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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $883 in Bissau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,405 in Bissau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,927 in Bissau.

Living in Medellin is roughly 15% more expensive than Bissau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Bissau 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$5.32 F CFA 3,005

11.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$26.76 F CFA 15.1K

24.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$9.26 F CFA 5,229

-21.92%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.71 F CFA 965

-4.68%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.05 F CFA 591

3.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.92 F CFA 519

-20.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$0.72 F CFA 409

141.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.79 F CFA 1,013

-41.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.95 F CFA 538

35.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.18 F CFA 1,230

-39.45%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$5.28 F CFA 2,979

-57.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$14.40 F CFA 8,133

-69.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$14.20 F CFA 8,020

-58.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$14.32 F CFA 8,086

-39.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$4.33 F CFA 2,443

-48.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.07 F CFA 606

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$4.50 F CFA 2,541

-66.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.18 F CFA 104

688.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.42 F CFA 805

-17.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.43 F CFA 810

-18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.34 F CFA 758

-32.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$7.22 F CFA 4,077

52.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.32 F CFA 747

-13.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$0.92 F CFA 517

158.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.55 F CFA 310

52.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$25.32 F CFA 14.3K

65.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.49 F CFA 841

-32.21%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$32.4K F CFA 18.3M

-45.66%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$29.0K F CFA 16.4M

-8.56%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$106 F CFA 60.1K

-21.41%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$34.72 F CFA 19.6K

-72.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$44.89 F CFA 25.4K

-46.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$43.70 F CFA 24.7K

-42.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$759 F CFA 428.7K

-58.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$2,276 F CFA 1.3M

163.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$432 F CFA 243.9K

11.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$233 F CFA 131.4K

63.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$736 F CFA 415.4K

13.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$487 F CFA 275.3K

48.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,048 F CFA 591.6K

-48.37%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Bissau: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $432 in Bissau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bissau pays 94% 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 $190 vs $308, 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 15% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $883 including rent). Bissau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bissau earns 94% less. 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: $482 in Medellin versus $432 in Bissau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $759 in Bissau. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 62% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $883 in Bissau versus $1,017 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 15% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.