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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,734 in Freetown versus $969 in Brasilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,429 in Freetown versus $1,551 in Brasilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,124 in Freetown versus $2,132 in Brasilia.

Living in Freetown is roughly 79% more expensive than in Brasilia, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Freetown is 26% above, Brasilia is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.02 SLL 46.1K

$8.92 R$45.75

-77.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.33 SLL 897.6K

$38.80 R$199

1.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.11 SLL 253.7K

$8.49 R$43.54

30.86%

Cappuccino

$2.43 SLL 55.4K

$2.58 R$13.24

-5.81%

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

$1.35 SLL 30.8K

$1.41 R$7.22

-4.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 SLL 16.7K

$0.90 R$4.62

-18.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 SLL 44.8K

$2.36 R$12.07

-16.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 SLL 67.7K

$3.87 R$19.83

-23.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.48 SLL 56.7K

$1.08 R$5.53

129.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 SLL 14.3K

$2.03 R$10.43

-68.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 SLL 29.9K

$1.28 R$6.58

2.34%

Eggs

$1.83 SLL 41.8K

$2.43 R$12.45

-24.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.11 SLL 162.4K

$11.81 R$60.6

-39.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 SLL 227.0K

$4.11 R$21.09

141.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.23 SLL 119.3K

$8.48 R$43.47

-38.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.94 SLL 89.9K

$2.42 R$12.39

62.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 SLL 44.6K

$1.46 R$7.47

34.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.72 SLL 16.5K

$1.28 R$6.55

-43.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.15 SLL 117.5K

$1.65 R$8.45

212.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 SLL 46.3K

$1.16 R$5.92

75.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 SLL 36.1K

$1.07 R$5.47

47.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 R$4.03

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 SLL 30.2K

$0.95 R$4.85

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 SLL 66.7K

$2.40 R$12.29

21.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.59 SLL 173.3K

$8.23 R$42.17

-7.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 SLL 27.9K

$1.22 R$6.27

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SLL 47.6K

$2.34 R$12.02

-11.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 SLL 9,547

$1.00 R$5.10

-58.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.06 R$180

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 SLL 10.9K

$1.07 R$5.47

-55.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 SLL 11.0K

$0.92 R$4.73

-47.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 R$30.99

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 SLL 30.4K

$1.31 R$6.73

1.53%

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

$11.9K SLL 271.2M

$23.3K R$119.6K

-49.06%

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

$25.4K SLL 579.1M

$31.9K R$163.6K

-20.52%

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

$60.0 SLL 1.4M

$96.4 R$494

-37.74%

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

$9.98 SLL 227.8K

$12.61 R$64.6

-20.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.81 R$112

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.07 R$159

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.00 R$138

Cinema Ticket

$7.68 R$39.38

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

$822 R$4,214

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K R$84.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.87 SLL 225.4K

$51.7 R$265

-80.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.97 SLL 181.8K

$43.32 R$222

-81.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$20.24 SLL 462.1K

$83.3 R$427

-75.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.74 SLL 1.1M

$86.4 R$443

-42.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$939 SLL 21.4M

$479 R$2,453

96.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,257 SLL 28.7M

$258 R$1,322

387.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,545 SLL 80.9M

$1,116 R$5,719

217.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 R$2,855

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,457 R$12.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,748 R$8,962

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,337 SLL 30.5M

$844 R$4,327

58.35%

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 Freetown: September 6, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $939 in Freetown and $479 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Freetown pays 58% 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: $39.00 in Freetown vs $39.00 in Brasilia. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $209, with Brasilia cheaper for home cooking.

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 Brasilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Freetown and Brasilia differ by about 79% in total monthly costs ($1,734 vs $969 including rent). Brasilia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 58% higher in Freetown, 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: $939 in Freetown versus $479 in Brasilia. 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 $39.00 versus $39.00 in Freetown. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,734 per month in Freetown versus $969 in Brasilia – a 79% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $969 in Brasilia versus $1,734 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 79% less than in Freetown. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.