Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bissau and Barcelona

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.

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

How much you'll spend in Bissau and in Barcelona

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

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

  • Bissau $814
  • Barcelona $2,443

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

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

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

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

Living in Bissau costs roughly 67% less than in Barcelona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bissau
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.01 F CFA 2,923
$17.66 €15.73
-71.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.78 F CFA 15.1K
$67.5 €60.1
-61.79%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.31 F CFA 5,435
$13.61 €12.13
-31.59%
Cappuccino
$1.71 F CFA 1,001
$3.10 €2.76
-44.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05 F CFA 611
$3.00 €2.67
-65.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 F CFA 509
$1.93 €1.72
-54.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.71 F CFA 416
$3.84 €3.42
-81.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.36 €3.88
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bissau
Barcelona
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 F CFA 982
$1.25 €1.11
34.40%
White Bread (500g)
$0.91 F CFA 533
$2.12 €1.89
-57.08%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.00 F CFA 1,168
$1.97 €1.76
1.52%
Eggs
$5.08 F CFA 2,965
$4.76 €4.24
6.72%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.22 F CFA 8,306
$17.07 €15.20
-16.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.39 F CFA 7,819
$8.96 €7.98
49.44%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.77 F CFA 8,042
$20.65 €18.39
-33.32%
Apples (1kg)
$4.14 F CFA 2,415
$3.16 €2.82
31.01%
Banana (1kg)
$1.04 F CFA 605
$1.97 €1.75
-47.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.27 F CFA 2,496
$2.65 €2.36
61.13%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.18 F CFA 104
$2.88 €2.57
-93.75%
Potato (1kg)
$1.33 F CFA 777
$2.06 €1.83
-35.44%
Onion (1kg)
$1.37 F CFA 800
$2.18 €1.94
-37.16%
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$1.53 €1.37
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 F CFA 734
$0.97 €0.86
29.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$6.97 €6.21
-
Wine (Bottle)
$6.78 F CFA 3,958
$7.89 €7.03
-14.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.31 F CFA 766
$1.42 €1.26
-7.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.86 F CFA 504
$2.69 €2.39
-68.03%
🚌 Getting Around
Bissau
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.52 F CFA 304
$3.31 €2.95
-84.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.31 F CFA 14.8K
$25.61 €22.81
-1.17%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.08 €2.75
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.48 €1.32
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$32.87 €29.28
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.43 F CFA 833
$1.87 €1.66
-23.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.1K F CFA 18.8M
$33.0K €29.4K
-2.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.9K F CFA 16.9M
$31.9K €28.5K
-9.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bissau
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$103 F CFA 60.3K
$183 €163
-43.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.08 F CFA 19.9K
$14.24 €12.69
139.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$45.88 F CFA 26.8K
$34.56 €30.79
32.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bissau
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.15 F CFA 24.6K
$51.4 €45.81
-18.03%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.38 €14.60
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$11.06 €9.86
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bissau
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$759 F CFA 443.4K
$944 €841
-19.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,301 F CFA 1.3M
$22.3K €19.8K
-89.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bissau
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$87.7 €78.1
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$38.77 €34.54
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$105 €93.1
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$118 €105
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bissau
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$516 F CFA 301.4K
$1,697 €1,512
-69.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$168 F CFA 97.9K
$1,337 €1,191
-87.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$843 F CFA 492.4K
$2,692 €2,398
-68.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$431 F CFA 251.8K
$2,077 €1,850
-79.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,155 €6,373
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$5,079 €4,524
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bissau
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,042 F CFA 608.6K
$2,241 €1,997
-53.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
3.19
-

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

Last update for Bissau: November 3, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: November 2, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $516 in Bissau and $1,697 in Barcelona. 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: $26 in Bissau vs $67 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $328 per month, with Bissau cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇼 Bissau
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🕒 Local time
01:32 1:32 AM
02:32 2:32 AM
1 h ahead of Bissau
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
395,954 Capital
1,660,122
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to XOF – West African CFA Franc Converter

West African CFA Franc exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 584 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.53 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 0.891 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

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

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
Bissau vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Bissau and in Barcelona?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $814 in Bissau and $2,443 in Barcelona, so Bissau is about 67% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 54% lower in Bissau. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Bissau and in Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $516 in Bissau versus $1,697 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Bissau and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $759 in Bissau versus $944 in Barcelona. 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 Bissau and Barcelona?
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 Bissau and Barcelona?
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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