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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,981 in Freetown versus $2,359 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,705 in Freetown versus $3,498 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,429 in Freetown versus $4,638 in Barcelona.

Living in Freetown costs roughly 16% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Freetown 49% above, Barcelona 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.96 SLL 67.4K

$17.15 €14.86

-82.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.56 SLL 741.9K

$68.1 €58.9

-52.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 SLL 225.5K

$13.64 €11.82

-27.42%

Cappuccino

$1.77 SLL 40.3K

$2.78 €2.41

-36.33%

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

$1.00 SLL 22.8K

$2.82 €2.44

-64.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 SLL 21.1K

$1.96 €1.70

-52.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.49 SLL 33.9K

$4.43 €3.84

-66.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 SLL 62.6K

$4.61 €3.99

-40.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 SLL 55.8K

$1.27 €1.10

92.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 SLL 14.8K

$2.13 €1.85

-69.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 SLL 30.1K

$1.99 €1.72

-33.67%

Eggs

$1.99 SLL 45.3K

$3.37 €2.92

-40.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.13 SLL 162.4K

$18.96 €16.42

-62.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 SLL 174.8K

$9.53 €8.26

-19.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.17 SLL 117.8K

$18.73 €16.22

-72.40%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 SLL 93.2K

$2.65 €2.29

54.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 SLL 46.1K

$2.35 €2.04

-14.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.69 SLL 15.6K

$2.09 €1.81

-66.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 SLL 111.3K

$2.73 €2.37

78.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 SLL 45.9K

$1.96 €1.70

2.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 SLL 37.5K

$1.81 €1.56

-8.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 SLL 23.2K

$1.51 €1.31

-32.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 SLL 32.9K

$0.89 €0.77

61.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 SLL 70.0K

$6.78 €5.87

-54.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.34 SLL 167.3K

$7.92 €6.86

-7.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 SLL 26.4K

$1.37 €1.19

-15.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SLL 45.9K

$2.40 €2.08

-15.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 SLL 10.1K

$2.91 €2.52

-84.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.82

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 SLL 16.4K

$4.58 €3.96

-84.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 SLL 29.2K

$2.04 €1.77

-37.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 SLL 113.5K

$28.72 €24.87

-82.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 SLL 29.9K

$1.82 €1.58

-28.02%

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

$12.2K SLL 277.4M

$39.3K €34.0K

-69.04%

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

$25.0K SLL 569.8M

$32.5K €28.1K

-23.00%

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

$145 SLL 3.3M

$187 €162

-22.34%

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

$10.15 SLL 231.3K

$22.29 €19.30

-54.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$98.8 SLL 2.3M

$36.37 €31.50

171.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.03 SLL 1.1M

$57.5 €49.82

-14.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.96

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.33

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

$725 €628

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.97 SLL 227.1K

$87.9 €76.1

-88.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.96 SLL 181.3K

$36.81 €31.88

-78.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.68 SLL 448.5K

$103 €89.6

-80.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.2 SLL 1.1M

$119 €103

-57.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$808 SLL 18.4M

$1,524 €1,319

-46.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,280 SLL 29.2M

$1,227 €1,062

4.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,104 SLL 47.9M

$2,727 €2,362

-22.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.6 SLL 2.3M

$1,984 €1,718

-94.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,468

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,541

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,334 SLL 30.4M

$2,393 €2,072

-44.26%

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 Freetown: July 25, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $808 in Freetown and $1,524 in Barcelona. 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: $33.00 in Freetown vs $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $319 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

Freetown vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Freetown and Barcelona differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($1,981 vs $2,359 including rent). Freetown is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 79% lower in Barcelona. 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: $808 in Freetown versus $1,524 in Barcelona. 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 $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,981 per month in Freetown versus $2,359 in Barcelona – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,981 in Freetown versus $2,359 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, Freetown and Barcelona 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 19% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.