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: $855 in Bissau versus $947 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,378 in Bissau versus $1,411 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Bissau versus $1,874 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bissau costs roughly 10% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bissau 38% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.17 F CFA 2,920

$2.08 ฿68.5

148.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.03 F CFA 15.3K

$19.64 ฿646

37.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.20 F CFA 5,190

$5.65 ฿186

62.83%

Cappuccino

$1.76 F CFA 992

$1.81 ฿59.3

-2.76%

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

$1.04 F CFA 585

$0.71 ฿23.44

46.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 F CFA 482

$0.32 ฿10.38

165.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.67 F CFA 381

$2.24 ฿73.5

-70.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 F CFA 969

$1.96 ฿64.4

-12.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 F CFA 529

$1.50 ฿49.38

-37.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 F CFA 1,224

$1.34 ฿43.92

61.94%

Eggs

$5.35 F CFA 3,021

$2.26 ฿74.4

136.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.80 F CFA 8,355

$16.26 ฿534

-8.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.91 F CFA 7,850

$2.95 ฿97.1

371.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.14 F CFA 7,978

$9.94 ฿327

42.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.49 F CFA 2,534

$2.57 ฿84.5

74.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 F CFA 614

$1.06 ฿34.72

2.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 F CFA 2,474

$1.61 ฿53.0

172.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.17 F CFA 95.7

$1.52 ฿49.96

-88.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 F CFA 795

$1.27 ฿41.76

11.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 F CFA 817

$1.07 ฿35.05

35.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 F CFA 732

$0.51 ฿16.72

154.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

Wine (Bottle)

$7.11 F CFA 4,015

$17.87 ฿587

-60.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 F CFA 739

$1.69 ฿55.7

-22.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 F CFA 511

$2.84 ฿93.2

-68.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 F CFA 293

$0.93 ฿30.42

-44.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.82 F CFA 14.6K

$53.9 ฿1,770

-52.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.58

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 F CFA 837

$1.41 ฿46.42

4.96%

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

$31.4K F CFA 17.7M

$21.4K ฿704.9K

46.38%

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

$28.8K F CFA 16.2M

$27.3K ฿898.5K

5.19%

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

$108 F CFA 61.2K

$63.7 ฿2,093

70.36%

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

$34.30 F CFA 19.4K

$12.85 ฿423

166.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.07 F CFA 25.4K

$20.22 ฿665

122.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.80 F CFA 25.3K

$38.74 ฿1,274

15.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

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

$763 F CFA 430.9K

$778 ฿25.6K

-1.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,341 F CFA 1.3M

$14.6K ฿480.2K

-83.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$541 F CFA 305.3K

$490 ฿16.1K

10.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 F CFA 99.9K

$289 ฿9,510

-38.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$896 F CFA 505.7K

$894 ฿29.4K

0.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 F CFA 246.9K

$517 ฿17.0K

-15.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,049 F CFA 592.2K

$602 ฿19.8K

74.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Bissau: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $541 in Bissau and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bissau pays 74% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Bissau vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $306 vs $240 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 11% in total monthly costs ($855 vs $947 including rent). Bissau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 74% 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: $541 in Bissau versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $763 in Bissau versus $778 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Chiang Mai pay roughly 27% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $855 in Bissau versus $947 in Chiang Mai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bissau but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Bissau 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 Bissau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.