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: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $885 in Bissau.

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

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

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 2% less than in Bissau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$5.40 F CFA 3,047

-64.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$26.15 F CFA 14.7K

-28.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$9.64 F CFA 5,436

-18.88%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.72 F CFA 968

13.37%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.03 F CFA 584

-17.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.86 F CFA 483

-59.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$0.70 F CFA 393

204.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.74 F CFA 984

-1.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.99 F CFA 557

64.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.16 F CFA 1,215

-47.22%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$5.30 F CFA 2,990

-63.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$14.48 F CFA 8,164

11.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$13.85 F CFA 7,813

-77.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$14.17 F CFA 7,990

-23.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$4.28 F CFA 2,413

-35.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.03 F CFA 583

17.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$4.38 F CFA 2,469

-63.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.17 F CFA 95.3

835.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.37 F CFA 773

2.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.43 F CFA 805

-18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$1.31 F CFA 738

-59.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$7.29 F CFA 4,111

155.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.32 F CFA 742

36.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$0.89 F CFA 502

262.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.55 F CFA 309

63.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$25.50 F CFA 14.4K

-24.67%

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)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.51 F CFA 852

-15.89%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$32.1K F CFA 18.1M

-33.81%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$29.1K F CFA 16.4M

-23.57%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$106 F CFA 60.0K

-35.12%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$34.88 F CFA 19.7K

-59.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$44.80 F CFA 25.3K

-59.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$44.76 F CFA 25.2K

-8.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

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

$299 ฿9,766

$771 F CFA 434.6K

-61.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$2,262 F CFA 1.3M

561.06%

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)

$428 ฿14.0K

$437 F CFA 246.7K

-2.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$237 F CFA 133.7K

0.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$733 F CFA 413.3K

9.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$483 F CFA 272.6K

6.63%

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)

$617 ฿20.2K

$1,059 F CFA 597.1K

-41.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bissau: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $437 in Bissau. 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: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $26.00 in Bissau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $304 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 2% in total monthly costs ($866 vs $885 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bissau earns 71% less. 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: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $437 in Bissau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $299 in Chiang Mai versus $771 in Bissau. 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, 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 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.