Cost of Living Comparison Between Freetown and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Freetown and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,970 per month in Freetown vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,723 per month in Freetown vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,475 per month in Freetown vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Freetown costs about 94% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Freetown sits 47% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.97 SLL 67.5K

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-50.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.35 SLL 734.6K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-2.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.18 SLL 231.1K

$7.23 COP 25.2K

40.80%

Cappuccino

$1.77 SLL 40.1K

$1.63 COP 5,687

8.59%

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

$1.05 SLL 23.8K

$1.09 COP 3,821

-3.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 SLL 19.2K

$0.73 COP 2,548

16.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 SLL 33.4K

$1.74 COP 6,065

-15.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 SLL 61.2K

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-16.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.47 SLL 56.0K

$1.05 COP 3,662

135.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 SLL 14.5K

$1.29 COP 4,515

-50.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 SLL 30.4K

$1.32 COP 4,617

1.52%

Eggs

$2.04 SLL 46.3K

$2.27 COP 7,927

-10.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.28 SLL 165.4K

$4.35 COP 15.2K

67.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.32 SLL 166.3K

$5.88 COP 20.5K

24.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.13 SLL 116.4K

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-40.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.94 SLL 89.4K

$2.25 COP 7,844

75.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 SLL 46.0K

$1.07 COP 3,733

89.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.69 SLL 15.8K

$1.52 COP 5,322

-54.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.01 SLL 113.9K

$1.42 COP 4,964

252.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 SLL 46.1K

$1.17 COP 4,084

73.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 SLL 37.9K

$1.17 COP 4,077

42.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 SLL 22.4K

$0.89 COP 3,096

10.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 SLL 31.2K

$0.90 COP 3,146

53.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 SLL 68.5K

$2.25 COP 7,837

34.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.51 SLL 170.5K

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-31.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 SLL 26.2K

$1.14 COP 3,977

0.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SLL 45.5K

$2.38 COP 8,301

-15.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 SLL 10.7K

$0.84 COP 2,916

-44.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 SLL 17.5K

$1.41 COP 4,912

-45.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 SLL 29.1K

$1.90 COP 6,634

-32.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.14 SLL 116.8K

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-33.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 SLL 31.0K

$1.01 COP 3,509

34.65%

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

$11.8K SLL 268.2M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

-32.81%

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

$25.2K SLL 572.2M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-4.90%

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

$147 SLL 3.3M

$83.7 COP 292.1K

75.65%

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

$9.82 SLL 223.0K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

3.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 SLL 2.3M

$24.11 COP 84.1K

321.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.6 SLL 1.1M

$25.31 COP 88.3K

99.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

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

$312 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.13 SLL 230.1K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-82.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.82 SLL 177.5K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-75.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.62 SLL 445.6K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-80.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.12 SLL 1.1M

$109 COP 378.8K

-54.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$832 SLL 18.9M

$482 COP 1.7M

72.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 SLL 28.1M

$379 COP 1.3M

226.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 SLL 48.1M

$837 COP 2.9M

153.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.4 SLL 2.3M

$723 COP 2.5M

-86.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,327 SLL 30.1M

$541 COP 1.9M

145.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Freetown: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $832 in Freetown versus $482 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 145% higher in Freetown, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Freetown versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $233 in Freetown vs $190 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,970 in Freetown, $1,017 in Medellin – roughly 94% apart. Freetown costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,955 per month in Freetown and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Freetown and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,970 in Freetown and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Freetown at $1,970. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Freetown it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,017 in Medellin to $1,970 in Freetown. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Freetown makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.