Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Freetown and Barcelona

For one person, living is cheaper in Freetown: $1,778 a month against $2,453 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Freetown, Sierra Leone
Barcelona, Spain
Freetown
🇸🇱 Sierra Leone
$1,778
/mo nomad
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,453
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Freetown and in Barcelona

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Freetown and in Barcelona actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,778 in Freetown versus $2,453 in Barcelona.

  • Freetown $1,778
  • Barcelona $2,453

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,510 in Freetown versus $3,509 in Barcelona.

  • Freetown $1,510
  • Barcelona $3,509

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,242 in Freetown versus $4,564 in Barcelona.

  • Freetown $1,242
  • Barcelona $4,564

Living in Freetown costs roughly 28% less than in Barcelona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Freetown 31% above, Barcelona 80% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Freetown
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.06 SLL 47.0K
$17.59 €15.76
-88.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.83 SLL 909.5K
$67.5 €60.5
-40.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.04 SLL 252.0K
$13.53 €12.12
-18.40%
Cappuccino
$2.79 SLL 63.6K
$3.19 €2.86
-12.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81 SLL 41.4K
$2.91 €2.61
-37.80%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.89 SLL 20.3K
$1.89 €1.70
-52.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.31 SLL 52.6K
$4.01 €3.59
-42.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.49 SLL 79.6K
$4.53 €4.06
-22.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Freetown
Barcelona
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.38 SLL 54.4K
$1.31 €1.17
81.68%
White Bread (500g)
$0.63 SLL 14.4K
$2.02 €1.81
-68.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.26 SLL 28.8K
$1.85 €1.66
-31.89%
Eggs
$1.85 SLL 42.3K
$4.83 €4.33
-61.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.19 SLL 164.2K
$16.74 €15.00
-57.05%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.97 SLL 227.6K
$9.12 €8.17
9.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.35 SLL 122.2K
$19.64 €17.60
-72.76%
Apples (1kg)
$6.80 SLL 155.3K
$2.98 €2.67
128.19%
Banana (1kg)
$2.92 SLL 66.7K
$2.02 €1.81
44.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.68 SLL 15.6K
$2.70 €2.42
-74.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.92 SLL 112.2K
$2.80 €2.51
75.71%
Potato (1kg)
$1.95 SLL 44.6K
$2.09 €1.87
-6.70%
Onion (1kg)
$1.60 SLL 36.4K
$2.07 €1.85
-22.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$1.46 €1.31
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.11 SLL 25.3K
$0.94 €0.84
18.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.03 SLL 69.3K
$6.87 €6.16
-55.90%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.02 SLL 183.1K
$7.89 €7.07
1.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54 SLL 35.2K
$1.41 €1.26
9.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 SLL 46.4K
$2.54 €2.27
-20.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Freetown
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.42 SLL 9,498
$3.14 €2.82
-86.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$25.45 €22.80
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.48 SLL 10.9K
$2.99 €2.68
-83.95%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.48 SLL 11.0K
$1.49 €1.34
-67.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$33.37 €29.91
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 SLL 30.8K
$1.80 €1.61
-25.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$11.8K SLL 268.8M
$33.2K €29.7K
-64.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.1K SLL 572.4M
$31.7K €28.4K
-20.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Freetown
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$59.2 SLL 1.4M
$180 €162
-67.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.10 SLL 230.6K
$13.84 €12.40
-27.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$55.9 SLL 1.3M
$33.70 €30.20
65.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Freetown
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$51.5 €46.16
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$15.96 €14.30
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$10.99 €9.85
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Freetown
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$917 €821
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$16.5K €14.8K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Freetown
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$10.09 SLL 230.4K
$87.0 €78.0
-88.41%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$38.51 €34.51
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$20.05 SLL 457.8K
$106 €94.8
-81.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$50.9 SLL 1.2M
$120 €107
-57.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Freetown
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$942 SLL 21.5M
$1,699 €1,523
-44.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,240 SLL 28.3M
$1,355 €1,214
-8.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,508 SLL 80.1M
$2,603 €2,332
34.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,062 €1,848
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$6,915 €6,196
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$5,128 €4,595
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Freetown
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,332 SLL 30.4M
$2,211 €1,981
-39.75%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
3.28
-

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

Last update for Freetown: October 25, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Freetown
–
Barcelona
$1.4K
Groceries & Markets
Freetown
–
Barcelona
$322
Eating Out
Freetown
–
Barcelona
$268
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Freetown
–
Barcelona
$228
Clothing & Footwear
Freetown
–
Barcelona
$158
Sport & Entertainment
Freetown
–
Barcelona
$74
Getting Around
Freetown
–
Barcelona
$48

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $942 in Freetown and $1,699 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 66% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $40 in Freetown vs $67 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $259 vs $322 per month, with Freetown cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇸🇱 Freetown
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🕒 Local time
13:07 1:07 PM
14:07 2:07 PM
1 h ahead of Freetown
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
951,000 Capital
1,660,122
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to SLL – Sierra Leonean Leone Converter

Sierra Leonean Leone exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 22,833 SLL (100,000 SLL = 4.38 USD). 1 EUR = 25,480 SLL (100,000 SLL = 3.92 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Freetown Barcelona 3,960 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Freetown
  • Barcelona

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
Freetown vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Freetown and in Barcelona?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,778 in Freetown and $2,453 in Barcelona, so Freetown is about 28% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 40% 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Freetown and in Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $942 in Freetown versus $1,699 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Freetown – a meal for two runs $40 versus $67 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Freetown or Barcelona?
All in, you’ll spend $1,778 per month in Freetown versus $2,453 in Barcelona – Freetown is about 28% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How far does $3,000 go in Freetown compared to Barcelona?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Freetown gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Freetown and Barcelona?
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.
How do I decide between Freetown and Barcelona?
It comes down to priorities – Freetown wins on affordability, Barcelona on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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