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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $838 in Bissau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $1,355 in Bissau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $1,873 in Bissau.

Living in Medellin is roughly 100% more expensive than in Bissau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Bissau is 39% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$5.18 F CFA 2,959

54.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$26.21 F CFA 15.0K

82.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$9.30 F CFA 5,307

6.34%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$1.80 F CFA 1,027

73.89%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$1.08 F CFA 616

76.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.89 F CFA 508

69.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$0.67 F CFA 381

365.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.79 F CFA 1,024

-19.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$0.95 F CFA 540

162.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$2.13 F CFA 1,218

-16.90%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$5.32 F CFA 3,034

-44.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$14.66 F CFA 8,364

-31.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$14.21 F CFA 8,109

-28.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$14.23 F CFA 8,120

0.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$4.45 F CFA 2,542

-6.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.04 F CFA 594

54.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$4.30 F CFA 2,455

-47.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$0.20 F CFA 116

1025.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$1.39 F CFA 791

46.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$1.44 F CFA 822

6.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$1.34 F CFA 766

-2.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$6.90 F CFA 3,937

103.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$1.34 F CFA 765

29.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$0.92 F CFA 527

211.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.51 F CFA 291

139.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$25.76 F CFA 14.7K

212.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.47 F CFA 841

-6.80%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$32.1K F CFA 18.3M

-13.34%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$28.3K F CFA 16.2M

26.26%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$106 F CFA 60.6K

66.98%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$34.39 F CFA 19.6K

-59.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$45.20 F CFA 25.8K

-34.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$43.95 F CFA 25.1K

2.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$767 F CFA 437.5K

6.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$2,334 F CFA 1.3M

293.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$529 F CFA 301.8K

100.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$178 F CFA 101.8K

271.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$877 F CFA 500.2K

115.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$433 F CFA 247.2K

137.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$1,041 F CFA 594.1K

-34.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bissau: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $529 in Bissau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bissau pays 54% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $26.00 in Bissau. Groceries flip the comparison at $305 vs $307, 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 100% in total monthly costs ($1,681 vs $838 including rent). Bissau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 54% 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $529 in Bissau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $813 in Medellin versus $767 in Bissau. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $838 in Bissau versus $1,681 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 100% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.