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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $899 in Bissau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $1,407 in Bissau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $1,916 in Bissau.

Living in Phuket is roughly 36% more expensive than Bissau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Bissau 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$5.45 F CFA 3,074

-17.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$26.65 F CFA 15.0K

74.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$9.44 F CFA 5,329

-10.06%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$1.78 F CFA 1,006

73.03%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$1.08 F CFA 610

-37.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.84 F CFA 472

-57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$0.69 F CFA 389

252.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.79 F CFA 1,010

22.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$1.00 F CFA 566

81.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$2.10 F CFA 1,183

6.19%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$5.31 F CFA 2,999

-57.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$14.74 F CFA 8,322

32.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$14.00 F CFA 7,902

-73.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$14.36 F CFA 8,107

-6.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$4.50 F CFA 2,541

-25.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$1.04 F CFA 589

55.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$4.48 F CFA 2,530

-46.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$0.16 F CFA 87.5

1143.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$1.39 F CFA 783

10.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$1.44 F CFA 814

0.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$1.28 F CFA 723

-62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$6.97 F CFA 3,932

174.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$1.38 F CFA 778

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$0.86 F CFA 486

218.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$0.51 F CFA 289

178.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

$25.18 F CFA 14.2K

-53.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.54 F CFA 868

-16.23%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$32.4K F CFA 18.3M

-13.47%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$29.3K F CFA 16.5M

14.33%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$106 F CFA 59.6K

15.58%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$34.21 F CFA 19.3K

-59.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$45.02 F CFA 25.4K

-58.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$44.06 F CFA 24.9K

39.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$756 F CFA 426.5K

-8.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$2,344 F CFA 1.3M

589.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$435 F CFA 245.6K

39.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$234 F CFA 132.1K

91.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$727 F CFA 410.3K

179.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$476 F CFA 268.4K

214.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

$1,025 F CFA 578.7K

-50.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Bissau: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $435 in Bissau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bissau pays 103% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $27.00 in Bissau. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $307, 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

Phuket vs Bissau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Bissau differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($1,223 vs $899 including rent). Bissau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bissau earns 103% 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: $607 in Phuket versus $435 in Bissau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $691 in Phuket versus $756 in Bissau. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Phuket pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $899 in Bissau versus $1,223 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, Phuket 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 36% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.