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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,981 per month in Freetown vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,705 per month in Freetown vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,429 per month in Freetown vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Freetown costs about 98% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Freetown sits 49% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.96 SLL 67.4K

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-49.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.56 SLL 741.9K

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-1.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 SLL 225.5K

$7.43 COP 23.4K

33.24%

Cappuccino

$1.77 SLL 40.3K

$1.65 COP 5,207

7.27%

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

$1.00 SLL 22.8K

$1.10 COP 3,468

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 SLL 21.1K

$0.78 COP 2,458

19.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.49 SLL 33.9K

$1.72 COP 5,412

-13.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 SLL 62.6K

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-13.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 SLL 55.8K

$1.10 COP 3,474

122.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 SLL 14.8K

$1.26 COP 3,962

-48.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 SLL 30.1K

$1.38 COP 4,349

-4.35%

Eggs

$1.99 SLL 45.3K

$2.18 COP 6,858

-8.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.13 SLL 162.4K

$4.49 COP 14.1K

58.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 SLL 174.8K

$5.79 COP 18.2K

32.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.17 SLL 117.8K

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-42.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 SLL 93.2K

$2.32 COP 7,308

76.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 SLL 46.1K

$1.06 COP 3,352

90.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.69 SLL 15.6K

$1.52 COP 4,774

-54.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 SLL 111.3K

$1.36 COP 4,270

258.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 SLL 45.9K

$1.13 COP 3,552

77.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 SLL 37.5K

$1.17 COP 3,689

41.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 SLL 23.2K

$0.90 COP 2,838

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 SLL 32.9K

$0.90 COP 2,823

60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 SLL 70.0K

$2.23 COP 7,034

37.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.34 SLL 167.3K

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-39.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 SLL 26.4K

$1.19 COP 3,743

-2.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SLL 45.9K

$2.48 COP 7,815

-18.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 SLL 10.1K

$0.85 COP 2,687

-48.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 SLL 16.4K

$1.42 COP 4,459

-49.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 SLL 29.2K

$1.95 COP 6,141

-34.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 SLL 113.5K

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-36.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 SLL 29.9K

$0.99 COP 3,118

32.32%

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

$12.2K SLL 277.4M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

-30.84%

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

$25.0K SLL 569.8M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-6.68%

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

$145 SLL 3.3M

$83.0 COP 261.4K

74.59%

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

$10.15 SLL 231.3K

$9.70 COP 30.5K

4.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$98.8 SLL 2.3M

$23.52 COP 74.1K

320.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.03 SLL 1.1M

$25.26 COP 79.5K

94.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

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

$316 COP 994.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.97 SLL 227.1K

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-83.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.96 SLL 181.3K

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-74.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.68 SLL 448.5K

$102 COP 320.1K

-80.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.2 SLL 1.1M

$107 COP 338.3K

-53.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$808 SLL 18.4M

$475 COP 1.5M

70.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,280 SLL 29.2M

$374 COP 1.2M

242.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,104 SLL 47.9M

$849 COP 2.7M

147.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.6 SLL 2.3M

$719 COP 2.3M

-86.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,334 SLL 30.4M

$624 COP 2.0M

113.55%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $808 in Freetown versus $475 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 114% 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 $33.00 in Freetown versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Freetown vs $193 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: $1,981 in Freetown, $1,003 in Medellin – roughly 98% apart. Freetown costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,972 per month in Freetown and $1,504 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 $33.00 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 $1,981 in Freetown and $1,003 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 $1,003, than in Freetown at $1,981. 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 $1,003 in Medellin to $1,981 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.