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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $838 in Bissau versus $2,476 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,355 in Bissau versus $3,545 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,873 in Bissau versus $4,613 in Barcelona.

Living in Bissau costs roughly 66% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bissau is 39% below, Barcelona is 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.18 F CFA 2,959

$18.74 €16.31

-72.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.21 F CFA 15.0K

$69.5 €60.5

-62.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.30 F CFA 5,307

$13.77 €11.98

-32.46%

Cappuccino

$1.80 F CFA 1,027

$3.10 €2.70

-41.94%

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

$1.08 F CFA 616

$2.83 €2.46

-61.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 F CFA 508

$1.88 €1.64

-52.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.67 F CFA 381

$3.98 €3.47

-83.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.94

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 F CFA 1,024

$1.27 €1.11

40.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 F CFA 540

$2.16 €1.88

-56.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 F CFA 1,218

$1.76 €1.53

21.02%

Eggs

$5.32 F CFA 3,034

$5.13 €4.46

3.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 F CFA 8,364

$17.88 €15.56

-18.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.21 F CFA 8,109

$9.65 €8.40

47.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.23 F CFA 8,120

$20.15 €17.54

-29.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.45 F CFA 2,542

$3.25 €2.83

36.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 F CFA 594

$2.23 €1.94

-53.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.30 F CFA 2,455

$2.60 €2.26

65.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.20 F CFA 116

$2.76 €2.40

-92.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 F CFA 791

$2.21 €1.92

-37.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 F CFA 822

$2.12 €1.84

-32.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.35

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 F CFA 766

$0.95 €0.83

41.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.34 €6.39

Wine (Bottle)

$6.90 F CFA 3,937

$8.05 €7.00

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 F CFA 765

$1.54 €1.34

-12.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 F CFA 527

$2.79 €2.43

-67.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 F CFA 291

$3.11 €2.70

-83.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.76 F CFA 14.7K

$25.86 €22.51

-0.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 €2.85

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 €1.29

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 €29.83

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 F CFA 841

$1.73 €1.50

-15.03%

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

$32.1K F CFA 18.3M

$36.4K €31.7K

-11.68%

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

$28.3K F CFA 16.2M

$30.5K €26.6K

-7.23%

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

$106 F CFA 60.6K

$187 €163

-43.24%

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

$34.39 F CFA 19.6K

$15.14 €13.18

127.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.20 F CFA 25.8K

$37.69 €32.80

19.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.95 F CFA 25.1K

$55.9 €48.68

-21.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 €14.87

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 €9.93

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

$767 F CFA 437.5K

$997 €867

-23.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,334 F CFA 1.3M

$16.5K €14.4K

-85.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 €80.6

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.22 €35.88

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €96.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €109

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$529 F CFA 301.8K

$1,707 €1,486

-69.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 F CFA 101.8K

$1,286 €1,119

-86.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 F CFA 500.2K

$2,565 €2,233

-65.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 F CFA 247.2K

$1,942 €1,690

-77.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,647 €6,655

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,497

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,041 F CFA 594.1K

$2,348 €2,044

-55.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

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

Last update for Bissau: September 14, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $529 in Bissau and $1,707 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 126% 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: $26.00 in Bissau vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $307 vs $336 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

Bissau vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bissau and Barcelona differ by about 195% in total monthly costs ($838 vs $2,476 including rent). Bissau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 126% lower in Barcelona. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $529 in Bissau versus $1,707 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $767 in Bissau versus $997 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $838 in Bissau versus $2,476 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, Bissau and Barcelona 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 195% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.