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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,931 in Freetown, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,686 in Freetown, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,441 in Freetown, rent included.

Medellin is about 46% cheaper than Freetown, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Freetown is 44% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.97 SLL 73.3K

99.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$31.92 SLL 787.6K

2.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$9.86 SLL 243.4K

-26.98%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.75 SLL 43.3K

-2.86%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.00 SLL 24.8K

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.91 SLL 22.5K

-20.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.54 SLL 37.9K

8.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.78 SLL 68.5K

11.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$2.47 SLL 60.9K

-57.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.68 SLL 16.8K

83.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.36 SLL 33.5K

2.21%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.97 SLL 48.5K

14.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$7.04 SLL 173.7K

-38.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$7.58 SLL 186.9K

-22.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$5.13 SLL 126.5K

72.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$4.11 SLL 101.3K

-45.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.02 SLL 49.8K

-46.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.74 SLL 18.2K

106.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$4.99 SLL 123.0K

-72.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.02 SLL 49.9K

-44.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.66 SLL 41.0K

-32.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.01 SLL 25.0K

-15.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.42 SLL 35.0K

-35.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.96 SLL 72.9K

-21.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$7.72 SLL 190.6K

44.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.12 SLL 27.7K

6.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.00 SLL 49.4K

18.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.44 SLL 10.9K

79.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.73 SLL 18.1K

97.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.24 SLL 30.5K

54.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$5.06 SLL 124.7K

58.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.32 SLL 32.5K

-28.79%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$11.9K SLL 292.6M

51.14%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$24.7K SLL 609.6M

8.43%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$143 SLL 3.5M

-41.21%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$10.13 SLL 249.9K

-5.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$99.4 SLL 2.5M

-75.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$50.7 SLL 1.3M

-48.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

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

$306 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$9.96 SLL 245.8K

481.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$8.03 SLL 198.2K

296.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$20.25 SLL 499.7K

393.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$50.2 SLL 1.2M

113.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$807 SLL 19.9M

-39.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$1,246 SLL 30.7M

-70.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$2,143 SLL 52.9M

-61.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$98.6 SLL 2.4M

626.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$3,044 SLL 75.1M

-3.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,740 SLL 42.9M

-19.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,123 SLL 27.7M

-51.41%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Freetown: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $807 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 106% 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 $32.00 in Freetown. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $235 in Freetown – 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

Medellin vs Freetown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,034 in Medellin, $1,931 in Freetown – roughly 87% apart. Freetown costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $2,896 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 $32.00 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $1,931 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 $1,034, than in Freetown at $1,931. 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 $1,034 in Medellin to $1,931 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.