Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Bissau Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Bissau

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,359 in Barcelona versus $891 in Bissau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,498 in Barcelona versus $1,418 in Bissau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,638 in Barcelona versus $1,945 in Bissau.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 165% more expensive than in Bissau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Bissau is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.86

$5.35 F CFA 3,039

220.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €58.9

$26.81 F CFA 15.2K

153.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.82

$9.64 F CFA 5,472

41.49%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$1.72 F CFA 974

61.63%

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

$2.82 €2.44

$1.04 F CFA 591

171.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.70

$0.84 F CFA 476

133.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.84

$0.69 F CFA 392

542.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.99

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.80 F CFA 1,023

-29.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.85

$0.94 F CFA 536

126.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$2.14 F CFA 1,214

-7.01%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.92

$5.24 F CFA 2,978

-35.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.42

$14.29 F CFA 8,110

32.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.26

$14.20 F CFA 8,062

-32.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.22

$14.35 F CFA 8,145

30.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.29

$4.29 F CFA 2,438

-38.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$1.04 F CFA 590

125.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$4.54 F CFA 2,576

-53.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

$0.19 F CFA 109

1336.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$1.40 F CFA 793

40.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$1.40 F CFA 792

29.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.77

$1.28 F CFA 727

-30.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.87

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.86

$6.97 F CFA 3,955

13.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.36 F CFA 773

0.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.08

$0.90 F CFA 509

166.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.52

$0.51 F CFA 289

470.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.82

$26.02 F CFA 14.8K

10.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.96

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.87

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.58

$1.53 F CFA 867

18.95%

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

$39.3K €34.0K

$32.0K F CFA 18.2M

22.94%

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

$32.5K €28.1K

$29.4K F CFA 16.7M

10.29%

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

$187 €162

$108 F CFA 61.2K

73.19%

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

$22.29 €19.30

$34.27 F CFA 19.5K

-34.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.50

$44.80 F CFA 25.4K

-18.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.82

$44.80 F CFA 25.4K

28.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.96

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.33

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

$725 €628

$765 F CFA 434.5K

-5.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.1K

$2,293 F CFA 1.3M

560.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.1

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €31.88

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.6

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,319

$438 F CFA 248.7K

247.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,062

$231 F CFA 131.4K

430.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,362

$736 F CFA 417.7K

270.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,718

$473 F CFA 268.5K

319.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,468

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,541

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,072

$1,051 F CFA 596.8K

127.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bissau: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,524 in Barcelona and $438 in Bissau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 128% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $27.00 in Bissau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $306 per month, with Bissau cheaper across the board.

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

Barcelona vs Bissau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Bissau differ by about 165% in total monthly costs ($2,359 vs $891 including rent). Bissau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 128% higher in Barcelona, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,524 in Barcelona versus $438 in Bissau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $725 in Barcelona versus $765 in Bissau. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $891 in Bissau versus $2,359 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bissau but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Bissau the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Bissau are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bissau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 165% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.