Cost of Living Comparison Between Bissau and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Bissau and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $888 in Bissau versus $2,227 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Bissau versus $3,305 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,929 in Bissau versus $4,384 in Lisbon.

Living in Bissau costs roughly 60% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bissau is 34% below, Lisbon is 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.17 F CFA 2,897

$16.17 €13.84

-68.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.26 F CFA 14.7K

$64.6 €55.3

-59.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.45 F CFA 5,301

$10.38 €8.88

-8.96%

Cappuccino

$1.73 F CFA 972

$2.77 €2.37

-37.55%

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

$1.05 F CFA 587

$2.25 €1.92

-53.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 F CFA 514

$1.57 €1.35

-41.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.69 F CFA 385

$3.49 €2.99

-80.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 F CFA 995

$1.08 €0.93

63.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 F CFA 530

$1.74 €1.49

-45.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 F CFA 1,178

$1.74 €1.49

20.69%

Eggs

$5.33 F CFA 2,991

$3.18 €2.72

67.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.60 F CFA 8,186

$13.43 €11.50

8.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.09 F CFA 7,903

$7.99 €6.84

76.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.22 F CFA 7,974

$16.09 €13.77

-11.62%

Apples (1kg)

$4.48 F CFA 2,514

$2.28 €1.95

96.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 F CFA 579

$1.72 €1.48

-40.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 F CFA 2,456

$1.94 €1.66

125.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.16 F CFA 87.2

$2.54 €2.18

-93.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 F CFA 771

$1.83 €1.57

-24.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 F CFA 781

$2.04 €1.75

-31.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 F CFA 720

$0.85 €0.73

50.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

Wine (Bottle)

$6.99 F CFA 3,919

$5.78 €4.94

20.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 F CFA 729

$1.37 €1.18

-5.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 F CFA 482

$2.90 €2.48

-70.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 F CFA 307

$2.28 €1.95

-75.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.12 F CFA 14.1K

$46.84 €40.10

-46.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 F CFA 850

$2.01 €1.72

-24.38%

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

$32.2K F CFA 18.1M

$35.3K €30.2K

-8.56%

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

$29.2K F CFA 16.4M

$38.5K €32.9K

-24.26%

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

$109 F CFA 61.0K

$145 €124

-25.17%

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

$34.37 F CFA 19.3K

$20.96 €17.94

63.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.85 F CFA 25.7K

$40.05 €34.29

14.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.39 F CFA 24.9K

$48.79 €41.76

-9.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

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

$761 F CFA 426.6K

$607 €519

25.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,338 F CFA 1.3M

$16.3K €14.0K

-85.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 F CFA 248.0K

$1,604 €1,373

-72.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 F CFA 128.1K

$1,236 €1,058

-81.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$742 F CFA 416.3K

$3,046 €2,607

-75.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 F CFA 265.8K

$2,057 €1,761

-76.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,062 F CFA 595.7K

$1,584 €1,356

-32.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for Bissau: April 27, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $442 in Bissau and $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 49% 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 $65.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $305 vs $271, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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 Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bissau and Lisbon differ by about 151% in total monthly costs ($888 vs $2,227 including rent). Bissau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lisbon earns 49% 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 $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $761 in Bissau versus $607 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 13% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $888 in Bissau versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bissau but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. 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 Lisbon 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 151% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.