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: $888 in Bissau versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Bissau versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,929 in Bissau versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Bissau costs roughly 14% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bissau 34% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.17 F CFA 2,897

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-12.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.26 F CFA 14.7K

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-19.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.45 F CFA 5,301

$7.20 COP 26.0K

31.25%

Cappuccino

$1.73 F CFA 972

$1.70 COP 6,140

1.76%

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

$1.05 F CFA 587

$1.10 COP 3,966

-4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 F CFA 514

$0.72 COP 2,605

27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.69 F CFA 385

$1.67 COP 6,022

-58.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 F CFA 995

$1.06 COP 3,809

66.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 F CFA 530

$1.25 COP 4,497

-24.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 F CFA 1,178

$1.39 COP 5,022

51.08%

Eggs

$5.33 F CFA 2,991

$2.26 COP 8,168

135.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.60 F CFA 8,186

$4.33 COP 15.6K

237.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.09 F CFA 7,903

$5.84 COP 21.1K

141.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.22 F CFA 7,974

$8.83 COP 31.9K

61.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.48 F CFA 2,514

$2.24 COP 8,099

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 F CFA 579

$1.08 COP 3,882

-4.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 F CFA 2,456

$1.53 COP 5,522

186.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.16 F CFA 87.2

$1.37 COP 4,950

-88.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 F CFA 771

$1.13 COP 4,078

22.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 F CFA 781

$1.12 COP 4,036

24.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 F CFA 720

$0.91 COP 3,281

40.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

Wine (Bottle)

$6.99 F CFA 3,919

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-37.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 F CFA 729

$1.19 COP 4,309

9.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 F CFA 482

$2.37 COP 8,553

-63.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 F CFA 307

$0.79 COP 2,838

-30.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.12 F CFA 14.1K

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-38.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 F CFA 850

$0.94 COP 3,385

61.70%

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

$32.2K F CFA 18.1M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

79.94%

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

$29.2K F CFA 16.4M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

8.82%

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

$109 F CFA 61.0K

$84.0 COP 303.1K

29.60%

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

$34.37 F CFA 19.3K

$9.60 COP 34.7K

258.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.85 F CFA 25.7K

$24.16 COP 87.2K

89.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.39 F CFA 24.9K

$25.88 COP 93.4K

71.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

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

$761 F CFA 426.6K

$306 COP 1.1M

148.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,338 F CFA 1.3M

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-60.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 F CFA 248.0K

$487 COP 1.8M

-9.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 F CFA 128.1K

$368 COP 1.3M

-37.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$742 F CFA 416.3K

$826 COP 3.0M

-10.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 F CFA 265.8K

$716 COP 2.6M

-33.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,062 F CFA 595.7K

$546 COP 2.0M

94.68%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $442 in Bissau and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bissau pays 95% 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 $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $305 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 16% in total monthly costs ($888 vs $1,034 including rent). Bissau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bissau pays 95% 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: $442 in Bissau versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $761 in Bissau versus $306 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 61% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $888 in Bissau versus $1,034 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 16% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.