Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Sierra Leone Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Sierra Leone

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,184 per month in Australia vs $1,970 in Sierra Leone, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,219 per month in Australia vs $1,723 in Sierra Leone, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,253 per month in Australia vs $1,475 in Sierra Leone, rent included.

Australia costs about 11% more than Sierra Leone on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Australia and Sierra Leone are pricier than the global median – Australia by 63%, Sierra Leone by 47%.

Australia has a wider regional cost range ($1,592$2,842) than Sierra Leone ($1,970$1,970), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Australia.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Australia
Sierra Leone
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.44 A$23.23
$2.96 SLL 67.3K
455.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.1 A$110
$32.79 SLL 744.5K
138.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.94 A$14.05
$9.89 SLL 224.7K
0.51%
Cappuccino
$3.60 A$5.08
$1.71 SLL 38.8K
110.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68 A$3.78
$0.97 SLL 22.0K
176.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 A$3.02
$0.79 SLL 18.0K
170.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.53 A$9.23
$1.52 SLL 34.5K
329.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.05 A$9.96
$2.78 SLL 63.2K
153.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Australia
Sierra Leone
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.58 A$2.23
$2.47 SLL 56.0K
-36.03%
White Bread (500g)
$2.53 A$3.57
$0.69 SLL 15.8K
266.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.07 A$2.93
$1.35 SLL 30.6K
53.33%
Eggs
$4.30 A$6.08
$2.06 SLL 46.8K
108.74%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.03 A$12.76
$7.21 SLL 163.6K
25.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.55 A$12.08
$7.46 SLL 169.4K
14.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.96 A$19.72
$5.38 SLL 122.1K
159.48%
Apples (1kg)
$3.18 A$4.49
$3.95 SLL 89.7K
-19.49%
Banana (1kg)
$2.84 A$4.01
$1.97 SLL 44.8K
44.16%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.95 A$4.17
$0.73 SLL 16.5K
304.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.43 A$6.26
$5.01 SLL 113.9K
-11.58%
Potato (1kg)
$2.46 A$3.47
$2.06 SLL 46.8K
19.42%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 A$3.07
$1.66 SLL 37.6K
30.72%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.29 A$3.24
$0.98 SLL 22.4K
133.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.57 A$2.22
$1.42 SLL 32.3K
10.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$30.87 A$43.61
$1.87 SLL 42.5K
1550.80%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.06 A$19.86
$7.57 SLL 172.0K
85.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.55 A$6.43
$1.44 SLL 32.7K
215.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.81 A$6.80
$2.12 SLL 48.0K
126.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Australia
Sierra Leone
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.87 A$4.05
$0.47 SLL 10.7K
510.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$95.8 A$135
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.65 A$5.15
$0.73 SLL 16.6K
400.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.76 A$2.49
$1.28 SLL 29.0K
37.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$38.27 A$54.1
$4.91 SLL 111.6K
679.43%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.15 A$1.63
$1.35 SLL 30.7K
-14.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.4K A$40.1K
$12.2K SLL 276.9M
132.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.0K A$32.5K
$24.6K SLL 559.4M
-6.63%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Australia
Sierra Leone
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 A$251
$145 SLL 3.3M
23.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.46 A$37.38
$17.83 SLL 404.9K
48.40%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.1 A$76.4
$75.7 SLL 1.7M
-28.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Australia
Sierra Leone
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.64 A$65.9
$51.0 SLL 1.2M
-8.50%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.54 A$23.37
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.65 A$19.28
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Australia
Sierra Leone
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,575 A$2,225
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.7K A$17.9K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Australia
Sierra Leone
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.5 A$101
$9.90 SLL 224.8K
622.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.8 A$71.8
$7.97 SLL 181.0K
537.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 A$142
$20.39 SLL 462.9K
391.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 A$153
$49.29 SLL 1.1M
119.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Australia
Sierra Leone
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,384 A$1,955
$808 SLL 18.3M
71.27%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,105 A$1,562
$1,250 SLL 28.4M
-11.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,298 A$3,246
$2,093 SLL 47.5M
9.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,728 A$2,441
$98.3 SLL 2.2M
1658.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,610 A$10.8K
$1,106 SLL 25.1M
587.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,504 A$7,776
$1,098 SLL 24.9M
401.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Australia
Sierra Leone
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,002 A$5,654
$1,319 SLL 29.9M
203.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.35
0
-

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

Last update for Australia: June 7, 2026

Last update for Sierra Leone: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,232 in Australia vs $832 in Sierra Leone. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,568 in Canberra and $832 in Freetown.

Average salary: $3,845 in Australia vs $1,327 in Sierra Leone. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 48% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 141% more in Australia.

Salaries are 190% higher in Australia, giving Australia stronger purchasing power.

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
Australia vs Sierra Leone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Australia more expensive than Sierra Leone?
Sierra Leone is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 13% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Australia, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Australia consistently has higher rents.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Sierra Leone, contributing to the overall 13% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Australia or Sierra Leone?
$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Sierra Leone, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Australia or Sierra Leone?
Sierra Leone is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

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