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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,970 in Freetown, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,723 in Freetown, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,475 in Freetown, rent included.

Medellin is about 48% cheaper than Freetown, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Freetown is 47% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.97 SLL 67.5K

100.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$32.35 SLL 734.6K

3.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$10.18 SLL 231.1K

-28.98%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.77 SLL 40.1K

-7.91%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.05 SLL 23.8K

3.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.85 SLL 19.2K

-14.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.47 SLL 33.4K

18.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.69 SLL 61.2K

20.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$2.47 SLL 56.0K

-57.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.64 SLL 14.5K

101.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.34 SLL 30.4K

-1.49%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.04 SLL 46.3K

11.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$7.28 SLL 165.4K

-40.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$7.32 SLL 166.3K

-19.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$5.13 SLL 116.4K

67.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.94 SLL 89.4K

-42.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.03 SLL 46.0K

-47.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.69 SLL 15.8K

120.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$5.01 SLL 113.9K

-71.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.03 SLL 46.1K

-42.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.67 SLL 37.9K

-29.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.98 SLL 22.4K

-9.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.38 SLL 31.2K

-34.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.02 SLL 68.5K

-25.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$7.51 SLL 170.5K

47.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.15 SLL 26.2K

-0.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.00 SLL 45.5K

19.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.47 SLL 10.7K

78.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.77 SLL 17.5K

83.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.28 SLL 29.1K

48.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$5.14 SLL 116.8K

50.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.36 SLL 31.0K

-25.74%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$11.8K SLL 268.2M

48.84%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$25.2K SLL 572.2M

5.15%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$147 SLL 3.3M

-43.07%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$9.82 SLL 223.0K

-3.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$102 SLL 2.3M

-76.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$50.6 SLL 1.1M

-49.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

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

$312 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$10.13 SLL 230.1K

472.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$7.82 SLL 177.5K

316.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$19.62 SLL 445.6K

407.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$49.12 SLL 1.1M

120.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$832 SLL 18.9M

-42.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$1,239 SLL 28.1M

-69.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$2,119 SLL 48.1M

-60.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$99.4 SLL 2.3M

627.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,327 SLL 30.1M

-59.25%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Freetown: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $832 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 145% 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 $233 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: $1,017 in Medellin, $1,970 in Freetown – roughly 94% apart. Freetown costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $2,955 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $1,970 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 $1,017, than in Freetown at $1,970. 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 $1,017 in Medellin to $1,970 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.