Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Freetown Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Freetown

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $974 in Brasilia versus $1,724 in Freetown.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,587 in Brasilia versus $1,431 in Freetown.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,201 in Brasilia versus $1,138 in Freetown.

Living in Brasilia costs roughly 44% less than in Freetown, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Brasilia is 29% below, Freetown is 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 R$44.66

$2.02 SLL 46.0K

331.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.13 R$195

$39.55 SLL 902.0K

-3.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 R$41.61

$10.80 SLL 246.4K

-24.81%

Cappuccino

$2.57 R$13.15

$2.43 SLL 55.5K

5.76%

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

$1.44 R$7.36

$1.35 SLL 30.7K

6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 R$4.95

$0.74 SLL 16.8K

31.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 R$11.82

$1.96 SLL 44.8K

17.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 R$19.37

$2.96 SLL 67.5K

27.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.50

$2.37 SLL 53.9K

-54.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 R$10.72

$0.63 SLL 14.4K

231.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.76

$1.32 SLL 30.2K

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.51

$1.85 SLL 42.2K

31.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 R$60.0

$7.28 SLL 165.9K

60.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 R$20.84

$10.19 SLL 232.4K

-60.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R$43.43

$5.35 SLL 122.0K

58.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.28

$3.98 SLL 90.8K

-39.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.31

$2.01 SLL 45.9K

-28.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.72

$0.74 SLL 17.0K

77.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R$8.26

$4.87 SLL 111.0K

-66.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.21

$1.98 SLL 45.2K

-38.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.38

$1.62 SLL 36.9K

-35.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 R$4.09

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 R$5.11

$1.33 SLL 30.3K

-24.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.27

$3.06 SLL 69.8K

-21.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 R$41.54

$7.59 SLL 173.1K

6.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 R$6.60

$1.24 SLL 28.3K

4.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$11.99

$2.02 SLL 46.1K

15.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 R$5.35

$0.41 SLL 9,356

153.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.90 R$179

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 R$5.26

$0.48 SLL 11.0K

114.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.73

$0.51 SLL 11.7K

80.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 R$32.54

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R$6.64

$1.33 SLL 30.2K

-3.01%

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

$23.3K R$119.6K

$11.8K SLL 269.6M

97.37%

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

$32.6K R$166.9K

$25.2K SLL 574.9M

29.23%

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

$95.0 R$487

$60.6 SLL 1.4M

56.86%

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

$12.28 R$62.9

$10.04 SLL 228.9K

22.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 R$115

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.39 R$161

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.96 R$138

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 R$40.22

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

$811 R$4,154

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K R$84.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 R$265

$9.85 SLL 224.5K

425.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 R$224

$7.78 SLL 177.4K

462.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 R$426

$19.76 SLL 450.6K

320.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 R$439

$50.1 SLL 1.1M

70.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 R$2,461

$917 SLL 20.9M

-47.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,340

$1,273 SLL 29.0M

-79.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 R$5,688

$3,527 SLL 80.4M

-68.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 R$2,850

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,497 R$12.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,707 R$8,747

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$809 R$4,147

$1,311 SLL 29.9M

-38.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 13, 2026

Last update for Freetown: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $480 in Brasilia and $917 in Freetown. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Freetown pays 62% 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: $38.00 in Brasilia vs $40.00 in Freetown for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $241 per month, with Brasilia 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

Brasilia vs Freetown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Freetown differ by about 77% in total monthly costs ($974 vs $1,724 including rent). Brasilia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 62% lower in Freetown. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $480 in Brasilia versus $917 in Freetown. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Brasilia – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $40.00 in Freetown. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $974 per month in Brasilia versus $1,724 in Freetown – a 77% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $974 in Brasilia versus $1,724 in Freetown, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Brasilia but tight or insufficient in Freetown. The gap between the two cities makes Brasilia 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 Brasilia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Freetown. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.