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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $883 in Bissau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,405 in Bissau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,927 in Bissau.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 64% more expensive than Bissau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Bissau is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$5.32 F CFA 3,005

143.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$26.76 F CFA 15.1K

96.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$9.26 F CFA 5,229

1.84%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.71 F CFA 965

108.77%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.05 F CFA 591

53.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.92 F CFA 519

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$0.72 F CFA 409

337.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.79 F CFA 1,013

-5.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.95 F CFA 538

177.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$2.18 F CFA 1,230

-12.84%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$5.28 F CFA 2,979

-51.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$14.40 F CFA 8,133

-30.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$14.20 F CFA 8,020

-41.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$14.32 F CFA 8,086

-19.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$4.33 F CFA 2,443

-30.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.07 F CFA 606

59.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$4.50 F CFA 2,541

-54.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$0.18 F CFA 104

1044.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.42 F CFA 805

45.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.43 F CFA 810

51.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$1.34 F CFA 758

-16.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$7.22 F CFA 4,077

113.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.32 F CFA 747

26.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$0.92 F CFA 517

301.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.55 F CFA 310

-30.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$25.32 F CFA 14.3K

-24.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.49 F CFA 841

-14.09%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$32.4K F CFA 18.3M

-41.34%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$29.0K F CFA 16.4M

-19.03%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$106 F CFA 60.1K

-61.47%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$34.72 F CFA 19.6K

-22.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$44.89 F CFA 25.4K

-33.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$43.70 F CFA 24.7K

19.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

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

$427 MX$7,331

$759 F CFA 428.7K

-43.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$2,276 F CFA 1.3M

370.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$432 F CFA 243.9K

130.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$233 F CFA 131.4K

167.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$736 F CFA 415.4K

189.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$487 F CFA 275.3K

157.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$1,048 F CFA 591.6K

5.70%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Bissau: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $432 in Bissau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 6% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $27.00 in Bissau. Groceries flip the comparison at $288 vs $308, 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 64% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $883 including rent). Bissau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 6% more on average, 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $432 in Bissau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $759 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 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $883 in Bissau versus $1,447 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 64% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.