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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,724 per month in Freetown vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,431 per month in Freetown vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,138 per month in Freetown vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Freetown costs about 3% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Freetown and Medellin sit above the global median – Freetown by 26%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.02 SLL 46.0K

$8.02 COP 25.3K

-74.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.55 SLL 902.0K

$47.87 COP 151.0K

-17.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.80 SLL 246.4K

$9.89 COP 31.2K

9.20%

Cappuccino

$2.43 SLL 55.5K

$3.13 COP 9,873

-22.36%

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

$1.35 SLL 30.7K

$1.91 COP 6,019

-29.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 SLL 16.8K

$1.51 COP 4,763

-50.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 SLL 44.8K

$3.12 COP 9,853

-37.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 SLL 67.5K

$5.75 COP 18.1K

-48.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 SLL 53.9K

$1.44 COP 4,558

64.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 SLL 14.4K

$2.49 COP 7,843

-74.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 SLL 30.2K

$1.77 COP 5,595

-25.42%

Eggs

$1.85 SLL 42.2K

$2.96 COP 9,336

-37.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.28 SLL 165.9K

$10.07 COP 31.8K

-27.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.19 SLL 232.4K

$10.12 COP 31.9K

0.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.35 SLL 122.0K

$14.30 COP 45.1K

-62.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 SLL 90.8K

$4.14 COP 13.0K

-3.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 SLL 45.9K

$1.61 COP 5,073

24.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.74 SLL 17.0K

$2.25 COP 7,083

-67.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 SLL 111.0K

$2.25 COP 7,104

116.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 SLL 45.2K

$2.04 COP 6,444

-2.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 SLL 36.9K

$1.54 COP 4,842

5.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 SLL 30.3K

$1.31 COP 4,121

1.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.06 SLL 69.8K

$3.90 COP 12.3K

-21.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.59 SLL 173.1K

$14.01 COP 44.2K

-45.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 SLL 28.3K

$1.74 COP 5,498

-28.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SLL 46.1K

$2.87 COP 9,053

-29.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 SLL 9,356

$1.22 COP 3,834

-66.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 SLL 11.0K

$1.31 COP 4,129

-63.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 SLL 11.7K

$2.19 COP 6,899

-76.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 SLL 30.2K

$1.37 COP 4,306

-2.92%

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

$11.8K SLL 269.6M

$27.8K COP 87.8M

-57.53%

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

$25.2K SLL 574.9M

$35.8K COP 112.8M

-29.53%

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

$60.6 SLL 1.4M

$177 COP 559.3K

-65.85%

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

$10.04 SLL 228.9K

$13.88 COP 43.8K

-27.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

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

$813 COP 2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.85 SLL 224.5K

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-88.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.78 SLL 177.4K

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-86.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.76 SLL 450.6K

$138 COP 435.9K

-85.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.1 SLL 1.1M

$102 COP 322.1K

-50.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$917 SLL 20.9M

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-13.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,273 SLL 29.0M

$663 COP 2.1M

92.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,527 SLL 80.4M

$1,888 COP 6.0M

86.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,311 SLL 29.9M

$678 COP 2.1M

93.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Freetown: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $917 in Freetown versus $1,062 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 93% 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 $40.00 in Freetown versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $305 – making Freetown the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Freetown costs about 3% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,586 per month in Freetown and $2,521 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 $40.00 in Freetown and $48.00 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 $1,724 in Freetown and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Freetown at $1,724. 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 $1,681 in Medellin to $1,724 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.