Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bissau Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bissau

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $883 in Bissau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $1,405 in Bissau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $1,927 in Bissau.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 156% more expensive than Bissau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Bissau is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$5.32 F CFA 3,005

199.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$26.76 F CFA 15.1K

136.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$9.26 F CFA 5,229

12.10%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$1.71 F CFA 965

63.16%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$1.05 F CFA 591

122.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.92 F CFA 519

70.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$0.72 F CFA 409

376.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.79 F CFA 1,013

-39.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$0.95 F CFA 538

86.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$2.18 F CFA 1,230

-21.56%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$5.28 F CFA 2,979

-40.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$14.40 F CFA 8,133

-5.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$14.20 F CFA 8,020

-43.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$14.32 F CFA 8,086

8.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$4.33 F CFA 2,443

-47.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.07 F CFA 606

53.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$4.50 F CFA 2,541

-56.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$0.18 F CFA 104

1294.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.42 F CFA 805

26.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.43 F CFA 810

40.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$1.34 F CFA 758

-37.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$7.22 F CFA 4,077

-21.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.32 F CFA 747

5.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$0.92 F CFA 517

228.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$0.55 F CFA 310

312.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

$25.32 F CFA 14.3K

79.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.49 F CFA 841

33.56%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$32.4K F CFA 18.3M

8.29%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$29.0K F CFA 16.4M

36.48%

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

$146 €126

$106 F CFA 60.1K

37.30%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$34.72 F CFA 19.6K

-41.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$44.89 F CFA 25.4K

-13.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$43.70 F CFA 24.7K

12.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

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

$608 €524

$759 F CFA 428.7K

-19.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$2,276 F CFA 1.3M

625.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$432 F CFA 243.9K

275.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$233 F CFA 131.4K

444.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$736 F CFA 415.4K

314.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$487 F CFA 275.3K

312.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

$1,048 F CFA 591.6K

51.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Last update for Bissau: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $432 in Bissau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 51% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $27.00 in Bissau. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $308, with Lisbon 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

Lisbon vs Bissau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Bissau differ by about 156% in total monthly costs ($2,263 vs $883 including rent). Bissau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 51% more on average, 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: $1,621 in Lisbon versus $432 in Bissau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $608 in Lisbon versus $759 in Bissau. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $883 in Bissau versus $2,263 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bissau but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. 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, Lisbon 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 156% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.