Relocation intelligence
🇨🇲 Moving to Cameroon: tax, residency and cost of living
Cameroon taxes individuals on a broadly territorial basis through the IRPP, with a top rate of 38.5% including the council surtax. At an income equal to EUR 54,000 the effective burden is around 25% including 4.2% CNPS. VAT is 19.25% and corporate tax is 33%. The CFA franc is fixed to the euro at 655.957.
Thinking of moving to Cameroon? Here is the tax, residency, property and quality-of-life picture in plain numbers, with sources.
Key facts
- Top income tax
- 38.5%
- Corporate tax
- 33%
- Capital gains
- 16.5%
- Wealth tax
- No
- Inheritance tax
- No
- Cost of living index
- 42
- Safety
- 4/10
- Internet quality
- 4/10
- Visa-free destinations
- 53
- Foreigners can own property
- No
- Residency in
- 6 months
- Citizenship in
- 5 years
Taxes
IRPP rises to 38.5% including the council surtax. At an equivalent of EUR 54,000 the effective burden is around 25% including 4.2% CNPS. The system is broadly territorial. VAT is 19.25% and corporate tax is 33%.
Residency and visas
Naturalization is possible after about 5 years of residence. Residence permits are assessed case by case.
Property ownership
Foreign land ownership is heavily restricted and requires presidential authorization. Long leases are the common route.
Cost of living and quality of life
Cameroon is known as Africa in miniature, from coast and mountains to savanna. The country is bilingual, French and English. Note insecurity in the Anglophone regions and Boko Haram issues in the Far North.
Passport and mobility
The Cameroonian passport is weak, with a mobility score around 53. Travel outside Africa generally requires a visa in advance.
Why people move to Cameroon
Euro-pegged currency
The CFA franc is fixed to the euro at 655.957. That gives exchange rate stability for those coming from the eurozone.
Africa in miniature
From tropical coast to volcanic mountains and savanna, with French and English as working languages. The diversity makes settling versatile.
Honest trade-offs
- Buitenlands grondbezit vereist presidentiële toestemming, waardoor directe eigendom in de praktijk zeldzaam is.
- Het Kameroense paspoort geeft toegang tot ongeveer 53 bestemmingen, wat visumvrij reizen sterk beperkt.
- Aanhoudende onveiligheid in de Engelstalige regio's en Boko Haram-aanslagen in het Verre Noorden beperken de bewegingsvrijheid.
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