Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Freetown and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $1,778 in Freetown, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Freetown outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Freetown

🇸🇱 Sierra Leone

$1,778

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Freetown and in Phuket

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 Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,778 per month in Freetown vs $1,278 in Phuket, rent included.

Freetown $1,778
Phuket $1,278

A couple spends around $1,510 per month in Freetown vs $2,216 in Phuket, rent included.

Freetown $1,510
Phuket $2,216

A family of three spends $1,242 per month in Freetown vs $3,154 in Phuket, rent included.

Freetown $1,242
Phuket $3,154

Freetown costs about 39% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Freetown sits 31% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.06 SLL 46.9K

$4.47 ฿151

-53.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.83 SLL 908.4K

$32.41 ฿1,093

22.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.04 SLL 251.7K

$8.81 ฿297

25.31%

Cappuccino

$2.79 SLL 63.6K

$2.83 ฿95.4

-1.41%

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

$1.81 SLL 41.4K

$0.87 ฿29.40

108.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 SLL 20.3K

$0.49 ฿16.65

81.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 SLL 52.6K

$2.56 ฿86.3

-9.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 SLL 79.5K

$3.68 ฿124

-5.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 SLL 54.3K

$1.66 ฿55.9

43.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 SLL 14.4K

$1.46 ฿49.29

-56.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 SLL 28.8K

$1.50 ฿50.5

-16.00%

Eggs

$1.85 SLL 42.2K

$2.09 ฿70.5

-11.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.19 SLL 164.0K

$19.07 ฿643

-62.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 SLL 227.4K

$3.30 ฿111

202.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.35 SLL 122.1K

$10.91 ฿368

-50.96%

Apples (1kg)

$6.80 SLL 155.1K

$2.93 ฿98.8

132.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 SLL 66.6K

$1.69 ฿57.0

72.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.68 SLL 15.6K

$2.25 ฿75.7

-69.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.92 SLL 112.1K

$2.08 ฿70.0

136.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 SLL 44.5K

$1.51 ฿51.0

29.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 SLL 36.4K

$1.38 ฿46.51

15.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.95

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 SLL 25.3K

$0.52 ฿17.50

113.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 SLL 69.2K

$4.20 ฿142

-27.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.02 SLL 182.9K

$18.79 ฿634

-57.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 SLL 35.2K

$1.82 ฿61.4

-15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 SLL 46.3K

$2.84 ฿95.8

-28.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 SLL 9,487

$1.45 ฿48.97

-71.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,911

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 SLL 10.9K

$3.02 ฿102

-84.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 SLL 11.0K

$1.02 ฿34.32

-52.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿124

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 SLL 30.7K

$1.47 ฿49.75

-8.16%

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

$11.8K SLL 268.5M

$26.8K ฿903.2K

-56.04%

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

$25.1K SLL 571.7M

$26.7K ฿900.3K

-6.08%

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

$59.2 SLL 1.3M

$96.4 ฿3,250

-38.58%

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

$10.10 SLL 230.3K

$11.26 ฿380

-10.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.9 SLL 1.3M

$16.85 ฿568

231.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,268

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

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

$476 ฿16.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿379.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.09 SLL 230.1K

$62.4 ฿2,103

-83.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿958

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$20.05 SLL 457.3K

$94.3 ฿3,180

-78.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.9 SLL 1.2M

$85.8 ฿2,894

-40.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$942 SLL 21.5M

$716 ฿24.1K

31.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,240 SLL 28.3M

$491 ฿16.6K

152.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,508 SLL 80.0M

$1,927 ฿65.0K

82.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,332 SLL 30.4M

$502 ฿16.9K

165.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Freetown: October 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Freetown

–

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Groceries & Markets

Freetown

–

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Freetown

–

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Clothing & Footwear

Freetown

–

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Eating Out

Freetown

–

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Freetown

–

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Getting Around

Freetown

–

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $942 in Freetown versus $716 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Freetown are about 2.7 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40 in Freetown versus $32 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $259 in Freetown vs $266 in Phuket – so Freetown wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇸🇱 Freetown

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

19:16 7:16 PM

02:16 2:16 AM

7 h ahead of Freetown

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

951,000 Capital

79,308

💱 Currency

Sierra Leonean Leone SLL Le

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 SLL = 4.38 USD

100,000 SLL = 3.93 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇱 Sierra Leonean Leone (Le)

Sierra Leonean Leone exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 22,807 SLL (100,000 SLL = 4.38 USD). 1 EUR = 25,452 SLL (100,000 SLL = 3.93 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.64 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to SLL in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Freetown Phuket 12,230 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Freetown
Phuket

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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,778 in Freetown, $1,278 in Phuket – Phuket comes out roughly 28% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,667 per month in Freetown and $1,917 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $716 there versus $942 in Freetown.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40 in Freetown and $32 in Phuket. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,778 in Freetown and $1,278 in Phuket. That makes Phuket about 28% cheaper.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,278, than in Freetown at $1,778. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Freetown it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,278 in Phuket to $1,778 in Freetown. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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