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: $888 in Bissau versus $2,341 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Bissau versus $3,462 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,929 in Bissau versus $4,582 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 34% below, Barcelona is 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.17 F CFA 2,894

$17.61 €15.04

-70.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.26 F CFA 14.7K

$68.7 €58.7

-61.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.45 F CFA 5,295

$13.75 €11.74

-31.27%

Cappuccino

$1.73 F CFA 971

$2.76 €2.36

-37.32%

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

$1.05 F CFA 587

$2.78 €2.38

-62.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 F CFA 513

$2.05 €1.75

-55.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.69 F CFA 384

$4.61 €3.93

-85.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.92

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 F CFA 994

$1.28 €1.09

38.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 F CFA 529

$2.11 €1.80

-55.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 F CFA 1,177

$1.97 €1.68

6.60%

Eggs

$5.33 F CFA 2,987

$3.44 €2.94

54.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.60 F CFA 8,177

$18.83 €16.08

-22.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.09 F CFA 7,894

$9.45 €8.07

49.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.22 F CFA 7,965

$19.01 €16.24

-25.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.48 F CFA 2,512

$2.72 €2.32

64.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 F CFA 578

$2.37 €2.03

-56.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 F CFA 2,453

$2.08 €1.77

110.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.16 F CFA 87.1

$2.76 €2.36

-94.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 F CFA 770

$1.97 €1.68

-29.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 F CFA 780

$1.79 €1.53

-22.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 F CFA 719

$0.90 €0.77

42.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.77

Wine (Bottle)

$6.99 F CFA 3,915

$7.55 €6.44

-7.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 F CFA 729

$1.44 €1.23

-9.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 F CFA 481

$2.41 €2.06

-64.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 F CFA 307

$3.03 €2.59

-81.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.12 F CFA 14.1K

$28.39 €24.25

-11.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.78

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.75

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.05

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 F CFA 849

$1.89 €1.61

-19.58%

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

$32.2K F CFA 18.1M

$38.7K €33.1K

-16.76%

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

$29.2K F CFA 16.3M

$32.4K €27.6K

-9.92%

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

$109 F CFA 61.0K

$189 €161

-42.30%

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

$34.37 F CFA 19.3K

$22.21 €18.96

54.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.85 F CFA 25.7K

$36.82 €31.44

24.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.39 F CFA 24.9K

$58.0 €49.52

-23.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.93

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.44

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

$761 F CFA 426.1K

$726 €620

4.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,338 F CFA 1.3M

$15.2K €13.0K

-84.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.4

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.58

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.6

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 F CFA 247.7K

$1,526 €1,304

-71.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 F CFA 128.0K

$1,218 €1,040

-81.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$742 F CFA 415.9K

$2,794 €2,386

-73.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 F CFA 265.5K

$2,027 €1,731

-76.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,058

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,141

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,062 F CFA 595.0K

$2,404 €2,053

-55.83%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $442 in Bissau and $1,526 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 $305 vs $320 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 164% in total monthly costs ($888 vs $2,341 including rent). Bissau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 126% less. 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: $442 in Bissau versus $1,526 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $761 in Bissau versus $726 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $888 in Bissau versus $2,341 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 164% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.