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: $1,981 in Freetown versus $863 in Brasilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,705 in Freetown versus $1,429 in Brasilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,429 in Freetown versus $1,995 in Brasilia.

Living in Freetown is roughly 129% more expensive than in Brasilia, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Freetown is 49% above, Brasilia is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.96 SLL 67.3K

$7.42 R$37.99

-60.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.56 SLL 741.3K

$38.98 R$199

-16.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 SLL 225.3K

$6.14 R$31.40

61.24%

Cappuccino

$1.77 SLL 40.3K

$1.92 R$9.83

-7.81%

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

$1.00 SLL 22.8K

$1.18 R$6.02

-15.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 SLL 21.1K

$0.83 R$4.23

12.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.49 SLL 33.9K

$1.78 R$9.12

-16.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 SLL 62.5K

$3.33 R$17.06

-17.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 SLL 55.7K

$0.95 R$4.87

157.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 SLL 14.8K

$1.63 R$8.34

-60.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 SLL 30.0K

$1.46 R$7.48

-9.59%

Eggs

$1.99 SLL 45.3K

$2.08 R$10.65

-4.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.13 SLL 162.2K

$9.40 R$48.12

-24.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 SLL 174.7K

$3.39 R$17.34

126.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.17 SLL 117.7K

$6.71 R$34.34

-22.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 SLL 93.1K

$1.93 R$9.86

111.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 SLL 46.1K

$1.36 R$6.98

48.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.69 SLL 15.6K

$1.16 R$5.93

-40.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 SLL 111.2K

$1.67 R$8.56

192.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 SLL 45.9K

$1.24 R$6.36

62.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 SLL 37.5K

$1.31 R$6.68

25.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 SLL 23.2K

$0.73 R$3.76

39.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 SLL 32.8K

$0.67 R$3.42

114.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 SLL 69.9K

$2.17 R$11.13

41.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.34 SLL 167.1K

$8.06 R$41.26

-8.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 SLL 26.4K

$1.10 R$5.65

5.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SLL 45.9K

$2.28 R$11.68

-11.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 SLL 10.1K

$0.97 R$4.97

-54.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.32 R$222

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 SLL 16.4K

$0.95 R$4.86

-24.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 SLL 29.1K

$0.79 R$4.06

62.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 SLL 113.4K

$5.83 R$29.84

-14.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 SLL 29.9K

$1.14 R$5.83

14.91%

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

$12.2K SLL 277.2M

$25.2K R$129.0K

-51.72%

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

$25.0K SLL 569.3M

$29.2K R$149.2K

-14.25%

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

$145 SLL 3.3M

$71.8 R$367

101.96%

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

$10.15 SLL 231.1K

$13.11 R$67.1

-22.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$98.8 SLL 2.3M

$20.49 R$105

382.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.03 SLL 1.1M

$24.96 R$128

96.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.52 R$110

Cinema Ticket

$7.34 R$37.58

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

$485 R$2,483

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K R$77.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.97 SLL 226.9K

$58.1 R$297

-82.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.96 SLL 181.1K

$42.02 R$215

-81.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.68 SLL 448.2K

$67.7 R$347

-70.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.2 SLL 1.1M

$64.3 R$329

-21.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$808 SLL 18.4M

$400 R$2,048

101.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,280 SLL 29.1M

$262 R$1,342

388.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,104 SLL 47.9M

$944 R$4,828

122.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.6 SLL 2.3M

$557 R$2,849

-82.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,466 R$12.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,727 R$8,835

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,334 SLL 30.4M

$919 R$4,705

45.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

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

Last update for Freetown: July 25, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $808 in Freetown and $400 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Freetown pays 45% 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 $39.00 in Brasilia. Groceries flip the comparison at $234 vs $180, 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 129% in total monthly costs ($1,981 vs $863 including rent). Brasilia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 45% 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: $808 in Freetown versus $400 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 $33.00 in Freetown. 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 $863 in Brasilia – a 129% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $863 in Brasilia versus $1,981 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 129% less than in Freetown. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.