Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bissau and Berlin

For one person, living is cheaper in Bissau: $837 a month against $2,545 in Berlin, rent and utilities included – about $20,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bissau
🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau
$837
/mo nomad
Berlin
🇩🇪 Germany
$2,545
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bissau and in Berlin

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 Berlin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $837 per month in Bissau vs $2,545 in Berlin, rent included.

  • Bissau $837
  • Berlin $2,545

A couple spends around $1,352 per month in Bissau vs $3,901 in Berlin, rent included.

  • Bissau $1,352
  • Berlin $3,901

A family of three spends $1,868 per month in Bissau vs $5,257 in Berlin, rent included.

  • Bissau $1,868
  • Berlin $5,257

Bissau is about 67% cheaper than Berlin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Bissau sits 38% below the global median, while Berlin is 90% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bissau
Berlin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.33 F CFA 3,120
$16.81 €15.00
-68.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.69 F CFA 15.0K
$79.6 €71.0
-67.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 F CFA 5,560
$13.38 €11.94
-29.00%
Cappuccino
$1.75 F CFA 1,023
$4.27 €3.81
-59.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 F CFA 600
$3.40 €3.03
-69.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 F CFA 487
$3.12 €2.79
-73.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.71 F CFA 413
$5.48 €4.89
-87.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.56 €4.07
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bissau
Berlin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 F CFA 992
$1.27 €1.13
33.86%
White Bread (500g)
$1.00 F CFA 587
$2.45 €2.19
-59.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.02 F CFA 1,184
$3.30 €2.94
-38.79%
Eggs
$5.29 F CFA 3,093
$4.45 €3.97
18.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.63 F CFA 8,561
$17.10 €15.26
-14.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.73 F CFA 8,033
$12.19 €10.88
12.63%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.00 F CFA 8,193
$18.30 €16.33
-23.50%
Apples (1kg)
$4.46 F CFA 2,608
$3.58 €3.19
24.58%
Banana (1kg)
$1.06 F CFA 622
$1.98 €1.77
-46.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.37 F CFA 2,558
$3.27 €2.92
33.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.15 F CFA 85.3
$3.81 €3.40
-96.06%
Potato (1kg)
$1.42 F CFA 829
$2.13 €1.90
-33.33%
Onion (1kg)
$1.42 F CFA 830
$2.21 €1.97
-35.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$1.49 €1.33
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 F CFA 753
$1.01 €0.90
27.72%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$10.49 €9.37
-
Wine (Bottle)
$6.94 F CFA 4,062
$6.76 €6.03
2.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 F CFA 749
$1.34 €1.20
-4.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85 F CFA 499
$2.10 €1.87
-59.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Bissau
Berlin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.50 F CFA 294
$4.37 €3.90
-88.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.49 F CFA 14.9K
$71.0 €63.3
-64.08%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$5.29 €4.72
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$3.05 €2.73
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$36.30 €32.39
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 F CFA 868
$2.28 €2.03
-35.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.7K F CFA 18.6M
$33.2K €29.7K
-4.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.9K F CFA 16.9M
$39.1K €34.9K
-25.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bissau
Berlin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$105 F CFA 61.5K
$379 €339
-72.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.41 F CFA 20.1K
$19.31 €17.23
78.20%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$45.15 F CFA 26.4K
$48.41 €43.20
-6.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bissau
Berlin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.73 F CFA 25.6K
$40.31 €35.97
8.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$35.51 €31.69
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$15.53 €13.86
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bissau
Berlin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$759 F CFA 444.1K
$144 €128
428.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,319 F CFA 1.4M
$15.8K €14.1K
-85.28%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bissau
Berlin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$94.6 €84.5
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$46.33 €41.34
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$103 €92.2
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$141 €126
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bissau
Berlin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$528 F CFA 309.1K
$1,488 €1,328
-64.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$171 F CFA 100.1K
$1,098 €980
-84.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$867 F CFA 507.3K
$2,665 €2,378
-67.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$429 F CFA 250.8K
$2,080 €1,856
-79.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$8,578 €7,655
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$5,438 €4,853
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bissau
Berlin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,029 F CFA 601.9K
$3,487 €3,112
-70.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
3.8
-

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

Last update for Bissau: October 5, 2026

Last update for Berlin: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bissau
–
Berlin
$1.1K
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bissau
–
Berlin
$447
Groceries & Markets
Bissau
–
Berlin
$351
Eating Out
Bissau
–
Berlin
$289
Clothing & Footwear
Bissau
–
Berlin
$174
Getting Around
Bissau
–
Berlin
$109
Sport & Entertainment
Bissau
–
Berlin
$71

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $528 in Bissau versus $1,488 in Berlin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 239% higher in Berlin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Bissau versus $80.0 in Berlin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $302 vs $351 – making Bissau the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇼 Bissau
🇩🇪 Berlin
🕒 Local time
06:17 6:17 AM
08:17 8:17 AM
2 h ahead of Bissau
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
395,954 Capital
3,769,962 Capital
💱 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 October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 585 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.52 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bissau Berlin 5,210 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Bissau
  • Berlin

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 Berlin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Berlin cheaper than Bissau?
Yes – Berlin is pricier by about 204%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,256 per month in Bissau and $3,818 in Berlin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Bissau, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Bissau and in Berlin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $837 in Bissau and $2,545 in Berlin. That's a gap of about 204%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 178% less in Bissau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Bissau or in Berlin?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bissau, where all-in costs run around $837, than in Berlin at $2,545. In Bissau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Berlin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Bissau or Berlin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Bissau – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Bissau or Berlin?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Bissau. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Berlin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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