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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $947 in Chiang Mai versus $855 in Bissau.

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

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

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 11% more expensive than in Bissau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$5.17 F CFA 2,920

-59.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$27.03 F CFA 15.3K

-27.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$9.20 F CFA 5,190

-38.59%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$1.76 F CFA 992

2.84%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$1.04 F CFA 585

-31.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.85 F CFA 482

-62.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

$0.67 F CFA 381

234.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.72 F CFA 969

13.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

$0.94 F CFA 529

59.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

$2.17 F CFA 1,224

-38.25%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$5.35 F CFA 3,021

-57.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

$14.80 F CFA 8,355

9.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$13.91 F CFA 7,850

-78.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$14.14 F CFA 7,978

-29.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

$4.49 F CFA 2,534

-42.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

$1.09 F CFA 614

-2.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$4.38 F CFA 2,474

-63.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

$0.17 F CFA 95.7

794.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

$1.41 F CFA 795

-9.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$1.45 F CFA 817

-26.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$1.30 F CFA 732

-60.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$7.11 F CFA 4,015

151.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$1.31 F CFA 739

29.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$0.90 F CFA 511

215.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

$0.52 F CFA 293

78.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

$25.82 F CFA 14.6K

108.60%

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)

$1.41 ฿46.42

$1.48 F CFA 837

-4.73%

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

$31.4K F CFA 17.7M

-31.68%

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

$28.8K F CFA 16.2M

-4.93%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$108 F CFA 61.2K

-41.30%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$34.30 F CFA 19.4K

-62.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$45.07 F CFA 25.4K

-55.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$44.80 F CFA 25.3K

-13.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$763 F CFA 430.9K

1.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$2,341 F CFA 1.3M

524.12%

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)

$490 ฿16.1K

$541 F CFA 305.3K

-9.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

$177 F CFA 99.9K

63.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$896 F CFA 505.7K

-0.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$437 F CFA 246.9K

18.19%

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)

$602 ฿19.8K

$1,049 F CFA 592.2K

-42.62%

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 Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Bissau: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $541 in Bissau. 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: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $27.00 in Bissau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $306 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

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

Chiang Mai and Bissau differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($947 vs $855 including rent). Bissau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 74% lower in Bissau. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $541 in Bissau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $778 in Chiang Mai versus $763 in Bissau. 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, Chiang Mai and Bissau 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.