Cost of Living Comparison Between Bissau and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Bissau and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $885 in Bissau versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,396 in Bissau versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,907 in Bissau versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bissau is roughly 2% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bissau 34% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.40 F CFA 3,047

$1.94 ฿63.5

178.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.15 F CFA 14.7K

$18.64 ฿609

40.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.64 F CFA 5,436

$7.82 ฿255

23.27%

Cappuccino

$1.72 F CFA 968

$1.95 ฿63.8

-11.79%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 F CFA 584

$0.85 ฿27.77

21.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 F CFA 483

$0.35 ฿11.58

145.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.70 F CFA 393

$2.13 ฿69.6

-67.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 F CFA 984

$1.71 ฿56.0

1.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 F CFA 557

$1.63 ฿53.2

-39.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 F CFA 1,215

$1.14 ฿37.15

89.47%

Eggs

$5.30 F CFA 2,990

$1.93 ฿63.1

174.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.48 F CFA 8,164

$16.21 ฿530

-10.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.85 F CFA 7,813

$3.12 ฿102

343.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.17 F CFA 7,990

$10.90 ฿356

30.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.28 F CFA 2,413

$2.75 ฿90.0

55.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 F CFA 583

$1.21 ฿39.52

-14.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 F CFA 2,469

$1.62 ฿53.0

170.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.17 F CFA 95.3

$1.59 ฿51.8

-89.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 F CFA 773

$1.40 ฿45.70

-2.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 F CFA 805

$1.17 ฿38.17

22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 F CFA 738

$0.53 ฿17.22

147.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

Wine (Bottle)

$7.29 F CFA 4,111

$18.66 ฿609

-60.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 F CFA 742

$1.80 ฿58.8

-26.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 F CFA 502

$3.23 ฿106

-72.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 F CFA 309

$0.90 ฿29.26

-38.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.50 F CFA 14.4K

$19.21 ฿628

32.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 F CFA 852

$1.27 ฿41.58

18.90%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$32.1K F CFA 18.1M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

51.09%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$29.1K F CFA 16.4M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

30.84%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$106 F CFA 60.0K

$69.1 ฿2,256

54.13%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$34.88 F CFA 19.7K

$14.08 ฿460

147.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.80 F CFA 25.3K

$18.00 ฿588

148.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 F CFA 25.2K

$41.06 ฿1,341

9.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$771 F CFA 434.6K

$299 ฿9,766

157.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,262 F CFA 1.3M

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-84.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 F CFA 246.7K

$428 ฿14.0K

2.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 F CFA 133.7K

$237 ฿7,752

-0.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 F CFA 413.3K

$801 ฿26.2K

-8.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 F CFA 272.6K

$515 ฿16.8K

-6.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,059 F CFA 597.1K

$617 ฿20.2K

71.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bissau: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Bissau and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bissau pays 71% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $26.00 in Bissau vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $304 vs $246 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bissau vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bissau and Chiang Mai differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($885 vs $866 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bissau pays 71% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $437 in Bissau versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $771 in Bissau versus $299 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Bissau. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $885 in Bissau, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Bissau. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Bissau and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Bissau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.