Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Bissau Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Bissau

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $891 in Bissau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $1,418 in Bissau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $1,945 in Bissau.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 65% more expensive than in Bissau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Bissau is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$229

$5.35 F CFA 3,059

145.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$934

$26.81 F CFA 15.3K

99.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$163

$9.64 F CFA 5,508

-3.22%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.5

$1.72 F CFA 981

115.12%

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

$1.60 MX$27.98

$1.04 F CFA 595

53.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.49

$0.84 F CFA 479

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$0.69 F CFA 395

355.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$84.5

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.84

$1.80 F CFA 1,030

-8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.34

$0.94 F CFA 540

188.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.29

$2.14 F CFA 1,222

-10.75%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.17

$5.24 F CFA 2,997

-50.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$171

$14.29 F CFA 8,164

-31.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$14.20 F CFA 8,115

-40.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$208

$14.35 F CFA 8,199

-16.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.5

$4.29 F CFA 2,454

-31.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.35

$1.04 F CFA 594

67.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.66

$4.54 F CFA 2,593

-55.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.93

$0.19 F CFA 110

984.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.49

$1.40 F CFA 799

53.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.33

$1.40 F CFA 797

61.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.17

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.47

$1.28 F CFA 732

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.6

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$305

$6.97 F CFA 3,981

151.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.82

$1.36 F CFA 779

25.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$63.4

$0.90 F CFA 512

303.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.15

$0.51 F CFA 291

-31.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$337

$26.02 F CFA 14.9K

-25.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$24.00

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.81

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$92.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.69

$1.53 F CFA 873

-11.11%

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

$19.1K MX$333.2K

$32.0K F CFA 18.3M

-40.27%

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

$23.6K MX$411.7K

$29.4K F CFA 16.8M

-19.83%

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

$40.53 MX$707

$108 F CFA 61.6K

-62.39%

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

$27.38 MX$478

$34.27 F CFA 19.6K

-20.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$530

$44.80 F CFA 25.6K

-32.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$911

$44.80 F CFA 25.6K

16.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$462

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$108

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

$425 MX$7,414

$765 F CFA 437.4K

-44.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$187.2K

$2,293 F CFA 1.3M

368.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,017

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$777

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,805

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,897

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.7K

$438 F CFA 250.3K

131.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$231 F CFA 132.2K

169.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$37.0K

$736 F CFA 420.5K

188.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.3K

$473 F CFA 270.3K

158.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$66.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.4K

$1,051 F CFA 600.8K

0.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Bissau: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $438 in Bissau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 0% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $27.00 in Bissau. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $306, with Mexico City 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

Mexico City vs Bissau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Bissau differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $891 including rent). Bissau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 0% higher in Mexico City, 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $438 in Bissau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $765 in Bissau. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Mexico City pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $891 in Bissau versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bissau but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. 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 65% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.