Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Freetown and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,561 a month against $1,818 in Freetown, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Freetown outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Freetown
🇸🇱 Sierra Leone
$1,818
/mo nomad
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,561
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Freetown and in Mexico City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Freetown and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,818 per month in Freetown vs $1,561 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • Freetown $1,818
  • Mexico City $1,561

A couple spends around $1,527 per month in Freetown vs $2,440 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • Freetown $1,527
  • Mexico City $2,440

A family of three spends $1,235 per month in Freetown vs $3,319 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • Freetown $1,235
  • Mexico City $3,319

Freetown costs about 17% more than Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Freetown and Mexico City sit above the global median – Freetown by 36%, Mexico City by 16%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Freetown
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.05 SLL 46.9K
$11.12 MX$204
-81.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.07 SLL 915.6K
$48.99 MX$900
-18.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.02 SLL 251.7K
$11.23 MX$206
-1.87%
Cappuccino
$2.82 SLL 64.5K
$3.76 MX$69.0
-25.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88 SLL 42.9K
$1.65 MX$30.34
13.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 SLL 19.8K
$1.28 MX$23.48
-32.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.30 SLL 52.5K
$3.26 MX$59.8
-29.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.47 SLL 79.3K
$5.66 MX$104
-38.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Freetown
Mexico City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.49 SLL 56.9K
$1.81 MX$33.23
37.57%
White Bread (500g)
$0.65 SLL 14.7K
$2.94 MX$54.0
-77.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 SLL 30.3K
$2.05 MX$37.62
-35.12%
Eggs
$1.80 SLL 41.0K
$2.93 MX$53.7
-38.57%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.99 SLL 159.7K
$11.95 MX$219
-41.51%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.13 SLL 231.4K
$9.51 MX$175
6.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.34 SLL 122.0K
$14.84 MX$273
-64.02%
Apples (1kg)
$7.05 SLL 161.1K
$3.14 MX$57.7
124.52%
Banana (1kg)
$2.95 SLL 67.3K
$2.01 MX$36.99
46.77%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.69 SLL 15.8K
$2.08 MX$38.10
-66.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.90 SLL 112.0K
$2.22 MX$40.72
120.72%
Potato (1kg)
$2.05 SLL 46.7K
$2.06 MX$37.82
-0.49%
Onion (1kg)
$1.67 SLL 38.1K
$1.88 MX$34.46
-11.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$1.48 MX$27.18
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.15 SLL 26.3K
$1.35 MX$24.70
-14.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.06 SLL 69.9K
$5.41 MX$99.3
-43.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.83 SLL 179.0K
$16.86 MX$310
-53.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.60 SLL 36.7K
$1.98 MX$36.43
-19.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93 SLL 44.2K
$4.32 MX$79.4
-55.32%
🚌 Getting Around
Freetown
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.45 SLL 10.3K
$0.34 MX$6.33
32.35%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$20.23 MX$371
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.52 SLL 12.0K
$2.10 MX$38.47
-75.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.49 SLL 11.2K
$0.53 MX$9.74
-7.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$5.41 MX$99.3
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 SLL 30.7K
$1.52 MX$27.91
-11.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$12.1K SLL 276.2M
$21.7K MX$399.0K
-44.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.0K SLL 571.5M
$24.8K MX$455.6K
0.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Freetown
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$58.9 SLL 1.3M
$63.0 MX$1,156
-6.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.88 SLL 225.8K
$28.88 MX$530
-65.79%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.4 SLL 1.2M
$33.93 MX$623
60.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Freetown
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$55.8 MX$1,024
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$24.90 MX$457
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$6.77 MX$124
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Freetown
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$428 MX$7,854
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$11.9K MX$218.0K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Freetown
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$9.90 SLL 226.2K
$70.0 MX$1,286
-85.86%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$53.7 MX$986
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$19.77 SLL 451.7K
$110 MX$2,016
-81.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$49.66 SLL 1.1M
$115 MX$2,115
-56.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Freetown
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$919 SLL 21.0M
$1,062 MX$19.5K
-13.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,253 SLL 28.6M
$671 MX$12.3K
86.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,520 SLL 80.4M
$2,379 MX$43.7K
47.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,260 MX$23.1K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,716 MX$68.2K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,976 MX$36.3K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Freetown
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,349 SLL 30.8M
$997 MX$18.3K
35.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
11.3
-

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

Last update for Freetown: October 5, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Freetown
$1.3K
Mexico City
$671 46.5% $582
Groceries & Markets
Freetown
$263 *
Mexico City
$327 24.5% $64
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Freetown
$123
Mexico City
$126 2.1% $2.6
Eating Out
Freetown
$113
Mexico City
$207 83.7% $94
Clothing & Footwear
Freetown
$36 *
Mexico City
$157 340% $121
Getting Around
Freetown
$4.8 *
Mexico City
$26 454% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Freetown
- *
Mexico City
$69

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $919 in Freetown versus $1,062 in Mexico City. 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 35% 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 $49.00 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $263 vs $327 – making Freetown the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇸🇱 Freetown
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🕒 Local time
10:29 10:29 AM
04:29 4:29 AM
6 h behind Freetown
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
951,000 Capital
9,209,944 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to SLL – Sierra Leonean Leone Converter

Sierra Leonean Leone exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 22,848 SLL (100,000 SLL = 4.38 USD). 1 EUR = 25,603 SLL (100,000 SLL = 3.91 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.57 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Freetown Mexico City 9,260 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Freetown
  • Mexico City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Freetown and in Mexico City compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,818 in Freetown, $1,561 in Mexico City – roughly 17% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.
What salary covers living expenses in Freetown compared to Mexico City?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,728 per month in Freetown and $2,341 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Freetown and Mexico City?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Freetown and $49.00 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Freetown or Mexico City?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,818 in Freetown and $1,561 in Mexico City. That's a gap of about 17%.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,561, than in Freetown at $1,818. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Freetown it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Freetown and Mexico City?
It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,561 in Mexico City to $1,818 in Freetown. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Freetown and Mexico City?
If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. 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.

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