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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $838 in Bissau.

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

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

Living in Phuket is roughly 47% more expensive than in Bissau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$5.18 F CFA 2,959

-14.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,074

$26.21 F CFA 15.0K

23.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$9.30 F CFA 5,307

-3.98%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.4

$1.80 F CFA 1,027

61.11%

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

$0.88 ฿29.30

$1.08 F CFA 616

-18.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$0.89 F CFA 508

-46.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$0.67 F CFA 381

250.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$1.79 F CFA 1,024

4.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.81

$0.95 F CFA 540

54.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$2.13 F CFA 1,218

-27.23%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$5.32 F CFA 3,034

-60.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

$14.66 F CFA 8,364

33.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$14.21 F CFA 8,109

-75.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$14.23 F CFA 8,120

-20.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

$4.45 F CFA 2,542

-33.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$1.04 F CFA 594

61.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$4.30 F CFA 2,455

-48.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$0.20 F CFA 116

980.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$1.39 F CFA 791

9.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.55

$1.44 F CFA 822

-6.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.19

$1.34 F CFA 766

-58.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$6.90 F CFA 3,937

176.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.34 F CFA 765

32.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

$0.92 F CFA 527

202.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

$0.51 F CFA 291

337.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

$25.76 F CFA 14.7K

-11.72%

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)

$1.49 ฿49.63

$1.47 F CFA 841

1.36%

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

$32.1K F CFA 18.3M

-17.25%

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

$28.3K F CFA 16.2M

-4.60%

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

$102 ฿3,411

$106 F CFA 60.6K

-3.49%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$34.39 F CFA 19.6K

-67.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$45.20 F CFA 25.8K

-61.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

$43.95 F CFA 25.1K

18.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$767 F CFA 437.5K

-26.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

$2,334 F CFA 1.3M

393.06%

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)

$738 ฿24.6K

$529 F CFA 301.8K

39.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$178 F CFA 101.8K

170.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

$877 F CFA 500.2K

140.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$433 F CFA 247.2K

182.94%

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)

$494 ฿16.4K

$1,041 F CFA 594.1K

-52.58%

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 Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Bissau: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $529 in Bissau. 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $26.00 in Bissau. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 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 47% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $838 including rent). Bissau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 111% 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: $738 in Phuket versus $529 in Bissau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $767 in Bissau. 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, 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 47% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.