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: $890 in Bissau versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,401 in Bissau versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,912 in Bissau versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bissau is roughly 3% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bissau 33% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.21 F CFA 2,982

$1.96 ฿65.7

165.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.97 F CFA 14.9K

$18.35 ฿616

41.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.21 F CFA 5,278

$7.48 ฿251

23.13%

Cappuccino

$1.81 F CFA 1,035

$2.02 ฿67.7

-10.40%

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

$1.03 F CFA 591

$0.85 ฿28.45

21.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 F CFA 529

$0.36 ฿11.94

155.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.74 F CFA 427

$2.14 ฿71.7

-65.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 F CFA 1,035

$1.65 ฿55.4

9.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 F CFA 564

$1.57 ฿52.6

-37.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 F CFA 1,183

$1.19 ฿39.95

73.95%

Eggs

$5.17 F CFA 2,963

$1.94 ฿65.0

166.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.82 F CFA 8,489

$16.19 ฿544

-8.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.30 F CFA 8,190

$2.99 ฿100

378.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.96 F CFA 7,996

$10.94 ฿367

27.61%

Apples (1kg)

$4.50 F CFA 2,576

$2.71 ฿91.0

66.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 F CFA 621

$1.17 ฿39.18

-7.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.53 F CFA 2,596

$1.69 ฿56.6

168.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.17 F CFA 95.5

$1.60 ฿53.9

-89.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 F CFA 800

$1.38 ฿46.45

1.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 F CFA 797

$1.20 ฿40.38

15.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.46

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 F CFA 743

$0.56 ฿18.70

132.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

Wine (Bottle)

$7.02 F CFA 4,021

$17.62 ฿591

-60.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 F CFA 758

$1.86 ฿62.4

-29.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 F CFA 496

$3.30 ฿111

-73.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 F CFA 317

$0.88 ฿29.63

-37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.29 F CFA 14.5K

$19.34 ฿649

30.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.82

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.90

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 F CFA 878

$1.22 ฿41.11

25.41%

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

$32.2K F CFA 18.5M

$21.4K ฿716.8K

50.99%

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

$28.5K F CFA 16.3M

$22.5K ฿756.3K

26.59%

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

$107 F CFA 61.3K

$70.7 ฿2,372

51.41%

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

$34.34 F CFA 19.7K

$14.04 ฿471

144.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.48 F CFA 25.5K

$17.49 ฿587

154.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.52 F CFA 24.9K

$42.15 ฿1,415

3.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

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

$751 F CFA 430.3K

$309 ฿10.4K

143.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,344 F CFA 1.3M

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-84.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,872

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿877

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,787

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,365

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 F CFA 253.4K

$432 ฿14.5K

2.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 F CFA 135.7K

$239 ฿8,020

-0.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 F CFA 424.2K

$822 ฿27.6K

-9.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 F CFA 279.1K

$512 ฿17.2K

-4.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,062 F CFA 608.3K

$579 ฿19.4K

83.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Bissau: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $442 in Bissau and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bissau pays 83% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $308 vs $243 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 3% in total monthly costs ($890 vs $861 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 83% higher in Bissau, 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: $442 in Bissau versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $751 in Bissau versus $309 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Bissau. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $890 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 3% less than in Bissau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.