Cost of Living Comparison Between Bissau and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bissau and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $883 in Bissau versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,405 in Bissau versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,927 in Bissau versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Bissau costs roughly 13% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bissau 34% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 F CFA 3,005

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-10.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.76 F CFA 15.1K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-19.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.26 F CFA 5,229

$7.23 COP 25.2K

28.08%

Cappuccino

$1.71 F CFA 965

$1.63 COP 5,687

4.91%

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

$1.05 F CFA 591

$1.09 COP 3,821

-3.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 F CFA 519

$0.73 COP 2,548

26.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.72 F CFA 409

$1.74 COP 6,065

-58.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 F CFA 1,013

$1.05 COP 3,662

70.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 F CFA 538

$1.29 COP 4,515

-26.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 F CFA 1,230

$1.32 COP 4,617

65.15%

Eggs

$5.28 F CFA 2,979

$2.27 COP 7,927

132.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 F CFA 8,133

$4.35 COP 15.2K

231.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.20 F CFA 8,020

$5.88 COP 20.5K

141.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.32 F CFA 8,086

$8.61 COP 30.0K

66.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 F CFA 2,443

$2.25 COP 7,844

92.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 F CFA 606

$1.07 COP 3,733

Oranges (1kg)

$4.50 F CFA 2,541

$1.52 COP 5,322

196.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.18 F CFA 104

$1.42 COP 4,964

-87.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 F CFA 805

$1.17 COP 4,084

21.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 F CFA 810

$1.17 COP 4,077

22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 F CFA 758

$0.90 COP 3,146

48.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

Wine (Bottle)

$7.22 F CFA 4,077

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-34.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 F CFA 747

$1.14 COP 3,977

15.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 F CFA 517

$2.38 COP 8,301

-61.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 F CFA 310

$0.84 COP 2,916

-34.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.32 F CFA 14.3K

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-39.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 F CFA 841

$1.01 COP 3,509

47.52%

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

$32.4K F CFA 18.3M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

84.04%

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

$29.0K F CFA 16.4M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

9.37%

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

$106 F CFA 60.1K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

27.23%

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

$34.72 F CFA 19.6K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

267.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.89 F CFA 25.4K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

86.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.70 F CFA 24.7K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

72.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

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

$759 F CFA 428.7K

$312 COP 1.1M

143.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,276 F CFA 1.3M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-62.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 F CFA 243.9K

$482 COP 1.7M

-10.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$233 F CFA 131.4K

$379 COP 1.3M

-38.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$736 F CFA 415.4K

$837 COP 2.9M

-12.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 F CFA 275.3K

$723 COP 2.5M

-32.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,048 F CFA 591.6K

$541 COP 1.9M

93.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Bissau: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Bissau and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bissau pays 94% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Bissau vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $308 vs $190, with Medellin 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 Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bissau and Medellin differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($883 vs $1,017 including rent). Bissau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bissau pays 94% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $432 in Bissau versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $759 in Bissau versus $312 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 62% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $883 in Bissau versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bissau but tight or insufficient in Medellin. 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.

Expats usually find Bissau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.