Higher repair frequency | Moderate Appeal |
| 25 | Bonapriso (Douala) | 1-bedroom apartment | 7.6% | 5.2% | XAF 34,000,000 | XAF 215,000 | XAF 900,000 | 90% | 14 days | Expatriates and executives | Premium tenant negotiation | Good Potential |
| 26 | Bastos (Yaounde) | Studio apartment | 7.4% | 4.9% | XAF 26,000,000 | XAF 160,000 | XAF 850,000 | 88% | 18 days | Embassy interns and consultants | High finish-upkeep costs | Moderate Appeal |
| 27 | Bonapriso (Douala) | 2-bedroom apartment | 7.4% | 4.8% | XAF 52,000,000 | XAF 320,000 | XAF 1,450,000 | 89% | 16 days | Expatriate couples | Service-charge inflation | Moderate Appeal |
| 28 | Bastos (Yaounde) | 2-bedroom apartment | 7.3% | 4.6% | XAF 48,000,000 | XAF 290,000 | XAF 1,500,000 | 87% | 19 days | Diplomats and senior managers | Narrower tenant pool | Moderate Appeal |
| 29 | Bastos (Yaounde) | 3-bedroom apartment | 7.0% | 4.1% | XAF 72,000,000 | XAF 420,000 | XAF 2,300,000 | 85% | 23 days | Diplomatic families | Vacancy risk at top rents | Moderate Appeal |
| 30 | Bonapriso (Douala) | 3-bedroom apartment | 6.9% | 4.1% | XAF 78,000,000 | XAF 450,000 | XAF 2,350,000 | 86% | 22 days | Multinational executives | Slower reletting at premium rents | Moderate Appeal |
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Key insights about rental yields in Cameroon
Insights
- Molyko in Buea stands out as Cameroon's clearest high-yield opportunity: student studios there reach 10.2% gross and rent in an average of 8 days, making it one of the fastest leasing markets in the country.
- In Cameroon, the gap between gross yield and net yield is much wider in luxury neighborhoods. Bonapriso's 3-bedroom apartments go from 6.9% gross to just 4.1% net, a drop of nearly 3 full percentage points due to high ownership costs.
- Douala's mid-market neighborhoods (Bonamoussadi, Makepe, Akwa) consistently beat Douala's premium neighborhoods on net yield, with studios and 1-beds in those areas reaching 6.6% to 7.5% net versus 4.1% to 5.2% for Bonapriso.
- Yaounde's Emana and Odza neighborhoods are underrated by many investors who focus on Bastos. Emana studios yield 10.0% gross versus Bastos studios at 7.4%, yet both sit in the same capital city.
- Gross yields above 9% in Cameroon are exclusively found in studios and small apartments priced below XAF 16,500,000. Once you go above that price point, no property in the dataset clears the 9% gross threshold.
- Bastos and Bonapriso have the highest rents in the dataset but also the highest fees. Annual ownership costs for a Bonapriso 3-bedroom reach XAF 2,350,000, versus just XAF 230,000 for a Molyko studio, a 10x difference in recurring costs.
- Occupancy rates across Cameroon are surprisingly resilient even in non-premium areas: Odza, Makepe, and Bonamoussadi all maintain 91% to 92% occupancy, which points to deep structural rental demand in those neighborhoods.
- The average time to rent in Cameroon's mid-market neighborhoods is 10 to 13 days, which is relatively fast and suggests a landlord-friendly market for well-priced, accessible properties.
- Limbe (Mile 4) shows decent yields, but it takes 16 to 20 days on average to rent there, noticeably longer than Douala or Yaounde mid-market areas. That slower pace translates directly into higher vacancy risk for Limbe landlords.
- Nlongkak in Yaounde is a steady option for first-time landlords: it attracts ministry and NGO staff, has 90% to 91% occupancy, and offers yields of 7.8% to 8.8% gross without the volatility of student-driven or expat-driven markets.
- Across all Cameroon neighborhoods surveyed, 2-bedroom apartments tend to offer a better net yield per franc invested than 3-bedroom apartments in the same neighborhood, because purchase prices rise faster than rents as you scale up unit size.
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About our methodology
There is no official, neighborhood-by-neighborhood rental price database for Cameroon. No single government agency or private institution publishes verified, regularly updated yield data at the district level for Douala, Yaounde, Buea, or Limbe. That means any serious analysis of Cameroon's rental market requires triangulating multiple sources and being transparent about the process.
We also believe it is important to show our reasoning. It is one of the ways we make our work solid, transparent, and rigorous, just as you will see in our real estate pack about Cameroon.
