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: $838 in Bissau versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,355 in Bissau versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,873 in Bissau versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Bissau costs roughly 50% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bissau is 39% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.18 F CFA 2,959

$8.02 COP 25.4K

-35.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.21 F CFA 15.0K

$47.87 COP 152.0K

-45.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.30 F CFA 5,307

$9.89 COP 31.4K

-5.97%

Cappuccino

$1.80 F CFA 1,027

$3.13 COP 9,937

-42.49%

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

$1.08 F CFA 616

$1.91 COP 6,058

-43.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 F CFA 508

$1.51 COP 4,794

-41.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.67 F CFA 381

$3.12 COP 9,917

-78.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 F CFA 1,024

$1.44 COP 4,587

24.31%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 F CFA 540

$2.49 COP 7,894

-61.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 F CFA 1,218

$1.77 COP 5,631

20.34%

Eggs

$5.32 F CFA 3,034

$2.96 COP 9,396

79.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 F CFA 8,364

$10.07 COP 32.0K

45.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.21 F CFA 8,109

$10.12 COP 32.1K

40.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.23 F CFA 8,120

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-0.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.45 F CFA 2,542

$4.14 COP 13.1K

7.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 F CFA 594

$1.61 COP 5,106

-35.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.30 F CFA 2,455

$2.25 COP 7,129

91.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.20 F CFA 116

$2.25 COP 7,150

-91.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 F CFA 791

$2.04 COP 6,486

-31.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 F CFA 822

$1.54 COP 4,873

-6.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 F CFA 766

$1.31 COP 4,148

2.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

Wine (Bottle)

$6.90 F CFA 3,937

$14.01 COP 44.5K

-50.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 F CFA 765

$1.74 COP 5,534

-22.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 F CFA 527

$2.87 COP 9,112

-67.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 F CFA 291

$1.22 COP 3,858

-58.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.76 F CFA 14.7K

$80.5 COP 255.5K

-67.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 F CFA 841

$1.37 COP 4,334

7.30%

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

$32.1K F CFA 18.3M

$27.8K COP 88.4M

15.39%

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

$28.3K F CFA 16.2M

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-20.80%

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

$106 F CFA 60.6K

$177 COP 562.9K

-40.11%

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

$34.39 F CFA 19.6K

$13.88 COP 44.1K

147.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.20 F CFA 25.8K

$29.72 COP 94.4K

52.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.95 F CFA 25.1K

$44.88 COP 142.5K

-2.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

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

$767 F CFA 437.5K

$813 COP 2.6M

-5.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,334 F CFA 1.3M

$9,187 COP 29.2M

-74.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$529 F CFA 301.8K

$1,062 COP 3.4M

-50.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 F CFA 101.8K

$663 COP 2.1M

-73.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 F CFA 500.2K

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-53.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 F CFA 247.2K

$1,027 COP 3.3M

-57.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,041 F CFA 594.1K

$678 COP 2.2M

53.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Bissau: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $529 in Bissau and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bissau pays 54% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Bissau vs $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $307 vs $305, 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 100% in total monthly costs ($838 vs $1,681 including rent). Bissau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 54% 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: $529 in Bissau versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $767 in Bissau versus $813 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $838 in Bissau versus $1,681 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 100% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.