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: $857 in Bissau versus $1,677 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,361 in Bissau versus $2,608 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,865 in Bissau versus $3,540 in Mexico City.

Living in Bissau costs roughly 49% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bissau is 38% below, Mexico City is 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.42 F CFA 3,062

$12.14 MX$206

-55.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.75 F CFA 15.1K

$53.9 MX$914

-50.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.48 F CFA 5,356

$11.09 MX$188

-14.52%

Cappuccino

$1.73 F CFA 979

$4.10 MX$69.5

-57.80%

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

$1.08 F CFA 610

$1.68 MX$28.53

-35.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 F CFA 522

$1.39 MX$23.55

-33.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.69 F CFA 389

$3.33 MX$56.5

-79.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 F CFA 993

$1.85 MX$31.41

-4.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 F CFA 536

$3.17 MX$53.8

-70.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 F CFA 1,191

$2.07 MX$35.13

1.93%

Eggs

$5.32 F CFA 3,008

$2.93 MX$49.67

81.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.63 F CFA 8,267

$12.59 MX$214

16.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.12 F CFA 7,980

$10.11 MX$172

39.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.35 F CFA 8,108

$16.09 MX$273

-10.81%

Apples (1kg)

$4.47 F CFA 2,527

$3.39 MX$57.5

31.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 F CFA 610

$2.08 MX$35.26

-48.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.47 F CFA 2,526

$2.12 MX$35.97

110.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.16 F CFA 93.1

$2.41 MX$40.95

-93.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 F CFA 793

$2.13 MX$36.11

-34.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 F CFA 794

$2.01 MX$34.02

-29.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 F CFA 729

$1.36 MX$23.15

-5.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

Wine (Bottle)

$7.11 F CFA 4,016

$17.74 MX$301

-59.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 F CFA 746

$2.07 MX$35.11

-36.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 F CFA 523

$4.61 MX$78.3

-79.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 F CFA 307

$0.37 MX$6.21

45.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.21 F CFA 14.2K

$21.18 MX$359

19.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 F CFA 828

$1.55 MX$26.34

-5.81%

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

$32.6K F CFA 18.4M

$22.9K MX$388.1K

42.30%

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

$28.4K F CFA 16.1M

$27.2K MX$462.0K

4.40%

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

$107 F CFA 60.5K

$67.4 MX$1,144

58.95%

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

$34.78 F CFA 19.7K

$30.62 MX$520

13.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.07 F CFA 25.5K

$37.24 MX$632

21.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.94 F CFA 25.4K

$61.5 MX$1,043

-26.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

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

$756 F CFA 427.4K

$456 MX$7,739

65.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,273 F CFA 1.3M

$13.7K MX$232.3K

-83.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 F CFA 299.2K

$1,148 MX$19.5K

-53.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 F CFA 101.3K

$709 MX$12.0K

-74.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$899 F CFA 508.2K

$2,577 MX$43.7K

-65.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$440 F CFA 248.8K

$1,295 MX$22.0K

-66.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,032 F CFA 583.2K

$1,082 MX$18.4K

-4.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Bissau: September 6, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $530 in Bissau and $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 5% 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 for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $307 vs $345 per month, with Bissau cheaper across the board.

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 96% in total monthly costs ($857 vs $1,677 including rent). Bissau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 5% 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: $530 in Bissau versus $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $756 in Bissau versus $456 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $857 in Bissau versus $1,677 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 96% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.