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: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $888 in Bissau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $1,408 in Bissau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $1,929 in Bissau.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 151% more expensive than Bissau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Bissau is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$5.17 F CFA 2,897

212.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$26.26 F CFA 14.7K

145.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$9.45 F CFA 5,301

9.84%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$1.73 F CFA 972

60.12%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$1.05 F CFA 587

114.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.92 F CFA 514

70.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$0.69 F CFA 385

405.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.77 F CFA 995

-38.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$0.94 F CFA 530

85.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$2.10 F CFA 1,178

-17.14%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$5.33 F CFA 2,991

-40.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$14.60 F CFA 8,186

-8.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$14.09 F CFA 7,903

-43.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$14.22 F CFA 7,974

13.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$4.48 F CFA 2,514

-49.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.03 F CFA 579

66.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$4.38 F CFA 2,456

-55.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$0.16 F CFA 87.2

1487.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.38 F CFA 771

32.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.39 F CFA 781

46.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.28 F CFA 720

-33.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$6.99 F CFA 3,919

-17.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.30 F CFA 729

5.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$0.86 F CFA 482

237.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.55 F CFA 307

314.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$25.12 F CFA 14.1K

86.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.52 F CFA 850

32.24%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$32.2K F CFA 18.1M

9.36%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$29.2K F CFA 16.4M

32.02%

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

$145 €124

$109 F CFA 61.0K

33.63%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$34.37 F CFA 19.3K

-39.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$45.85 F CFA 25.7K

-12.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$44.39 F CFA 24.9K

9.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

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

$607 €519

$761 F CFA 426.6K

-20.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$2,338 F CFA 1.3M

598.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$442 F CFA 248.0K

262.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$228 F CFA 128.1K

440.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$742 F CFA 416.3K

310.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$474 F CFA 265.8K

334.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$1,062 F CFA 595.7K

49.16%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Bissau: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $442 in Bissau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 49% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $26.00 in Bissau. Groceries flip the comparison at $271 vs $305, 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 151% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $888 including rent). Bissau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 49% 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: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $442 in Bissau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $607 in Lisbon versus $761 in Bissau. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 13% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $888 in Bissau versus $2,227 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 151% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.