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: $891 in Bissau versus $2,280 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,418 in Bissau versus $3,294 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,945 in Bissau versus $4,307 in Lisbon.

Living in Bissau costs roughly 61% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bissau is 33% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.35 F CFA 3,039

$15.75 €13.64

-66.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.81 F CFA 15.2K

$63.5 €55.0

-57.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.64 F CFA 5,472

$10.45 €9.05

-7.75%

Cappuccino

$1.72 F CFA 974

$2.91 €2.52

-40.89%

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

$1.04 F CFA 591

$2.29 €1.98

-54.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 F CFA 476

$1.50 €1.30

-44.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.69 F CFA 392

$3.56 €3.09

-80.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 F CFA 1,023

$1.08 €0.94

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 F CFA 536

$1.76 €1.53

-46.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 F CFA 1,214

$1.70 €1.47

25.88%

Eggs

$5.24 F CFA 2,978

$3.25 €2.81

61.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.29 F CFA 8,110

$13.25 €11.47

7.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.20 F CFA 8,062

$7.70 €6.67

84.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.35 F CFA 8,145

$15.77 €13.66

-9.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 F CFA 2,438

$2.28 €1.97

88.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 F CFA 590

$1.66 €1.43

-37.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 F CFA 2,576

$2.02 €1.75

124.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.19 F CFA 109

$2.47 €2.14

-92.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 F CFA 793

$1.79 €1.55

-21.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 F CFA 792

$2.07 €1.79

-32.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 F CFA 727

$0.83 €0.72

54.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

Wine (Bottle)

$6.97 F CFA 3,955

$5.57 €4.82

25.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 F CFA 773

$1.33 €1.15

2.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 F CFA 509

$3.01 €2.60

-70.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 F CFA 289

$2.27 €1.97

-77.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.02 F CFA 14.8K

$46.35 €40.14

-43.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 F CFA 867

$2.02 €1.75

-24.26%

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

$32.0K F CFA 18.2M

$35.0K €30.3K

-8.52%

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

$29.4K F CFA 16.7M

$39.6K €34.3K

-25.73%

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

$108 F CFA 61.2K

$148 €128

-27.15%

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

$34.27 F CFA 19.5K

$20.52 €17.77

67.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.80 F CFA 25.4K

$39.52 €34.23

13.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.80 F CFA 25.4K

$48.17 €41.72

-7.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

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

$765 F CFA 434.5K

$615 €532

24.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,293 F CFA 1.3M

$16.3K €14.1K

-85.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 F CFA 248.7K

$1,612 €1,396

-72.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 F CFA 131.4K

$1,254 €1,086

-81.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$736 F CFA 417.7K

$3,069 €2,658

-76.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 F CFA 268.5K

$2,037 €1,764

-76.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,051 F CFA 596.8K

$1,602 €1,387

-34.37%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Bissau and $1,612 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 52% 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 $63.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $306 vs $267, 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 156% in total monthly costs ($891 vs $2,280 including rent). Bissau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 52% lower in Lisbon. 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 $1,612 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $765 in Bissau versus $615 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $891 in Bissau versus $2,280 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 156% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.