Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Guinea-Bissau Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Guinea-Bissau

Name: Guinea-Bissau
Address: GW

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,019 in South Africa versus $899 in Guinea-Bissau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,584 in South Africa versus $1,408 in Guinea-Bissau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,149 in South Africa versus $1,916 in Guinea-Bissau.

Living in South Africa is roughly 13% more expensive than in Guinea-Bissau on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: South Africa 24% lower, Guinea-Bissau 33% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in South Africa: monthly costs span $815 to $1,351, compared to $899–$899 in Guinea-Bissau. City choice carries more weight in South Africa.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.81 R 145

$5.32 F CFA 3,041

65.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.61 R 651

$26.77 F CFA 15.3K

47.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.14 R 84.5

$9.56 F CFA 5,469

-46.23%

Cappuccino

$2.04 R 33.54

$1.72 F CFA 983

18.60%

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

$0.98 R 16.06

$1.03 F CFA 589

-4.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 R 13.26

$0.86 F CFA 491

-5.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 R 36.06

$0.70 F CFA 399

212.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 R 42.37

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R 18.22

$1.79 F CFA 1,022

-37.99%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 R 15.75

$0.94 F CFA 540

2.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.72

$2.16 F CFA 1,237

-27.78%

Eggs

$2.25 R 36.95

$5.38 F CFA 3,076

-58.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 R 127

$14.47 F CFA 8,276

-46.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 R 75.3

$14.07 F CFA 8,046

-67.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.85 R 113

$14.16 F CFA 8,098

-51.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 R 25.07

$4.54 F CFA 2,595

-66.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.28

$1.03 F CFA 591

43.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 R 24.85

$4.40 F CFA 2,516

-65.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 R 24.91

$0.19 F CFA 106

700.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 R 20.80

$1.39 F CFA 798

-8.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 R 20.97

$1.45 F CFA 830

-11.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 17.88

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 R 16.27

$1.30 F CFA 746

-23.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 R 49.23

Wine (Bottle)

$5.28 R 86.8

$7.23 F CFA 4,133

-26.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 R 22.82

$1.31 F CFA 752

6.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 R 28.69

$0.92 F CFA 526

90.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.73 R 28.44

$0.51 F CFA 294

239.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.46 R 731

$25.48 F CFA 14.6K

74.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 R 18.67

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 R 18.28

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 R 75.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R 21.24

$1.46 F CFA 838

-11.64%

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

$20.4K R 335.1K

$31.5K F CFA 18.0M

-35.24%

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

$23.5K R 385.6K

$29.3K F CFA 16.8M

-19.94%

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

$111 R 1,828

$108 F CFA 62.0K

2.66%

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

$32.18 R 529

$34.94 F CFA 20.0K

-7.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.42 R 681

$45.52 F CFA 26.0K

-9.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.47 R 517

$43.36 F CFA 24.8K

-27.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.74 R 160

Cinema Ticket

$6.68 R 110

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

$193 R 3,172

$770 F CFA 440.5K

-74.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,305 R 70.8K

$2,349 F CFA 1.3M

83.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.29 R 810

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.04 R 510

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 R 1,559

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.1 R 1,300

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 R 7,418

$441 F CFA 252.4K

2.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 R 6,075

$234 F CFA 133.9K

57.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$899 R 14.8K

$743 F CFA 425.0K

21.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 R 11.8K

$487 F CFA 278.8K

46.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,084 R 17.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$786 R 12.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,534 R 25.2K

$1,055 F CFA 603.5K

45.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.55

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

Last update for South Africa: June 16, 2026

Last update for Guinea-Bissau: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $369 in South Africa, $435 in Guinea-Bissau. Capital cities: $299 in Bloemfontein vs $435 in Bissau.

National salary averages: $1,522 in South Africa, $1,025 in Guinea-Bissau. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 18% higher in Guinea-Bissau.

Dining out costs 30% more in South Africa.

Public transport is 56% more expensive in Guinea-Bissau.

Salaries are 48% higher in South Africa, and purchasing power comes out stronger in South Africa.

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

South Africa vs Guinea-Bissau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $899 per month in Guinea-Bissau and $1,083 in South Africa, there's a 20% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Guinea-Bissau: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in South Africa is consistently higher than in Guinea-Bissau across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Guinea-Bissau, $1,200 covers most cities easily; in South Africa it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after: Guinea-Bissau wins on affordability; South Africa may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.