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: $1,016 in South Africa versus $888 in Guinea-Bissau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,595 in South Africa versus $1,409 in Guinea-Bissau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,173 in South Africa versus $1,929 in Guinea-Bissau.

Living in South Africa is roughly 14% more expensive than Guinea-Bissau on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: South Africa 24% lower, Guinea-Bissau 34% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in South Africa: monthly costs span $809 to $1,338, compared to $888–$888 in Guinea-Bissau. City choice carries more weight in South Africa.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.99 R 151

$5.26 F CFA 2,949

70.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.97 R 670

$25.96 F CFA 14.6K

53.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 R 85.3

$9.43 F CFA 5,290

-46.02%

Cappuccino

$2.05 R 34.44

$1.81 F CFA 1,014

13.26%

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

$1.02 R 17.08

$1.04 F CFA 581

-1.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 R 12.60

$0.86 F CFA 480

-12.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 R 37.36

$0.68 F CFA 382

227.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 R 41.41

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R 18.63

$1.71 F CFA 961

-35.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 R 17.33

$1.00 F CFA 561

3.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 R 26.30

$2.06 F CFA 1,154

-23.79%

Eggs

$2.26 R 37.98

$5.44 F CFA 3,050

-58.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.54 R 126

$14.56 F CFA 8,167

-48.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.73 R 79.3

$13.94 F CFA 7,818

-66.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.86 R 115

$14.00 F CFA 7,852

-51.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 R 26.52

$4.36 F CFA 2,447

-63.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 R 24.55

$1.09 F CFA 612

33.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 R 25.09

$4.28 F CFA 2,399

-64.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.88

$0.18 F CFA 99.0

755.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 R 20.92

$1.40 F CFA 784

-10.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R 21.55

$1.43 F CFA 802

-9.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 18.25

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 R 15.19

$1.30 F CFA 730

-30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 R 49.60

Wine (Bottle)

$4.96 R 83.2

$7.19 F CFA 4,031

-31.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 R 23.18

$1.32 F CFA 740

4.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 R 28.29

$0.87 F CFA 488

94.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 R 27.37

$0.55 F CFA 311

196.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.10 R 740

$25.43 F CFA 14.3K

73.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 R 19.29

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 R 18.60

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.82 R 80.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R 21.54

$1.52 F CFA 853

-15.79%

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

$20.5K R 344.3K

$32.2K F CFA 18.1M

-36.27%

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

$24.0K R 402.6K

$29.5K F CFA 16.6M

-18.67%

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

$112 R 1,877

$106 F CFA 59.2K

5.95%

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

$32.55 R 546

$34.85 F CFA 19.5K

-6.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.61 R 698

$44.57 F CFA 25.0K

-6.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.81 R 533

$43.42 F CFA 24.4K

-26.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.65 R 162

Cinema Ticket

$6.79 R 114

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

$186 R 3,126

$755 F CFA 423.5K

-75.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,333 R 72.7K

$2,295 F CFA 1.3M

88.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.30 R 827

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.10 R 522

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 R 1,554

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.0 R 1,358

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 R 7,358

$435 F CFA 243.8K

0.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$363 R 6,090

$237 F CFA 132.7K

53.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$876 R 14.7K

$725 F CFA 406.9K

20.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$706 R 11.8K

$472 F CFA 264.7K

49.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,164 R 19.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$797 R 13.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,427 R 23.9K

$1,040 F CFA 583.3K

37.20%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Guinea-Bissau: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $367 in South Africa, $442 in Guinea-Bissau. Capital cities: $297 in Bloemfontein vs $442 in Bissau.

National salary averages: $1,456 in South Africa, $1,062 in Guinea-Bissau. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 20% higher in Guinea-Bissau.

Dining out costs 35% more in South Africa.

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

Salaries are 37% higher in South Africa, giving South Africa stronger purchasing power.

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 $888 per month in Guinea-Bissau and $1,074 in South Africa, there's a 21% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Guinea-Bissau is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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 beats 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 works in regional areas but 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.