Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bissau

For one person, living is cheaper in Bissau: $814 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $10,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,692

/mo nomad

Bissau

🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau

$814

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Bissau

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Bissau actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,692 in Medellin versus $814 in Bissau.

Medellin $1,692
Bissau $814

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,471 in Medellin versus $1,314 in Bissau.

Medellin $2,471
Bissau $1,314

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,249 in Medellin versus $1,813 in Bissau.

Medellin $3,249
Bissau $1,813

Living in Medellin is roughly 108% more expensive than in Bissau, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% above, Bissau is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.34 COP 26.9K

$5.01 F CFA 2,922

66.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.53 COP 150.3K

$25.78 F CFA 15.1K

80.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 COP 30.6K

$9.31 F CFA 5,433

1.72%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 10.1K

$1.71 F CFA 1,000

83.04%

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

$1.77 COP 5,705

$1.05 F CFA 611

68.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 COP 4,601

$0.87 F CFA 508

63.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 COP 10.2K

$0.71 F CFA 416

343.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 COP 18.4K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 COP 4,950

$1.68 F CFA 981

-8.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 COP 7,401

$0.91 F CFA 533

151.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 COP 6,282

$2.00 F CFA 1,168

-3.00%

Eggs

$3.07 COP 9,905

$5.08 F CFA 2,963

-39.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.99 COP 32.3K

$14.22 F CFA 8,302

-29.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 COP 33.7K

$13.39 F CFA 7,816

-21.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.96 COP 45.1K

$13.77 F CFA 8,038

1.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 COP 13.1K

$4.14 F CFA 2,414

-2.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,937

$1.04 F CFA 605

47.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 COP 6,797

$4.27 F CFA 2,494

-50.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 COP 7,409

$0.18 F CFA 104

1172.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 COP 6,813

$1.33 F CFA 777

58.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 COP 5,521

$1.37 F CFA 800

24.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,780

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 5,104

$1.26 F CFA 734

25.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 COP 12.6K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.04 COP 45.4K

$6.78 F CFA 3,956

107.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 COP 5,690

$1.31 F CFA 766

34.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 COP 8,760

$0.86 F CFA 503

215.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,811

$0.52 F CFA 304

126.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.3 COP 246.4K

$25.31 F CFA 14.8K

201.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 COP 5,836

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,878

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 COP 26.3K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 COP 4,119

$1.43 F CFA 833

-10.49%

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

$34.4K COP 111.2M

$32.1K F CFA 18.8M

7.14%

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

$34.1K COP 110.3M

$28.9K F CFA 16.9M

18.00%

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

$178 COP 574.1K

$103 F CFA 60.2K

72.22%

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

$13.89 COP 44.9K

$34.08 F CFA 19.9K

-59.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.74 COP 99.3K

$45.88 F CFA 26.8K

-33.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.94 COP 135.5K

$42.15 F CFA 24.6K

-0.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 COP 54.3K

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 COP 24.1K

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

$790 COP 2.6M

$759 F CFA 443.2K

4.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K COP 39.7M

$2,301 F CFA 1.3M

434.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.3 COP 278.9K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 COP 191.4K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 446.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 COP 319.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,341 COP 4.3M

$516 F CFA 301.3K

159.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$667 COP 2.2M

$168 F CFA 97.8K

298.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,976 COP 6.4M

$843 F CFA 492.1K

134.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 COP 3.3M

$431 F CFA 251.7K

139.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,098 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,940 COP 6.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$646 COP 2.1M

$1,042 F CFA 608.3K

-38.00%

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: November 2, 2026

Last update for Bissau: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$667 39.4%

Bissau

–

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$307 18.2%

Bissau

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$222 13.1%

Bissau

–

Eating Out

Medellin

$173 10.2%

Bissau

–

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$172 10.2%

Bissau

–

Getting Around

Medellin

$93 5.5%

Bissau

–

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$57 3.4%

Bissau

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,341 in Medellin and $516 in Bissau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bissau pays 61% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47 in Medellin vs $26 in Bissau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $307 vs $294 per month, with Bissau cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇬🇼 Bissau

🕒 Local time

21:35 9:35 PM

02:35 2:35 AM

5 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

395,954 Capital

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

West African CFA Franc XOF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR

1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD

1,000 XOF = 1.53 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XOF, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 3,230 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,626 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

West African CFA Franc exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 584 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 655 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.53 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

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Medellin Bissau 6,610 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Bissau

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,692 in Medellin and $814 in Bissau, so Bissau is about 52% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 38% lower in Medellin. 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: $1,341 in Medellin versus $516 in Bissau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $790 in Medellin versus $759 in Bissau. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $814 in Bissau versus $1,692 in Medellin, a $1,200 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 52% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.