Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Bissau

For one person, living is cheaper in Bissau: $837 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cebu outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Bissau

🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau

$837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Bissau

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cebu and in Bissau actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $837 in Bissau.

Cebu $934
Bissau $837

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $1,352 in Bissau.

Cebu $1,415
Bissau $1,352

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $1,868 in Bissau.

Cebu $1,896
Bissau $1,868

Living in Cebu is roughly 12% more expensive than in Bissau, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 30% lower, Bissau 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ₱190

$5.33 F CFA 3,120

-43.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 ₱1,473

$25.69 F CFA 15.0K

-8.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱256

$9.50 F CFA 5,560

-56.95%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱158

$1.75 F CFA 1,023

44.00%

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

$1.54 ₱96.9

$1.03 F CFA 600

49.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.98

$0.83 F CFA 487

-40.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₱112

$0.71 F CFA 413

152.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱142

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱122

$1.70 F CFA 992

14.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.7

$1.00 F CFA 587

43.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱63.8

$2.02 F CFA 1,184

-49.50%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

$5.29 F CFA 3,093

-61.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱615

$14.63 F CFA 8,561

-32.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱289

$13.73 F CFA 8,033

-66.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱483

$14.00 F CFA 8,193

-45.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱207

$4.46 F CFA 2,608

-25.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱90.9

$1.06 F CFA 622

36.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$4.37 F CFA 2,558

-46.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.4

$0.15 F CFA 85.3

926.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$1.42 F CFA 829

66.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₱125

$1.42 F CFA 830

40.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.1

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.15

$1.29 F CFA 753

-48.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱188

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱398

$6.94 F CFA 4,062

-8.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱81.9

$1.28 F CFA 749

2.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱108

$0.85 F CFA 499

103.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.78

$0.50 F CFA 294

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱793

$25.49 F CFA 14.9K

-50.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.32

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.11

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱271

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.5

$1.48 F CFA 868

-10.14%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$31.7K F CFA 18.6M

-31.39%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$28.9K F CFA 16.9M

-32.96%

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

$121 ₱7,563

$105 F CFA 61.5K

14.65%

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

$14.45 ₱907

$34.41 F CFA 20.1K

-58.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,774

$45.15 F CFA 26.4K

-37.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,050

$43.73 F CFA 25.6K

-25.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱401

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱342

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

$273 ₱17.1K

$759 F CFA 444.1K

-63.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱511.5K

$2,319 F CFA 1.4M

251.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,109

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,560

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,804

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,717

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.7K

$528 F CFA 309.1K

-4.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

$171 F CFA 100.1K

80.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.0K

$867 F CFA 507.3K

21.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.8K

$429 F CFA 250.8K

44.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱182.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.4K

$1,029 F CFA 601.9K

-66.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

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

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Bissau: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Bissau

–

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Bissau

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Bissau

–

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Bissau

–

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Bissau

–

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Bissau

–

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Bissau

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $506 in Cebu and $528 in Bissau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bissau pays 202% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $23.00 in Cebu vs $26.00 in Bissau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $302 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇬🇼 Bissau

🕒 Local time

18:04 6:04 PM

10:04 10:04 AM

8 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

395,954 Capital

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

West African CFA Franc XOF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD

1,000 XOF = 1.53 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XOF, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.28 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

West African CFA Franc exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 585 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.53 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Cebu Bissau 14,910 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Bissau

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Cebu vs Bissau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu and Bissau differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($934 vs $837 including rent). Bissau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 202% lower in Bissau. 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: $506 in Cebu versus $528 in Bissau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $273 in Cebu versus $759 in Bissau. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Cebu pay roughly 44% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $837 in Bissau versus $934 in Cebu, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bissau but tight or insufficient in Cebu. 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.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Bissau are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bissau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.