Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Freetown Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Freetown

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,399 in Barcelona versus $1,941 in Freetown.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,496 in Barcelona versus $1,697 in Freetown.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,592 in Barcelona versus $1,452 in Freetown.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 24% more expensive than in Freetown, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 80% above, Freetown 46% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 €15.42

$3.02 SLL 68.7K

485.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 €61.1

$32.84 SLL 746.7K

113.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.66 €11.91

$9.81 SLL 223.1K

39.25%

Cappuccino

$2.74 €2.39

$1.71 SLL 38.9K

60.23%

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

$2.79 €2.43

$1.06 SLL 24.0K

163.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.71

$0.87 SLL 19.8K

125.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.81

$1.53 SLL 34.9K

184.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 €3.99

$2.69 SLL 61.3K

70.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.13

$2.36 SLL 53.6K

-45.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.79

$0.64 SLL 14.5K

220.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$1.35 SLL 30.6K

46.67%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.96

$1.98 SLL 45.0K

71.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.64 €16.26

$7.06 SLL 160.4K

164.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 €8.34

$7.36 SLL 167.3K

29.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.83 €16.43

$5.21 SLL 118.5K

261.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 €2.40

$4.07 SLL 92.6K

-32.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.15

$1.97 SLL 44.8K

25.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$0.68 SLL 15.4K

208.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.82 €2.46

$4.90 SLL 111.4K

-42.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 €1.76

$1.97 SLL 44.9K

2.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$1.61 SLL 36.6K

14.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.32

$0.98 SLL 22.2K

54.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.78

$1.42 SLL 32.3K

-36.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.06 €6.16

$2.91 SLL 66.2K

142.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 €6.96

$7.45 SLL 169.3K

7.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.25

$1.11 SLL 25.3K

28.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €2.00

$1.99 SLL 45.3K

15.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 €2.51

$0.48 SLL 10.8K

500.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.77

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 €3.82

$0.74 SLL 16.8K

491.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 €1.87

$1.27 SLL 28.8K

68.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.15 €25.44

$4.95 SLL 112.5K

488.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 €1.63

$1.30 SLL 29.6K

43.08%

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

$39.0K €34.0K

$12.2K SLL 277.4M

219.45%

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

$32.7K €28.5K

$25.2K SLL 573.1M

29.72%

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

$189 €165

$147 SLL 3.3M

28.76%

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

$22.71 €19.82

$9.99 SLL 227.0K

127.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.51 €31.85

$99.6 SLL 2.3M

-63.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.6 €50.3

$49.01 SLL 1.1M

17.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.37 €18.64

Cinema Ticket

$10.81 €9.43

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

$726 €634

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K €13.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.7 €76.5

$9.83 SLL 223.6K

791.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.89 €32.19

$8.14 SLL 185.0K

353.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €90.3

$20.29 SLL 461.3K

410.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €102

$50.5 SLL 1.1M

130.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 €1,373

$827 SLL 18.8M

90.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,064

$1,261 SLL 28.7M

-3.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,711 €2,366

$2,113 SLL 48.0M

28.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,966 €1,716

$99.3 SLL 2.3M

1879.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,811 €6,815

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,267 €4,595

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,375 €2,072

$1,325 SLL 30.1M

79.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

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

Last update for Barcelona: June 14, 2026

Last update for Freetown: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,573 in Barcelona and $827 in Freetown. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 79% 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: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $33.00 in Freetown for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $321 vs $231 per month, with Freetown 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

Barcelona vs Freetown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Freetown differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($2,399 vs $1,941 including rent). Freetown is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 79% higher in Barcelona, 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: $1,573 in Barcelona versus $827 in Freetown. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Freetown – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $70.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,399 per month in Barcelona versus $1,941 in Freetown – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,941 in Freetown versus $2,399 in Barcelona, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Freetown but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Freetown 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.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Freetown are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Freetown gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.