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: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $857 in Bissau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $1,361 in Bissau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $1,865 in Bissau.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 96% more expensive than in Bissau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Bissau is 38% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$5.42 F CFA 3,062

123.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$26.75 F CFA 15.1K

101.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$9.48 F CFA 5,356

16.98%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$1.73 F CFA 979

136.99%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$1.08 F CFA 610

55.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.92 F CFA 522

51.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$0.69 F CFA 389

382.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.76 F CFA 993

5.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$0.95 F CFA 536

233.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$2.11 F CFA 1,191

-1.90%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$5.32 F CFA 3,008

-44.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$14.63 F CFA 8,267

-13.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$14.12 F CFA 7,980

-28.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$14.35 F CFA 8,108

12.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$4.47 F CFA 2,527

-24.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.08 F CFA 610

92.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$4.47 F CFA 2,526

-52.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$0.16 F CFA 93.1

1406.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$1.40 F CFA 793

52.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$1.41 F CFA 794

42.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$1.29 F CFA 729

5.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$7.11 F CFA 4,016

149.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$1.32 F CFA 746

56.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$0.93 F CFA 523

395.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.54 F CFA 307

-31.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$25.21 F CFA 14.2K

-15.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.46 F CFA 828

6.16%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$32.6K F CFA 18.4M

-29.73%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$28.4K F CFA 16.1M

-4.21%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$107 F CFA 60.5K

-37.09%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$34.78 F CFA 19.7K

-11.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$45.07 F CFA 25.5K

-17.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$44.94 F CFA 25.4K

36.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

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

$456 MX$7,739

$756 F CFA 427.4K

-39.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$2,273 F CFA 1.3M

502.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$530 F CFA 299.2K

116.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$179 F CFA 101.3K

295.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$899 F CFA 508.2K

186.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$440 F CFA 248.8K

194.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$1,032 F CFA 583.2K

4.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Bissau: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $530 in Bissau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 5% 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 for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $307 per month, with Bissau cheaper across the board.

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 96% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $857 including rent). Bissau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 5% 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: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $530 in Bissau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $756 in Bissau. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $857 in Bissau versus $1,677 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 96% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.