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: $2,280 in Lisbon versus $891 in Bissau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,294 in Lisbon versus $1,418 in Bissau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,307 in Lisbon versus $1,945 in Bissau.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Bissau is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.64

$5.35 F CFA 3,039

194.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

$26.81 F CFA 15.2K

136.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.05

$9.64 F CFA 5,472

8.40%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.52

$1.72 F CFA 974

69.19%

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

$2.29 €1.98

$1.04 F CFA 591

120.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$0.84 F CFA 476

78.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.09

$0.69 F CFA 392

415.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.80 F CFA 1,023

-40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.53

$0.94 F CFA 536

87.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$2.14 F CFA 1,214

-20.56%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.81

$5.24 F CFA 2,978

-37.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.47

$14.29 F CFA 8,110

-7.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.67

$14.20 F CFA 8,062

-45.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.66

$14.35 F CFA 8,145

9.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$4.29 F CFA 2,438

-46.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.04 F CFA 590

59.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$4.54 F CFA 2,576

-55.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$0.19 F CFA 109

1200.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.40 F CFA 793

27.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$1.40 F CFA 792

47.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$1.28 F CFA 727

-35.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.82

$6.97 F CFA 3,955

-20.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.36 F CFA 773

-2.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.60

$0.90 F CFA 509

234.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

$0.51 F CFA 289

345.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

$26.02 F CFA 14.8K

78.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.53 F CFA 867

32.03%

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

$35.0K €30.3K

$32.0K F CFA 18.2M

9.32%

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

$39.6K €34.3K

$29.4K F CFA 16.7M

34.64%

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

$148 €128

$108 F CFA 61.2K

37.28%

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

$20.52 €17.77

$34.27 F CFA 19.5K

-40.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.23

$44.80 F CFA 25.4K

-11.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

$44.80 F CFA 25.4K

7.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

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

$615 €532

$765 F CFA 434.5K

-19.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.1K

$2,293 F CFA 1.3M

610.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

$438 F CFA 248.7K

267.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

$231 F CFA 131.4K

441.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

$736 F CFA 417.7K

317.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

$473 F CFA 268.5K

330.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

$1,051 F CFA 596.8K

52.37%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bissau: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Lisbon and $438 in Bissau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 52% 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 $267 vs $306, 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 ($2,280 vs $891 including rent). Bissau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 52% higher in Lisbon, 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: $1,612 in Lisbon versus $438 in Bissau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $615 in Lisbon versus $765 in Bissau. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $891 in Bissau versus $2,280 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.