Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Guinea-Bissau and the United States

For one person, living is cheaper in Guinea-Bissau: $822 a month against $2,734 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $22,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Guinea-Bissau
United States
🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau
$822
/mo nomad
🇺🇸 United States
$2,734
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Guinea-Bissau and in the United States

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Guinea-Bissau and in the United States actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $822 in Guinea-Bissau versus $2,734 in the United States.

  • Guinea-Bissau $822
  • United States $2,734

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,318 in Guinea-Bissau versus $3,985 in the United States.

  • Guinea-Bissau $1,318
  • United States $3,985

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,815 in Guinea-Bissau versus $5,235 in the United States.

  • Guinea-Bissau $1,815
  • United States $5,235

Internal cost variation is higher in the United States: monthly costs span $979 to $5,160, compared to $826–$826 in Guinea-Bissau. City choice carries more weight in the United States.

Living in Guinea-Bissau costs about 70% less than in the United States on average.

Guinea-Bissau (40% below) and the United States (101% above) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Guinea-Bissau
United States
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.14 F CFA 3,029
$20.03 $20.03
-74.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.96 F CFA 15.3K
$80.0 $80.0
-67.57%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.33 F CFA 5,493
$11.80 $11.80
-20.93%
Cappuccino
$1.69 F CFA 993
$5.55 $5.55
-69.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.04 F CFA 613
$2.66 $2.66
-60.90%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.89 F CFA 523
$2.17 $2.17
-58.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.66 F CFA 386
$6.12 $6.12
-89.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$7.94 $7.94
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Guinea-Bissau
United States
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 F CFA 1,024
$1.04 $1.04
67.31%
White Bread (500g)
$0.92 F CFA 544
$3.59 $3.59
-74.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.99 F CFA 1,171
$4.52 $4.52
-55.97%
Eggs
$5.23 F CFA 3,081
$4.28 $4.28
22.20%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.79 F CFA 8,714
$13.22 $13.22
11.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.42 F CFA 7,907
$12.60 $12.60
6.51%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.51 F CFA 7,958
$17.60 $17.60
-23.24%
Apples (1kg)
$4.38 F CFA 2,578
$5.30 $5.30
-17.36%
Banana (1kg)
$1.00 F CFA 588
$1.69 $1.69
-40.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.28 F CFA 2,521
$4.44 $4.44
-3.60%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.19 F CFA 110
$4.77 $4.77
-96.02%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 F CFA 786
$2.97 $2.97
-54.88%
Onion (1kg)
$1.35 F CFA 795
$3.15 $3.15
-57.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$2.20 $2.20
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 F CFA 736
$2.35 $2.35
-46.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$10.98 $10.98
-
Wine (Bottle)
$6.91 F CFA 4,072
$15.05 $15.05
-54.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 F CFA 742
$2.06 $2.06
-38.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 F CFA 491
$3.79 $3.79
-78.10%
🚌 Getting Around
Guinea-Bissau
United States
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.50 F CFA 293
$1.94 $1.94
-74.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.81 F CFA 15.2K
$59.4 $59.4
-56.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.58 $3.58
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.88 $1.88
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$29.84 $29.84
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 F CFA 868
$1.02 $1.02
44.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.9K F CFA 18.8M
$28.8K $28.8K
11.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.3K F CFA 17.3M
$26.2K $26.2K
11.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guinea-Bissau
United States
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$104 F CFA 61.5K
$218 $218
-52.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.44 F CFA 20.9K
$62.5 $62.5
-43.27%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$45.34 F CFA 26.7K
$74.5 $74.5
-39.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Guinea-Bissau
United States
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.81 F CFA 24.6K
$41.86 $41.86
-0.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$22.81 $22.81
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$14.70 $14.70
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Guinea-Bissau
United States
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$772 F CFA 454.7K
$1,489 $1,489
-48.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,264 F CFA 1.3M
$25.3K $25.3K
-91.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Guinea-Bissau
United States
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$54.3 $54.3
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$42.71 $42.71
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$94.1 $94.1
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$114 $114
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Guinea-Bissau
United States
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$508 F CFA 299.5K
$1,659 $1,659
-69.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$170 F CFA 100.2K
$1,348 $1,348
-87.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$866 F CFA 510.3K
$2,682 $2,682
-67.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$418 F CFA 246.5K
$2,169 $2,169
-80.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,283 $3,283
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$2,482 $2,482
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Guinea-Bissau
United States
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,029 F CFA 606.3K
$4,296 $4,296
-76.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
6.55
-

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

Last update for Guinea-Bissau: October 25, 2026

Last update for the United States: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Guinea-Bissau
–
United States
$1.3K
Groceries & Markets
Guinea-Bissau
–
United States
$415
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guinea-Bissau
–
United States
$355
Eating Out
Guinea-Bissau
–
United States
$328
Clothing & Footwear
Guinea-Bissau
–
United States
$137
Getting Around
Guinea-Bissau
–
United States
$80
Sport & Entertainment
Guinea-Bissau
–
United States
$71

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $501 in Guinea-Bissau, $1,620 in the United States. Capital cities: $501 in Bissau vs $2,768 in Washington, DC.

National salary averages: $1,046 in Guinea-Bissau, $4,549 in the United States. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 223% higher in the United States.

Dining out costs 200% more in the United States.

Public transport is 142% more expensive in the United States.

Salaries are about 4.3 times higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.

Good to know
🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau
🇺🇸 United States
🕒 Local time
11:19 11:19 AM
07:19 7:19 AM
4 h behind Guinea-Bissau
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,861,283
340,110,988
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to XOF – West African CFA Franc Converter

West African CFA Franc exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 589 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.7 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.53 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.899 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Guinea-Bissau United States 7,570 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • United States

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Guinea-Bissau vs United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Guinea-Bissau or the United States?
At $822 per month in Guinea-Bissau and $2,734 in the United States, there’s a 233% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Guinea-Bissau or the United States?
Day-to-day life is cheaper in Guinea-Bissau: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between Guinea-Bissau and the United States?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $1,620 in the United States and $501 in Guinea-Bissau. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
How far does $1,200 go in Guinea-Bissau compared to the United States?
In Guinea-Bissau, $1,200 covers most cities easily; in the United States it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you’ll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Guinea-Bissau and in the United States?
It depends on what you’re after: Guinea-Bissau wins on affordability; the United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Guinea-Bissau vs other spots: cost of living compared

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