Cost of Living Comparison Between Bissau and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Bissau and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $838 in Bissau versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,355 in Bissau versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,873 in Bissau versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Bissau costs roughly 32% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bissau 39% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.18 F CFA 2,959

$4.41 ฿147

17.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.21 F CFA 15.0K

$32.26 ฿1,074

-18.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.30 F CFA 5,307

$8.93 ฿297

4.14%

Cappuccino

$1.80 F CFA 1,027

$2.90 ฿96.4

-37.93%

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

$1.08 F CFA 616

$0.88 ฿29.30

22.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 F CFA 508

$0.48 ฿16.01

85.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.67 F CFA 381

$2.35 ฿78.3

-71.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 F CFA 1,024

$1.87 ฿62.1

-4.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 F CFA 540

$1.47 ฿48.81

-35.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 F CFA 1,218

$1.55 ฿51.7

37.42%

Eggs

$5.32 F CFA 3,034

$2.10 ฿70.0

153.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 F CFA 8,364

$19.59 ฿652

-25.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.21 F CFA 8,109

$3.42 ฿114

315.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.23 F CFA 8,120

$11.38 ฿379

25.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.45 F CFA 2,542

$2.98 ฿99.3

49.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 F CFA 594

$1.68 ฿56.1

-38.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.30 F CFA 2,455

$2.21 ฿73.5

94.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.20 F CFA 116

$2.16 ฿72.0

-90.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 F CFA 791

$1.52 ฿50.8

-8.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 F CFA 822

$1.34 ฿44.55

7.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 F CFA 766

$0.55 ฿18.19

143.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$6.90 F CFA 3,937

$19.09 ฿635

-63.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 F CFA 765

$1.78 ฿59.2

-24.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 F CFA 527

$2.78 ฿92.6

-66.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 F CFA 291

$2.23 ฿74.2

-77.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.76 F CFA 14.7K

$22.74 ฿757

13.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.06

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 F CFA 841

$1.49 ฿49.63

-1.34%

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

$32.1K F CFA 18.3M

$26.6K ฿884.9K

20.84%

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

$28.3K F CFA 16.2M

$27.0K ฿899.8K

4.83%

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

$106 F CFA 60.6K

$102 ฿3,411

3.62%

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

$34.39 F CFA 19.6K

$11.33 ฿377

203.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.20 F CFA 25.8K

$17.40 ฿579

159.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.95 F CFA 25.1K

$52.1 ฿1,734

-15.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

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

$767 F CFA 437.5K

$561 ฿18.7K

36.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,334 F CFA 1.3M

$11.5K ฿383.0K

-79.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$529 F CFA 301.8K

$738 ฿24.6K

-28.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 F CFA 101.8K

$482 ฿16.1K

-63.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 F CFA 500.2K

$2,107 ฿70.1K

-58.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 F CFA 247.2K

$1,226 ฿40.8K

-64.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,041 F CFA 594.1K

$494 ฿16.4K

110.90%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $529 in Bissau and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bissau pays 111% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Bissau vs $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $307 vs $274, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.

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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bissau and Phuket differ by about 47% in total monthly costs ($838 vs $1,232 including rent). Bissau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 111% 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: $529 in Bissau versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $767 in Bissau versus $561 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Phuket pay roughly 12% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $838 in Bissau versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bissau but tight or insufficient in Phuket. 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 Phuket 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 47% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.