Living in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau

Bissau is a mid-sized coastal city in Guinea-Bissau (250,000 to 1 million people in the city proper). It has a warm climate, averaging 27°C over the year with about 1,604 mm of rain. We estimate a couple needs about €2,292 a month to live centrally. For foreigners, long-term residency in Guinea-Bissau is possible, with conditions.

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Est. cost: €2,292; a month for a couple
Climate: 27°C; 1,604 mm rain a year
Size: Mid-sized; 250,000 to 1 million people
Safety: 48/100; country-level
Residency: Possible, with conditions; for most foreigners

Limited data for Guinea-Bissau. Figures for safety, healthcare, cost of living and political stability in Guinea-Bissau are country-level estimates from World Bank indicators, each named with its year. We have no tax, English, social openness or internet speed figures for Guinea-Bissau, so the quiz scores those factors conservatively and this page leaves them out.

What stands out about Bissau

Warmer than 89% of the cities we track
More affordable than 82% of the cities we compare
On or near the sea

Healthcare

Guinea-Bissau scores 45 out of 100 for healthcare, stronger than 4% of the cities we compare.

Source: Country-level estimate, the same for every city in Guinea-Bissau: life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN, 2024) and current health spending per person in US dollars (SH.XPD.CHEX.PC.CD, 2023), calibrated to the 0 to 100 scale of our reference tables. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Climate

Bissau averages 27°C across the year with about 1,604 mm of rain, which makes it warm and very wet. It is warmer than 89% of the 1225 cities we track, and it sits on the coast.

Source: Temperature from the Open-Meteo historical weather archive, daily means for 2019 to 2023; rainfall from TerraClimate (University of Idaho) 1991 to 2020 normals. Annual averages; monthly breakdowns are not in our dataset yet.

Safety and stability

Guinea-Bissau scores 48 out of 100 on safety, safer than 12% of the cities we compare. Its estimated democracy score is 3.8 out of 10.

Source: Country-level estimate, the same for every city in Guinea-Bissau: Worldwide Governance Indicators Political Stability and Absence of Violence estimate (GOV_WGI_PV.EST, 2025) and life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN, 2024), calibrated to the 0 to 100 scale of our reference tables (higher is safer). Stability: Worldwide Governance Indicators Voice and Accountability estimate (GOV_WGI_VA.EST, 2025), calibrated to the EIU Democracy Index scale. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Cost of living

We estimate a couple needs about €2,292 a month to live centrally in Bissau, 16% below the €2,729 median across the 900 cities we compare. That makes it more affordable than 82% of them.

Source: OurNextCity model from the price level of GDP relative to the United States, from GDP per person in US dollars and at purchasing power parity (NY.GDP.PCAP.CD/NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD, 2025), calibrated to our country-level cost index (New York = 100) and scaled up for larger cities. An estimate for comparing cities, not a budget. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Residency and visas

Possible, with conditions. Residency is realistic mainly through employment with a local job offer, family/marriage ties, or case-by-case long-term residence after continuous legal stay; there is no investor or retirement route.

For short visits, 14 of 198 passports can enter visa-free and 184 can get an e-visa or visa on arrival.

Source: OurNextCity residency dataset, hand-reviewed approximations researched against published immigration rules. Not legal advice: check the official source before you apply. Short-stay entry from the passport-index dataset (ilyankou, MIT).

Questions couples ask about Bissau

Is Bissau a good place to live for couples?

It depends on what the two of you weigh most. Compared with the other cities we track, Bissau scores well on affordability. It is weaker on safety and healthcare. Our figures for Guinea-Bissau are partial: no tax, English, social openness or internet speed data, and country-level World Bank estimates for the rest. Expect a warm, very wet climate (27°C average). OurNextCity has each partner answer 12 questions privately, then ranks Bissau and 914 other cities for both of you at once.

How much does it cost a couple to live in Bissau?

We estimate about €2,292 a month for a couple living centrally, 16% below the €2,729 median across the cities we compare. It is a model estimate from the World Bank price level of GDP for Guinea-Bissau, calibrated to our country-level cost index adjusted for city size, so use it to compare cities rather than to set a budget.

Can foreigners live in Guinea-Bissau long term?

Our assessment: possible, with conditions. Residency is realistic mainly through employment with a local job offer, family/marriage ties, or case-by-case long-term residence after continuous legal stay; there is no investor or retirement route.

What is the weather like in Bissau?

Bissau averages 27°C across the year with about 1,604 mm of rain, which makes it warm and very wet. It is warmer than 89% of the cities we track.