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: $891 in Bissau versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,418 in Bissau versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,945 in Bissau versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Bissau costs roughly 11% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bissau 33% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.35 F CFA 3,039

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-9.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.81 F CFA 15.2K

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-18.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.64 F CFA 5,472

$7.43 COP 23.4K

29.74%

Cappuccino

$1.72 F CFA 974

$1.65 COP 5,207

4.24%

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

$1.04 F CFA 591

$1.10 COP 3,468

-5.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 F CFA 476

$0.78 COP 2,458

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.69 F CFA 392

$1.72 COP 5,412

-59.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 F CFA 1,023

$1.10 COP 3,474

63.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 F CFA 536

$1.26 COP 3,962

-25.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 F CFA 1,214

$1.38 COP 4,349

55.07%

Eggs

$5.24 F CFA 2,978

$2.18 COP 6,858

140.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.29 F CFA 8,110

$4.49 COP 14.1K

218.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.20 F CFA 8,062

$5.79 COP 18.2K

145.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.35 F CFA 8,145

$8.97 COP 28.2K

59.98%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 F CFA 2,438

$2.32 COP 7,308

84.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 F CFA 590

$1.06 COP 3,352

-1.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 F CFA 2,576

$1.52 COP 4,774

198.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.19 F CFA 109

$1.36 COP 4,270

-86.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 F CFA 793

$1.13 COP 3,552

23.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 F CFA 792

$1.17 COP 3,689

19.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 F CFA 727

$0.90 COP 2,823

42.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

Wine (Bottle)

$6.97 F CFA 3,955

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-42.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 F CFA 773

$1.19 COP 3,743

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 F CFA 509

$2.48 COP 7,815

-63.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 F CFA 289

$0.85 COP 2,687

-40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.02 F CFA 14.8K

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-37.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 F CFA 867

$0.99 COP 3,118

54.55%

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

$32.0K F CFA 18.2M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

81.69%

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

$29.4K F CFA 16.7M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

9.88%

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

$108 F CFA 61.2K

$83.0 COP 261.4K

29.82%

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

$34.27 F CFA 19.5K

$9.70 COP 30.5K

253.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.80 F CFA 25.4K

$23.52 COP 74.1K

90.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.80 F CFA 25.4K

$25.26 COP 79.5K

77.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

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

$765 F CFA 434.5K

$316 COP 994.2K

142.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,293 F CFA 1.3M

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-61.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 F CFA 248.7K

$475 COP 1.5M

-7.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 F CFA 131.4K

$374 COP 1.2M

-38.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$736 F CFA 417.7K

$849 COP 2.7M

-13.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 F CFA 268.5K

$719 COP 2.3M

-34.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,051 F CFA 596.8K

$624 COP 2.0M

68.35%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Bissau and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bissau pays 68% 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 $306 vs $193, 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 13% in total monthly costs ($891 vs $1,003 including rent). Bissau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 68% higher in Bissau, 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: $438 in Bissau versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $765 in Bissau versus $316 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 58% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $891 in Bissau versus $1,003 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 13% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.