Cost of Living Comparison Between Bissau and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Bissau and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $891 in Bissau versus $1,472 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,418 in Bissau versus $2,359 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,945 in Bissau versus $3,245 in Mexico City.

Living in Bissau costs roughly 40% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bissau is 33% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.35 F CFA 3,059

$13.14 MX$229

-59.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.81 F CFA 15.3K

$53.5 MX$934

-49.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.64 F CFA 5,508

$9.33 MX$163

3.32%

Cappuccino

$1.72 F CFA 981

$3.70 MX$64.5

-53.51%

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

$1.04 F CFA 595

$1.60 MX$27.98

-35.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 F CFA 479

$1.12 MX$19.49

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.69 F CFA 395

$3.14 MX$54.7

-78.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$84.5

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 F CFA 1,030

$1.65 MX$28.84

9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 F CFA 540

$2.71 MX$47.34

-65.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 F CFA 1,222

$1.91 MX$33.29

12.04%

Eggs

$5.24 F CFA 2,997

$2.59 MX$45.17

102.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.29 F CFA 8,164

$9.81 MX$171

45.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.20 F CFA 8,115

$8.43 MX$147

68.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.35 F CFA 8,199

$11.93 MX$208

20.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 F CFA 2,454

$2.95 MX$51.5

45.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 F CFA 594

$1.74 MX$30.35

-40.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 F CFA 2,593

$2.04 MX$35.66

122.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.19 F CFA 110

$2.06 MX$35.93

-90.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 F CFA 799

$2.15 MX$37.49

-34.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 F CFA 797

$2.26 MX$39.33

-38.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.17

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 F CFA 732

$1.12 MX$19.47

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.6

Wine (Bottle)

$6.97 F CFA 3,981

$17.51 MX$305

-60.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 F CFA 779

$1.71 MX$29.82

-20.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 F CFA 512

$3.63 MX$63.4

-75.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 F CFA 291

$0.35 MX$6.15

45.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.02 F CFA 14.9K

$19.32 MX$337

34.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$24.00

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.81

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$92.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 F CFA 873

$1.36 MX$23.69

12.50%

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

$32.0K F CFA 18.3M

$19.1K MX$333.2K

67.41%

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

$29.4K F CFA 16.8M

$23.6K MX$411.7K

24.73%

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

$108 F CFA 61.6K

$40.53 MX$707

165.88%

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

$34.27 F CFA 19.6K

$27.38 MX$478

25.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.80 F CFA 25.6K

$30.38 MX$530

47.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.80 F CFA 25.6K

$52.2 MX$911

-14.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$462

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$108

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

$765 F CFA 437.4K

$425 MX$7,414

80.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,293 F CFA 1.3M

$10.7K MX$187.2K

-78.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,017

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$777

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,805

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,897

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 F CFA 250.3K

$1,014 MX$17.7K

-56.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 F CFA 132.2K

$623 MX$10.9K

-62.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$736 F CFA 420.5K

$2,119 MX$37.0K

-65.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 F CFA 270.3K

$1,223 MX$21.3K

-61.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$66.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,051 F CFA 600.8K

$1,052 MX$18.4K

-0.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Bissau: July 28, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Bissau and $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 0% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $306 vs $293, with Mexico City 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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bissau and Mexico City differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($891 vs $1,472 including rent). Bissau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 0% lower in Mexico City. 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 $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $765 in Bissau versus $425 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Mexico City pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $891 in Bissau versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bissau but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. 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 65% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.