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: $1,143 in South Africa versus $857 in Guinea-Bissau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,781 in South Africa versus $1,361 in Guinea-Bissau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,419 in South Africa versus $1,865 in Guinea-Bissau.

Living in South Africa is roughly 33% more expensive than in Guinea-Bissau on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: South Africa 17% lower, Guinea-Bissau 38% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in South Africa: monthly costs span $647 to $1,815, compared to $857–$857 in Guinea-Bissau. City choice carries more weight in South Africa.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.30 R 182

$5.18 F CFA 2,926

118.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.51 R 717

$27.04 F CFA 15.3K

64.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.90 R 95.0

$9.19 F CFA 5,195

-35.80%

Cappuccino

$2.44 R 39.22

$1.72 F CFA 973

41.86%

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

$1.16 R 18.64

$1.05 F CFA 593

10.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.39

$0.90 F CFA 509

6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 R 41.29

$0.68 F CFA 385

276.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 R 49.60

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 R 20.57

$1.75 F CFA 987

-26.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 R 18.15

$1.00 F CFA 564

13.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 R 29.55

$2.16 F CFA 1,221

-15.28%

Eggs

$2.55 R 41.12

$5.43 F CFA 3,068

-53.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.35 R 134

$14.65 F CFA 8,279

-43.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 R 87.6

$14.39 F CFA 8,132

-62.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.88 R 127

$14.06 F CFA 7,944

-43.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 R 30.61

$4.35 F CFA 2,459

-56.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 R 27.36

$1.04 F CFA 587

63.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 R 29.14

$4.52 F CFA 2,555

-59.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 R 30.23

$0.16 F CFA 91.4

1075.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 R 24.76

$1.41 F CFA 794

9.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.03

$1.44 F CFA 814

3.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 R 21.45

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 R 19.09

$1.29 F CFA 730

-7.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 R 55.0

Wine (Bottle)

$5.08 R 81.7

$7.15 F CFA 4,040

-28.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 R 24.28

$1.30 F CFA 735

16.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 R 32.64

$0.90 F CFA 510

125.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 R 28.39

$0.51 F CFA 286

245.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.1 R 1,016

$25.30 F CFA 14.3K

149.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 R 17.97

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 R 16.33

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.07 R 130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 R 23.53

$1.53 F CFA 862

-4.58%

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

$36.8K R 592.8K

$32.0K F CFA 18.1M

14.94%

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

$32.5K R 523.6K

$28.7K F CFA 16.2M

13.48%

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

$136 R 2,185

$109 F CFA 61.4K

24.77%

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

$35.72 R 575

$34.32 F CFA 19.4K

4.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.40 R 667

$45.06 F CFA 25.5K

-8.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.96 R 563

$44.50 F CFA 25.1K

-21.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.46 R 201

Cinema Ticket

$7.62 R 123

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

$231 R 3,725

$758 F CFA 428.2K

-69.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,726 R 92.2K

$2,329 F CFA 1.3M

145.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 R 908

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.91 R 546

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 R 1,639

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.0 R 1,497

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 R 8,154

$522 F CFA 294.8K

-2.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 R 6,727

$174 F CFA 98.3K

140.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$979 R 15.8K

$888 F CFA 501.6K

10.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$838 R 13.5K

$443 F CFA 250.2K

89.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,151 R 18.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$800 R 12.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,554 R 25.0K

$1,032 F CFA 583.1K

50.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.24

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

Last update for South Africa: September 8, 2026

Last update for Guinea-Bissau: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $445 in South Africa, $530 in Guinea-Bissau. Capital cities: $324 in Bloemfontein vs $530 in Bissau.

National salary averages: $1,553 in South Africa, $1,032 in Guinea-Bissau. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 19% higher in Guinea-Bissau.

Dining out costs 48% more in South Africa.

Public transport is 47% more expensive in Guinea-Bissau.

Salaries are 50% 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 $857 per month in Guinea-Bissau and $1,231 in South Africa, there's a 44% 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.