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: $891 in Bissau versus $2,359 in Barcelona.

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

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

Living in Bissau costs roughly 62% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.35 F CFA 3,039

$17.15 €14.86

-68.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.81 F CFA 15.2K

$68.1 €58.9

-60.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.64 F CFA 5,472

$13.64 €11.82

-29.33%

Cappuccino

$1.72 F CFA 974

$2.78 €2.41

-38.13%

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

$1.04 F CFA 591

$2.82 €2.44

-63.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 F CFA 476

$1.96 €1.70

-57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.69 F CFA 392

$4.43 €3.84

-84.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.99

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 F CFA 1,023

$1.27 €1.10

41.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 F CFA 536

$2.13 €1.85

-55.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 F CFA 1,214

$1.99 €1.72

7.54%

Eggs

$5.24 F CFA 2,978

$3.37 €2.92

55.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.29 F CFA 8,110

$18.96 €16.42

-24.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.20 F CFA 8,062

$9.53 €8.26

49.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.35 F CFA 8,145

$18.73 €16.22

-23.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 F CFA 2,438

$2.65 €2.29

61.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 F CFA 590

$2.35 €2.04

-55.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 F CFA 2,576

$2.09 €1.81

117.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.19 F CFA 109

$2.73 €2.37

-93.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 F CFA 793

$1.96 €1.70

-28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 F CFA 792

$1.81 €1.56

-22.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 F CFA 727

$0.89 €0.77

43.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.87

Wine (Bottle)

$6.97 F CFA 3,955

$7.92 €6.86

-11.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 F CFA 773

$1.37 €1.19

-0.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 F CFA 509

$2.40 €2.08

-62.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 F CFA 289

$2.91 €2.52

-82.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.02 F CFA 14.8K

$28.66 €24.82

-9.21%

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)

$1.53 F CFA 867

$1.82 €1.58

-15.93%

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

$32.0K F CFA 18.2M

$39.3K €34.0K

-18.66%

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

$29.4K F CFA 16.7M

$32.5K €28.1K

-9.33%

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

$108 F CFA 61.2K

$187 €162

-42.26%

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

$34.27 F CFA 19.5K

$22.29 €19.30

53.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.80 F CFA 25.4K

$36.37 €31.50

23.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.80 F CFA 25.4K

$57.5 €49.82

-22.13%

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)

$765 F CFA 434.5K

$725 €628

5.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,293 F CFA 1.3M

$15.2K €13.1K

-84.87%

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)

$438 F CFA 248.7K

$1,524 €1,319

-71.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 F CFA 131.4K

$1,227 €1,062

-81.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$736 F CFA 417.7K

$2,727 €2,362

-73.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 F CFA 268.5K

$1,984 €1,718

-76.16%

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)

$1,051 F CFA 596.8K

$2,393 €2,072

-56.06%

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 Bissau: July 28, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Bissau and $1,524 in Barcelona. 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: $27.00 in Bissau vs $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $306 vs $319 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 165% in total monthly costs ($891 vs $2,359 including rent). Bissau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 128% 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: $438 in Bissau versus $1,524 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $765 in Bissau versus $725 in Barcelona. 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, 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 165% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.