Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Bissau

For one person, living is cheaper in Bissau: $814 a month against $2,443 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $19,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Barcelona, Spain
Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,443
/mo nomad
Bissau
🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau
$814
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Barcelona and in Bissau

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Barcelona and in Bissau actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,443 in Barcelona versus $814 in Bissau.

  • Barcelona $2,443
  • Bissau $814

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,519 in Barcelona versus $1,314 in Bissau.

  • Barcelona $3,519
  • Bissau $1,314

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,595 in Barcelona versus $1,813 in Bissau.

  • Barcelona $4,595
  • Bissau $1,813

Living in Barcelona is roughly 200% more expensive than in Bissau, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 81% above, Bissau is 40% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Bissau
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.66 €15.72
$5.01 F CFA 2,922
252.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.5 €60.1
$25.78 F CFA 15.1K
161.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.61 €12.12
$9.31 F CFA 5,433
46.19%
Cappuccino
$3.10 €2.76
$1.71 F CFA 1,000
81.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 €2.67
$1.05 F CFA 611
185.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93 €1.72
$0.87 F CFA 508
121.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.84 €3.42
$0.71 F CFA 416
440.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.36 €3.88
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Bissau
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 €1.11
$1.68 F CFA 981
-25.60%
White Bread (500g)
$2.12 €1.89
$0.91 F CFA 533
132.97%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$2.00 F CFA 1,168
-1.50%
Eggs
$4.76 €4.24
$5.08 F CFA 2,963
-6.30%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.07 €15.20
$14.22 F CFA 8,302
20.04%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.96 €7.97
$13.39 F CFA 7,816
-33.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.65 €18.39
$13.77 F CFA 8,038
49.96%
Apples (1kg)
$3.16 €2.81
$4.14 F CFA 2,414
-23.67%
Banana (1kg)
$1.97 €1.75
$1.04 F CFA 605
89.42%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.65 €2.36
$4.27 F CFA 2,494
-37.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.88 €2.57
$0.18 F CFA 104
1500.00%
Potato (1kg)
$2.06 €1.83
$1.33 F CFA 777
54.89%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 €1.94
$1.37 F CFA 800
59.12%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.53 €1.37
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.97 €0.86
$1.26 F CFA 734
-23.02%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.97 €6.20
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$7.89 €7.02
$6.78 F CFA 3,956
16.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.42 €1.26
$1.31 F CFA 766
8.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69 €2.39
$0.86 F CFA 503
212.79%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Bissau
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.31 €2.95
$0.52 F CFA 304
536.54%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.61 €22.80
$25.31 F CFA 14.8K
1.19%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.08 €2.75
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.48 €1.32
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.87 €29.27
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.87 €1.66
$1.43 F CFA 833
30.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.0K €29.4K
$32.1K F CFA 18.8M
2.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.9K €28.4K
$28.9K F CFA 16.9M
10.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Bissau
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$183 €163
$103 F CFA 60.2K
77.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.24 €12.68
$34.08 F CFA 19.9K
-58.22%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.56 €30.78
$45.88 F CFA 26.8K
-24.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Bissau
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.4 €45.79
$42.15 F CFA 24.6K
21.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.38 €14.59
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.06 €9.85
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Bissau
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$944 €840
$759 F CFA 443.2K
24.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.3K €19.8K
$2,301 F CFA 1.3M
867.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Bissau
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.7 €78.1
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.77 €34.52
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.1
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118 €105
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Bissau
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,697 €1,511
$516 F CFA 301.3K
228.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,337 €1,190
$168 F CFA 97.8K
697.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,692 €2,397
$843 F CFA 492.1K
219.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,077 €1,849
$431 F CFA 251.7K
381.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,155 €6,371
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,079 €4,522
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Bissau
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,241 €1,996
$1,042 F CFA 608.3K
115.08%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.19
0
-

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

Last update for Barcelona: November 2, 2026

Last update for Bissau: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
$1.3K
Bissau
–
Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
$328
Bissau
–
Eating Out
Barcelona
$267
Bissau
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
$232
Bissau
–
Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
$157
Bissau
–
Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
$74
Bissau
–
Getting Around
Barcelona
$49
Bissau
–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,697 in Barcelona and $516 in Bissau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays about 2.2 times 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: $67 in Barcelona vs $26 in Bissau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $328 vs $294 per month, with Bissau cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🇬🇼 Bissau
🕒 Local time
04:19 4:19 AM
03:19 3:19 AM
1 h behind Barcelona
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,660,122
395,954 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

XOF, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 0.89 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

West African CFA Franc exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 584 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 655 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.53 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Barcelona Bissau 3,710 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Barcelona
  • Bissau

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and in Bissau?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,443 in Barcelona and $814 in Bissau, so Bissau is about 67% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Barcelona or Bissau?
Average pay in Barcelona is about 2.2 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Barcelona and in Bissau?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,697 in Barcelona versus $516 in Bissau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Barcelona and Bissau?
Childcare runs $944 in Barcelona versus $759 in Bissau. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Bissau – a meal for two runs $26 versus $67 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $814 in Bissau versus $2,443 in Barcelona, a $1,200 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.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Bissau?
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.
How do I decide between Barcelona and Bissau?
It comes down to priorities – Bissau wins on affordability, Barcelona on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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