For one person, living is cheaper in Sierra Leone: $1,821 a month against $2,310 in Canada, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. The total is higher in Canada despite lower rent and utilities.
How much you'll spend in Canada and in Sierra Leone
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Canada and in Sierra Leone actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $2,310 per month in Canada vs $1,821 in Sierra Leone, rent included.
Canada $2,310
Sierra Leone $1,821
A couple spends around $3,356 per month in Canada vs $1,538 in Sierra Leone, rent included.
Canada $3,356
Sierra Leone $1,538
A family of three spends $4,403 per month in Canada vs $1,256 in Sierra Leone, rent included.
Canada $4,403
Sierra Leone $1,256
📏
The regional cost range is wider in Canada ($889–$3,737) than in Sierra Leone ($1,778–$1,778), so city choice matters more there.
🌍
The cost of living in Canada is about 27% higher than in Sierra Leone on average.
📊
Both Canada and Sierra Leone are pricier than the global median – Canada by 70%, Sierra Leone by 34%.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Canada
Sierra Leone
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.16CA$25.40
$2.01SLL 46.0K
803.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$71.2CA$99.6
$40.44SLL 923.0K
76.09%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.81CA$15.12
$10.82SLL 246.9K
-0.09%
Cappuccino
$3.78CA$5.28
$2.58SLL 59.0K
46.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11CA$2.96
$1.64SLL 37.5K
28.66%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66CA$2.32
$0.83SLL 18.9K
100.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.62CA$7.86
$2.05SLL 46.8K
174.15%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.72CA$8.00
$3.52SLL 80.2K
62.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Canada
Sierra Leone
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.17CA$3.04
$2.44SLL 55.8K
-11.07%
White Bread(500g)
$2.60CA$3.64
$0.68SLL 15.5K
282.35%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.65CA$5.11
$1.28SLL 29.3K
185.16%
Eggs
$3.63CA$5.07
$1.83SLL 41.7K
98.36%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.76CA$15.05
$7.28SLL 166.2K
47.80%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.90CA$16.64
$9.85SLL 224.9K
20.81%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.42CA$21.57
$5.20SLL 118.6K
196.54%
Apples(1kg)
$4.03CA$5.63
$7.17SLL 163.7K
-43.79%
Banana(1kg)
$1.38CA$1.94
$2.93SLL 66.8K
-52.90%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.88CA$5.42
$0.74SLL 16.9K
424.32%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.08CA$5.71
$5.08SLL 116.0K
-19.69%
Potato(1kg)
$2.57CA$3.59
$1.98SLL 45.2K
29.80%
Onion(1kg)
$2.48CA$3.46
$1.62SLL 36.9K
53.09%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.65CA$3.70
-
-
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.71CA$2.40
$1.12SLL 25.7K
52.68%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$14.32CA$20.02
$3.06SLL 69.7K
367.97%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.49CA$18.86
$7.90SLL 180.2K
70.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.84CA$3.97
$1.52SLL 34.6K
86.84%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.30CA$4.62
$1.95SLL 44.4K
69.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Canada
Sierra Leone
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.55CA$3.57
$0.45SLL 10.2K
466.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$71.9CA$101
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.18CA$4.45
$0.49SLL 11.1K
548.98%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.54CA$2.15
$0.52SLL 11.9K
196.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$26.69CA$37.32
-
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.24CA$1.74
$1.36SLL 31.0K
-8.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9KCA$39.0K
$12.2KSLL 277.8M
129.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.1KCA$29.5K
$25.2KSLL 574.8M
-16.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Canada
Sierra Leone
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$147CA$206
$60.6SLL 1.4M
143.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$41.80CA$58.5
$17.71SLL 404.3K
136.02%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$60.2CA$84.2
$52.3SLL 1.2M
15.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Canada
Sierra Leone
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$39.01CA$54.6
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.06CA$26.66
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.21CA$15.67
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Canada
Sierra Leone
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$721CA$1,008
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.8KCA$20.8K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Canada
Sierra Leone
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.3CA$77.3
$10.02SLL 228.8K
451.60%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.95CA$54.5
-
-
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$87.4CA$122
$20.12SLL 459.3K
334.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$101CA$142
$50.1SLL 1.1M
102.20%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Canada
Sierra Leone
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,290CA$1,805
$918SLL 21.0M
40.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,130CA$1,580
$1,281SLL 29.2M
-11.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,036CA$2,847
$3,505SLL 80.0M
-41.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,731CA$2,420
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,769CA$6,669
$1,099SLL 25.1M
334.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,730CA$5,215
$1,092SLL 24.9M
241.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Canada
Sierra Leone
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,070CA$4,292
$1,317SLL 30.1M
133.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.87
0
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Canada: October 26, 2026
Last update for Sierra Leone: October 26, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Canada
$1.1K 48.9%
Sierra Leone
$1.3K 70.3% ↑ 13.3%$151
🛒Groceries & Markets
Canada
$371 16.1%
Sierra Leone
$262 * 14.4% ↓ 29.4%$109
🍽Eating Out
Canada
$278 12%
Sierra Leone
$107 5.9% ↓ 61.6%$171
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Canada
$249 10.8%
Sierra Leone
$131 7.2% ↓ 47.7%$119
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Canada
$127 5.5%
Sierra Leone
$36 * 2% ↓ 71.6%$91
🚌Getting Around
Canada
$93 4%
Sierra Leone
$4.9 * 0.3% ↓ 94.7%$88
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Canada
$61 2.7%
Sierra Leone
- * 0% ↓ 100%
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Canada
$1.7K 39.3%
Sierra Leone
- * 0% ↓ 100%
🛒Groceries & Markets
Canada
$847 19.2%
Sierra Leone
$617 * 49.1% ↓ 27.2%$230
🍽Eating Out
Canada
$918 20.9%
Sierra Leone
$400 31.8% ↓ 56.5%$518
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Canada
$291 6.6%
Sierra Leone
$148 11.8% ↓ 49.1%$143
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Canada
$283 6.4%
Sierra Leone
$80 * 6.4% ↓ 71.6%$203
🚌Getting Around
Canada
$191 4.3%
Sierra Leone
$11 * 0.9% ↓ 94.4%$180
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Canada
$142 3.2%
Sierra Leone
- * 0% ↓ 100%
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠Average rent: $1,250 in Canada vs $942 in Sierra Leone. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,434 in Ottawa and $942 in Freetown.
💰Average salary: $2,968 in Canada vs $1,332 in Sierra Leone. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 33% higher in Canada.
⭐Dining out costs 60% more in Canada.
⭐Salaries are about 2.2 times higher in Canada, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Canada.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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
Canada vs Sierra Leone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Canada more expensive than Sierra Leone?
Sierra Leone is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 21% lower on average.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Canada: a central one-bedroom averages $1,250 versus $942 in Sierra Leone.
Should I move to Canada or to Sierra Leone?
Sierra Leone is the budget-friendly choice for expats. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.