Housing in Douala, is certainly a tough option. The possibility of a
camel moving through the needles eyes is almost certain than getting a good house
in Douala, especially if you are not prepared to stay for about three months to
have your choice. The demand for accommodation in the areas of choice far surpass the
properties that are actually available. Getting a prospective house include the
need for heavy renovations that may be tantamount to re-building the property .
House after house, we experienced complete dissatisfaction. Those that were
good enough, were already taken.
It took an average of 3 months before we could
get a good accommodation which required certain refurbishment which were more
structural and design related than repairs. Most of other buildings we were
shown were old and dilapidated. Areas in Douala include Bonanjo, Bonaprisso,
Akwa, Deido, Bonaloka, Bonamousadi,
Bonaberi , Bassa, Ndokoti etc. For expatriates,
choices are restricted to Bonanjo, and
Bonaprisso because it's safer, its where
most expatriate lives and where good
restaurants are located. Other recommended area is Akwa, a central business
district and residential area.
Property Patrons (Landlords) in Doula do not maintain their properties
in the least way imaginable. They leave it in a state of disrepute and abandonment
and this liability is inherited by prospective occupiers who are most often
than not desperate to make the best out of the bad situation. The rent is also
quite high, as most of them capitalize on the competitive demand for the houses. A service flat can go for as
high as 2milion CFA per month while a Duplex (non-service) can b e between 2.5
-3.5 million CFA depending on the facilities such as playing space, swimming
pools, Garden etc.
Most building walls are covered with tiles and it was easier to
erroneously take this as a show of wealth or a difference in cultural believe.
However my first hand experience of the humidity level created quite an
impression. It was something of a compulsive choice considering the high level
of humidity in Cameroon. The humidity level in Douala is so high that if you travel for a couple of weeks, you will
need someone to help open your house periodically to allow some fresh air in,
otherwise everything will mildew before you arrive. Utility bills especially
for electricity is very high. You pay as much as 300,000.00 CFA if you live in
a whole house or about 160,000.00 CFA if you live in a flat. Water bills are a
bit more manageable but of course if you live on bottled water for drinking, it’s
a lot more expensive
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