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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Medellin is about 49% cheaper than Freetown, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$2.96 SLL 67.4K

99.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$32.56 SLL 741.9K

1.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$9.90 SLL 225.5K

-24.95%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.77 SLL 40.3K

-6.78%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.00 SLL 22.8K

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.93 SLL 21.1K

-16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.49 SLL 33.9K

15.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.75 SLL 62.6K

15.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$2.45 SLL 55.8K

-55.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.65 SLL 14.8K

93.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.32 SLL 30.1K

4.55%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.99 SLL 45.3K

9.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$7.13 SLL 162.4K

-37.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$7.67 SLL 174.8K

-24.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$5.17 SLL 117.8K

73.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$4.09 SLL 93.2K

-43.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.02 SLL 46.1K

-47.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$0.69 SLL 15.6K

120.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$4.88 SLL 111.3K

-72.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.01 SLL 45.9K

-43.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.65 SLL 37.5K

-29.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.02 SLL 23.2K

-11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.44 SLL 32.9K

-37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.07 SLL 70.0K

-27.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$7.34 SLL 167.3K

65.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.16 SLL 26.4K

2.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.02 SLL 45.9K

22.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.44 SLL 10.1K

93.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.72 SLL 16.4K

97.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.28 SLL 29.2K

52.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$4.98 SLL 113.5K

58.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.31 SLL 29.9K

-24.43%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$12.2K SLL 277.4M

44.59%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$25.0K SLL 569.8M

7.16%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$145 SLL 3.3M

-42.72%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$10.15 SLL 231.3K

-4.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$98.8 SLL 2.3M

-76.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$49.03 SLL 1.1M

-48.48%

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)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$9.97 SLL 227.1K

501.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$7.96 SLL 181.3K

299.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$19.68 SLL 448.5K

416.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$50.2 SLL 1.1M

113.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$808 SLL 18.4M

-41.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$1,280 SLL 29.2M

-70.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$2,104 SLL 47.9M

-59.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$99.6 SLL 2.3M

622.70%

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)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,334 SLL 30.4M

-53.17%

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 Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Freetown: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $808 in Freetown. 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 Medellin versus $33.00 in Freetown. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $234 – making Medellin 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

Medellin vs Freetown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,003 in Medellin, $1,981 in Freetown – roughly 98% apart. Freetown costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $2,972 in Freetown. 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 Medellin and $33.00 in Freetown. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $1,981 in Freetown. 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.