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: $883 in Bissau versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,405 in Bissau versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,927 in Bissau versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Bissau costs roughly 39% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bissau is 34% below, Mexico City is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 F CFA 3,005

$12.98 MX$223

-59.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.76 F CFA 15.1K

$52.6 MX$903

-49.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.26 F CFA 5,229

$9.43 MX$162

-1.80%

Cappuccino

$1.71 F CFA 965

$3.57 MX$61.3

-52.10%

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

$1.05 F CFA 591

$1.61 MX$27.55

-34.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 F CFA 519

$1.15 MX$19.81

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.72 F CFA 409

$3.15 MX$54.0

-77.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 F CFA 1,013

$1.70 MX$29.17

5.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 F CFA 538

$2.64 MX$45.23

-64.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 F CFA 1,230

$1.90 MX$32.67

14.74%

Eggs

$5.28 F CFA 2,979

$2.54 MX$43.62

107.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 F CFA 8,133

$10.08 MX$173

42.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.20 F CFA 8,020

$8.29 MX$142

71.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.32 F CFA 8,086

$11.57 MX$199

23.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 F CFA 2,443

$3.03 MX$52.0

42.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 F CFA 606

$1.71 MX$29.35

-37.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.50 F CFA 2,541

$2.05 MX$35.16

119.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.18 F CFA 104

$2.06 MX$35.36

-91.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 F CFA 805

$2.06 MX$35.43

-31.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 F CFA 810

$2.17 MX$37.25

-34.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 F CFA 758

$1.12 MX$19.26

19.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

Wine (Bottle)

$7.22 F CFA 4,077

$15.41 MX$265

-53.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 F CFA 747

$1.67 MX$28.74

-20.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 F CFA 517

$3.69 MX$63.3

-75.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 F CFA 310

$0.38 MX$6.55

44.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.32 F CFA 14.3K

$19.06 MX$327

32.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 F CFA 841

$1.28 MX$21.98

16.41%

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

$32.4K F CFA 18.3M

$19.0K MX$325.8K

70.46%

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

$29.0K F CFA 16.4M

$23.5K MX$402.7K

23.51%

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

$106 F CFA 60.1K

$41.02 MX$704

159.56%

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

$34.72 F CFA 19.6K

$26.92 MX$462

28.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.89 F CFA 25.4K

$29.69 MX$510

51.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.70 F CFA 24.7K

$52.3 MX$898

-16.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

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

$759 F CFA 428.7K

$427 MX$7,331

77.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,276 F CFA 1.3M

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-78.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 F CFA 243.9K

$995 MX$17.1K

-56.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$233 F CFA 131.4K

$621 MX$10.7K

-62.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$736 F CFA 415.4K

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-65.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 F CFA 275.3K

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-61.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,048 F CFA 591.6K

$1,107 MX$19.0K

-5.39%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Bissau and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 6% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $308 vs $288, 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 64% in total monthly costs ($883 vs $1,447 including rent). Bissau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 6% less. 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: $432 in Bissau versus $995 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $759 in Bissau versus $427 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 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $883 in Bissau versus $1,447 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 64% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.