Moving to Guinea-Bissau from Gambia

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Gambia to Guinea-Bissau — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Gambia to Guinea-Bissau, and you’d need to navigate life in Portuguese and Upper Guinea Creole.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Gambia to Guinea-Bissau, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
1,092 ↓ 27% vs 2015

people born in Gambia live in Guinea-Bissau · UN DESA

Who's moving to Guinea-Bissau?

Top countries of origin for Guinea-Bissau's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Gambia to Guinea-Bissau.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

GM
22.0
GW
30.5

Gambia performs better than Guinea-Bissau across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

GM
$94
GW
$247
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

GM
1.0
GW
2.1

Gambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Guinea-Bissau leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

GM
90.0
GW
89.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GM
0.2t
GW
0.2t

Gambia generally does better on environment, though Guinea-Bissau leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

GM
0.2
GW
0.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GM
2.2%
GW
1.5%

Guinea-Bissau generally does better on infrastructure, though Gambia leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

GM
6.5%
GW
3.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

GM
$2,900
GW
$2,400

Guinea-Bissau generally does better on employment & economy, though Gambia leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

GM
67.6 yrs
GW
63.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GM
37.2
GW
49.0

Gambia performs better than Guinea-Bissau across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Banjul Rain: 32.3 in/yr (821 mm)
90° / 70°F

Avg. annual high / low

Bissau Rain: 69.1 in/yr (1756 mm)
90° / 67°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Banjul Bissau
Jan–Mar 91°/65°F (33°/19°C) 92°/67°F (33°/20°C)
Apr–Jun 89°/70°F (32°/21°C) 91°/66°F (33°/19°C)
Jul–Sep 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) 87°/68°F (30°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 92°/71°F (33°/22°C) 90°/69°F (32°/21°C)
View all months
Month Banjul Bissau
Jan 90°/64°F (32.4°/17.9°C) 90°/67°F (32.0°/19.4°C)
Feb 92°/65°F (33.2°/18.3°C) 96°/72°F (35.4°/22.0°C)
Mar 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.6°C) 90°/63°F (32.1°/17.1°C)
Apr 89°/68°F (31.8°/19.9°C) 92°/64°F (33.4°/17.7°C)
May 89°/70°F (31.6°/21.0°C) 91°/67°F (33.0°/19.3°C)
Jun 90°/72°F (32.4°/22.4°C) 89°/68°F (31.4°/20.0°C)
Jul 89°/74°F (31.8°/23.2°C) 88°/68°F (30.9°/20.1°C)
Aug 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.4°C) 86°/68°F (30.2°/20.2°C)
Sep 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) 86°/67°F (30.0°/19.3°C)
Oct 92°/75°F (33.5°/23.9°C) 90°/69°F (32.2°/20.5°C)
Nov 93°/71°F (34.0°/21.6°C) 90°/69°F (32.2°/20.6°C)
Dec 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.7°C)

Data: Department of Water Resources Department of Water Resources, Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia da Guiné-Bissau Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia da Guiné-Bissau

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Gambia and Guinea-Bissau. To live, work, or study long-term in Guinea-Bissau, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Guinea-Bissau's immigration authority.

Gambia passport

Gambia passport holder visiting Guinea-Bissau

Visa Free
Gambia passport holders can enter Guinea-Bissau without a visa.
Guinea-Bissau passport

Guinea-Bissau passport holder visiting Gambia

Visa Free
Guinea-Bissau passport holders can enter Gambia without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Guinea-Bissau?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Guinea-Bissau has 0.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Guinea-Bissau safe for expats?

Gambia performs better than Guinea-Bissau across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Guinea-Bissau compared to Gambia?

Gambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Guinea-Bissau leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 2.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Guinea-Bissau, compared to 1.0 in Gambia. Guinea-Bissau scores 37 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Gambia: 46).

What's the weather like in Guinea-Bissau compared to Gambia?

The average high temperature in Bissau is 90°F, compared to 90°F in Banjul. Bissau receives around 69.1 in of rainfall per year, while Banjul gets 32.3 in.

What language do they speak in Guinea-Bissau?

The official languages in Guinea-Bissau are Portuguese and Upper Guinea Creole. In Gambia, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

GM GW
Population 2,413,403 2,026,778
Currency Gambian Dalasi (GMD) CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA)
Languages English Portuguese, Upper Guinea Creole
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +220 +245
Time zones 1 1