Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bissau Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bissau

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $891 in Bissau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,418 in Bissau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,945 in Bissau.

Living in Medellin is roughly 13% more expensive than in Bissau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Bissau 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$5.35 F CFA 3,039

10.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$26.81 F CFA 15.2K

22.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$9.64 F CFA 5,472

-22.93%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.72 F CFA 974

-4.07%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.04 F CFA 591

5.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.84 F CFA 476

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$0.69 F CFA 392

149.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.80 F CFA 1,023

-38.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.94 F CFA 536

34.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$2.14 F CFA 1,214

-35.51%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$5.24 F CFA 2,978

-58.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$14.29 F CFA 8,110

-68.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$14.20 F CFA 8,062

-59.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$14.35 F CFA 8,145

-37.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$4.29 F CFA 2,438

-45.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.04 F CFA 590

1.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$4.54 F CFA 2,576

-66.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.19 F CFA 109

615.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.40 F CFA 793

-19.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.40 F CFA 792

-16.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.28 F CFA 727

-29.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$6.97 F CFA 3,955

73.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.36 F CFA 773

-12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$0.90 F CFA 509

175.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.51 F CFA 289

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$26.02 F CFA 14.8K

59.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.53 F CFA 867

-35.29%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$32.0K F CFA 18.2M

-44.96%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$29.4K F CFA 16.7M

-8.99%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$108 F CFA 61.2K

-22.97%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$34.27 F CFA 19.5K

-71.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$44.80 F CFA 25.4K

-47.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$44.80 F CFA 25.4K

-43.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$765 F CFA 434.5K

-58.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$2,293 F CFA 1.3M

160.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$438 F CFA 248.7K

8.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$231 F CFA 131.4K

61.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$736 F CFA 417.7K

15.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$473 F CFA 268.5K

52.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,051 F CFA 596.8K

-40.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bissau: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $438 in Bissau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bissau pays 68% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $27.00 in Bissau. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $306, with Medellin 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

Medellin vs Bissau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Bissau differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $891 including rent). Bissau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 68% 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: $475 in Medellin versus $438 in Bissau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $765 in Bissau. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 58% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $891 in Bissau versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bissau but tight or insufficient in Medellin. 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.

Expats usually find Bissau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.