Cost of Living Comparison Between Bissau and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Bissau and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $838 in Bissau versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,355 in Bissau versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,873 in Bissau versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Bissau costs roughly 34% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bissau 39% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.18 F CFA 2,959

$11.60 MX$200

-55.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.21 F CFA 15.0K

$47.11 MX$811

-44.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.30 F CFA 5,307

$11.88 MX$205

-21.72%

Cappuccino

$1.80 F CFA 1,027

$3.98 MX$68.5

-54.77%

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

$1.08 F CFA 616

$1.43 MX$24.57

-24.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 F CFA 508

$0.82 MX$14.20

8.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.67 F CFA 381

$3.19 MX$54.9

-79.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 F CFA 1,024

$1.68 MX$28.85

6.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 F CFA 540

$2.20 MX$37.83

-56.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 F CFA 1,218

$1.71 MX$29.41

24.56%

Eggs

$5.32 F CFA 3,034

$2.74 MX$47.20

94.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 F CFA 8,364

$9.58 MX$165

53.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.21 F CFA 8,109

$9.01 MX$155

57.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.23 F CFA 8,120

$12.81 MX$221

11.09%

Apples (1kg)

$4.45 F CFA 2,542

$2.89 MX$49.74

53.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 F CFA 594

$1.50 MX$25.78

-30.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.30 F CFA 2,455

$2.15 MX$36.98

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.20 F CFA 116

$2.26 MX$38.91

-91.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 F CFA 791

$1.98 MX$34.10

-29.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 F CFA 822

$1.99 MX$34.26

-27.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 F CFA 766

$1.20 MX$20.60

11.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

Wine (Bottle)

$6.90 F CFA 3,937

$10.37 MX$179

-33.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 F CFA 765

$1.62 MX$27.88

-17.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 F CFA 527

$2.88 MX$49.60

-68.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 F CFA 291

$0.60 MX$10.34

-15.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.76 F CFA 14.7K

$28.80 MX$496

-10.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 F CFA 841

$1.54 MX$26.45

-4.55%

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

$32.1K F CFA 18.3M

$22.5K MX$388.3K

42.45%

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

$28.3K F CFA 16.2M

$26.1K MX$448.7K

8.74%

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

$106 F CFA 60.6K

$91.4 MX$1,573

16.20%

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

$34.39 F CFA 19.6K

$25.20 MX$434

36.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.20 F CFA 25.8K

$31.24 MX$538

44.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.95 F CFA 25.1K

$67.2 MX$1,157

-34.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

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

$767 F CFA 437.5K

$224 MX$3,851

242.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,334 F CFA 1.3M

$4,229 MX$72.8K

-44.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$529 F CFA 301.8K

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-50.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 F CFA 101.8K

$390 MX$6,719

-54.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 F CFA 500.2K

$2,149 MX$37.0K

-59.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 F CFA 247.2K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-65.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,041 F CFA 594.1K

$758 MX$13.1K

37.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Bissau: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $529 in Bissau and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bissau pays 37% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $307 vs $276, with Playa del Carmen 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 Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bissau and Playa del Carmen differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($838 vs $1,266 including rent). Bissau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 37% 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 $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $767 in Bissau versus $224 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $838 in Bissau versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bissau but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. 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 51% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.