First, please note that this data is updated regularly, so what you see here reflects the current values as of today.
In order to get reliable data, we applied a strict source filter. We only used authoritative, verifiable sources, not random listings or unsupported figures. More on that point below.
For each neighborhood and property type, we then aggregated the freshest purchase price and monthly rent data available from active Cameroon property marketplaces. When possible, we cross-checked multiple platforms to confirm the same price range.
This allowed us to estimate rental yield before costs. That is the gross yield, based on annual rent versus purchase price.
We then estimated rental yield after costs. That is the net yield, after recurring ownership and operating expenses specific to Cameroon.
These expenses vary meaningfully by Cameroon neighborhood. That is why two areas with similar rents can still produce different net returns.
For example, Douala's central districts like Akwa carry higher maintenance costs from mixed-use wear and tenant turnover, while newer Bonamoussadi buildings can face rising service charges. In Buea's Molyko, student-driven semester cycles affect vacancy patterns in ways that don't apply to Yaounde's more stable workforce neighborhoods.
We also estimated annual ownership fees by combining the main recurring costs for each type of property in Cameroon. This includes items such as property taxes, insurance, building maintenance allowances, and where relevant, local service charges. These were adjusted by neighborhood and property type, not applied as a flat rate across all of Cameroon.
This table should therefore be read as a structured market estimate, not as an exact guarantee of future performance. Honesty, quality, and rigor are at the core of our work, and they are also what you will find in our real estate pack about Cameroon.
What sources have we used to write this blog article?
Whether it's in our blog articles or the market analyses included in our real estate pack about Cameroon, we rely on verifiable sources and a transparent methodology.
We also aim to be fully transparent, so below we've listed the authoritative sources we used, and explained how we used them and the methods behind our estimates.
| Source | Why it's reliable | How we used it |
|---|---|---|
| National Institute of Statistics (INS) Cameroon | It is Cameroon's official statistics agency, the primary reference for national economic data. | We used it as the base for inflation and national pricing context. We relied on it to anchor our 2026 price estimates after the 2022 to 2024 inflation cycle in Cameroon. |
| INS Annual Inflation Report 2024 | It is a detailed official publication with methodology, national price breakdowns, and household cost analysis for Cameroon. | We used it to adjust older listing prices into a March 2026 frame. We also used it to understand how transport and household costs affect rental affordability in different Cameroon cities. |
| World Bank Cameroon Economic Update 2025 | The World Bank is a leading multilateral institution with transparent country-level economic analysis. | We used it for macro context on growth, inflation direction, and household purchasing power in Cameroon. We used that to avoid overestimating rents in weaker-demand segments of the market. |
| CAHF Housing Rental Market Study, Cameroon | CAHF is a recognized Africa-wide housing finance research institution with Cameroon-specific field research. | We used it to anchor the core structure of Cameroon's rental market, including strong urban demand, affordability pressure, and non-payment risk. We also used it to calibrate our occupancy and owner-risk assumptions by neighborhood type. |
| CAHF Cameroon Housing Profile 2024 | CAHF's country yearbook is a widely referenced source for African housing market benchmarks and urbanization data. | We used it for national housing cost benchmarks and urbanization context. We used those benchmarks to sanity-check purchase price estimates across Douala, Yaounde, Buea, and Limbe. |
| Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (MINHDU) | It is Cameroon's national housing ministry and the official body overseeing urban development policy. | We used it to validate the policy context and the state of formal housing supply in Cameroon. We also used it to confirm that formal housing supply remains limited relative to urban demand in major cities. |
| Keur-Immo Cameroon | It is one of the most active dedicated property listing platforms for the Cameroon market. | We used it to collect current asking rents and sale prices by neighborhood and property type across Douala, Yaounde, Buea, and Limbe. We also used it to identify which property formats appear most frequently in active listings. |
| BBOYO Real Estate Cameroon | It is a dedicated Cameroon real estate marketplace with live listings across the main urban centers. | We used it to cross-check asking prices and rents from a second active marketplace. We also used it to validate which property types are most common in Yaounde, Douala, Buea, and Limbe. |
| Cari Immo Cameroon | It aggregates a large volume of Cameroon property listings, making it useful for understanding search intensity across neighborhoods. | We used it to identify which Cameroon neighborhoods show up most often in active search activity. We treated it as a popularity signal rather than a standalone pricing source. |
| Afrirentals Cameroon | It is an established regional property marketplace with rental listings and market summaries covering Cameroon. | We used it to identify the most market-visible residential areas and common property formats in Cameroon. We also used it as a cross-check on broad rent bands across cities. |
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