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: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $838 in Bissau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,355 in Bissau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $1,873 in Bissau.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 174% more expensive than in Bissau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Bissau is 39% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.31

$5.18 F CFA 2,959

239.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.7

$26.21 F CFA 15.0K

139.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.08

$9.30 F CFA 5,307

24.52%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$1.80 F CFA 1,027

72.22%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$1.08 F CFA 616

130.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.89 F CFA 508

95.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$0.67 F CFA 381

419.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.79 F CFA 1,024

-35.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$0.95 F CFA 540

101.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$2.13 F CFA 1,218

-29.58%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$5.32 F CFA 3,034

-25.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.57

$14.66 F CFA 8,364

-9.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.97

$14.21 F CFA 8,109

-43.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.70

$14.23 F CFA 8,120

26.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$4.45 F CFA 2,542

-47.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$1.04 F CFA 594

68.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$4.30 F CFA 2,455

-56.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$0.20 F CFA 116

1175.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$1.39 F CFA 791

32.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$1.44 F CFA 822

45.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$1.34 F CFA 766

-38.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.18

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.14

$6.90 F CFA 3,937

-14.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.34 F CFA 765

-2.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.85

$0.92 F CFA 527

131.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$0.51 F CFA 291

362.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.57

$25.76 F CFA 14.7K

80.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.88

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.47 F CFA 841

57.14%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$32.1K F CFA 18.3M

6.25%

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

$41.4K €36.0K

$28.3K F CFA 16.2M

46.03%

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

$169 €147

$106 F CFA 60.6K

58.74%

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

$19.33 €16.82

$34.39 F CFA 19.6K

-43.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.17

$45.20 F CFA 25.8K

-25.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.50

$43.95 F CFA 25.1K

11.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.91

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.33

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

$696 €606

$767 F CFA 437.5K

-9.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$2,334 F CFA 1.3M

643.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.6

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.56

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.5

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,446

$529 F CFA 301.8K

214.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,085

$178 F CFA 101.8K

598.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,580

$877 F CFA 500.2K

238.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,783

$433 F CFA 247.2K

372.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,818

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,885

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,420

$1,041 F CFA 594.1K

56.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Bissau: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $529 in Bissau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 57% 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 $26.00 in Bissau. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $307, 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 174% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $838 including rent). Bissau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 57% 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $529 in Bissau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $696 in Lisbon versus $767 in Bissau. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

At $838 in Bissau versus $2,296 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 174% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.