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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,724 in Freetown, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,431 in Freetown, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,138 in Freetown, rent included.

Medellin is about 3% cheaper than Freetown, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Freetown sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Freetown by 26%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$2.02 SLL 46.0K

297.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$39.55 SLL 902.0K

21.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$10.80 SLL 246.4K

-8.43%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$2.43 SLL 55.5K

28.81%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$1.35 SLL 30.7K

41.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.74 SLL 16.8K

104.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$1.96 SLL 44.8K

59.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$2.96 SLL 67.5K

94.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$2.37 SLL 53.9K

-39.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$0.63 SLL 14.4K

295.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.32 SLL 30.2K

34.09%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$1.85 SLL 42.2K

60.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$7.28 SLL 165.9K

38.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$10.19 SLL 232.4K

-0.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$5.35 SLL 122.0K

167.29%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$3.98 SLL 90.8K

4.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$2.01 SLL 45.9K

-19.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$0.74 SLL 17.0K

204.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$4.87 SLL 111.0K

-53.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$1.98 SLL 45.2K

3.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.62 SLL 36.9K

-4.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$1.33 SLL 30.3K

-1.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$3.06 SLL 69.8K

27.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$7.59 SLL 173.1K

84.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.24 SLL 28.3K

40.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$2.02 SLL 46.1K

42.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.41 SLL 9,356

197.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$0.48 SLL 11.0K

172.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.51 SLL 11.7K

329.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.33 SLL 30.2K

3.01%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$11.8K SLL 269.6M

135.46%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$25.2K SLL 574.9M

41.90%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$60.6 SLL 1.4M

192.82%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$10.04 SLL 228.9K

38.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

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

$813 COP 2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$9.85 SLL 224.5K

808.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$7.78 SLL 177.4K

657.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$19.76 SLL 450.6K

599.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$50.1 SLL 1.1M

103.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$917 SLL 20.9M

15.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,273 SLL 29.0M

-47.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$3,527 SLL 80.4M

-46.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,311 SLL 29.9M

-48.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Freetown: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $917 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 93% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $40.00 in Freetown. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $241 – making Freetown 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

Freetown costs about 3% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $2,586 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $40.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $1,724 in Freetown. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Freetown at $1,724. 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 $1,681 in Medellin to $1,724 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.