🙂A single person spends $1,677 per month in Mexico City vs $1,734 in Freetown, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,608 per month in Mexico City vs $1,429 in Freetown, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,540 per month in Mexico City vs $1,124 in Freetown, rent included.
🙂Mexico City is about 3% cheaper than Freetown, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both Mexico City and Freetown sit above the global median – Mexico City by 22%, Freetown by 26%.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Freetown
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.14MX$206
$2.02SLL 46.1K
500.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.9MX$914
$39.33SLL 897.6K
37.05%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.09MX$188
$11.11SLL 253.7K
-0.18%
Cappuccino
$4.10MX$69.5
$2.43SLL 55.4K
68.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68MX$28.53
$1.35SLL 30.8K
24.44%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.39MX$23.55
$0.73SLL 16.7K
90.41%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.33MX$56.5
$1.96SLL 44.8K
69.90%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.88MX$99.7
$2.97SLL 67.7K
97.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Freetown
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.85MX$31.41
$2.48SLL 56.7K
-25.40%
White Bread(500g)
$3.17MX$53.8
$0.63SLL 14.3K
403.17%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.07MX$35.13
$1.31SLL 29.9K
58.02%
Eggs
$2.93MX$49.67
$1.83SLL 41.8K
60.11%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.59MX$214
$7.11SLL 162.4K
77.07%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.11MX$172
$9.94SLL 227.0K
1.71%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.09MX$273
$5.23SLL 119.3K
207.65%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39MX$57.5
$3.94SLL 89.9K
-13.96%
Banana(1kg)
$2.08MX$35.26
$1.96SLL 44.6K
6.12%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.12MX$35.97
$0.72SLL 16.5K
194.44%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.41MX$40.95
$5.15SLL 117.5K
-53.20%
Potato(1kg)
$2.13MX$36.11
$2.03SLL 46.3K
4.93%
Onion(1kg)
$2.01MX$34.02
$1.58SLL 36.1K
27.22%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.55MX$26.21
-
-
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.36MX$23.15
$1.33SLL 30.2K
2.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.77MX$97.8
$2.92SLL 66.7K
97.60%
Wine(Bottle)
$17.74MX$301
$7.59SLL 173.3K
133.73%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.07MX$35.11
$1.22SLL 27.9K
69.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61MX$78.3
$2.08SLL 47.6K
121.63%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Freetown
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.37MX$6.21
$0.42SLL 9,547
-11.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$21.18MX$359
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.05MX$34.84
$0.48SLL 10.9K
327.08%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.58MX$9.79
$0.48SLL 11.0K
20.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.07MX$103
-
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.55MX$26.34
$1.33SLL 30.4K
16.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.9KMX$388.1K
$11.9KSLL 271.2M
92.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2KMX$462.0K
$25.4KSLL 579.1M
7.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Freetown
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$67.4MX$1,144
$60.0SLL 1.4M
12.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$30.62MX$520
$9.98SLL 227.8K
206.81%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.24MX$632
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Freetown
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5MX$1,043
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.12MX$460
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.11MX$121
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Freetown
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$456MX$7,739
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.7KMX$232.3K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Freetown
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$74.2MX$1,259
$9.87SLL 225.4K
651.67%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.0MX$967
$7.97SLL 181.8K
615.31%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115MX$1,958
$20.24SLL 462.1K
470.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122MX$2,061
$49.74SLL 1.1M
144.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Freetown
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,148MX$19.5K
$939SLL 21.4M
22.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$709MX$12.0K
$1,257SLL 28.7M
-43.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,577MX$43.7K
$3,545SLL 80.9M
-27.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,295MX$22.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,005MX$67.9K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,130MX$36.1K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Freetown
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,082MX$18.4K
$1,337SLL 30.5M
-19.05%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.3
0
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026
Last update for Freetown: September 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,148 in Mexico City versus $939 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 24% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $39.00 in Freetown. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 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
Mexico City vs Freetown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do Mexico City and Freetown compare in cost of living?
Freetown costs about 3% more than Mexico City, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
What salary covers living expenses in Mexico City compared to Freetown?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,515 per month in Mexico City and $2,602 in Freetown. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Mexico City and Freetown?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City and $39.00 in Freetown. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Mexico City or Freetown?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,677 in Mexico City and $1,734 in Freetown. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,677, than in Freetown at $1,734. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Freetown it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Freetown?
It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,677 in Mexico City to $1,734 in Freetown. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Mexico City and Freetown?
If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. 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.
Mexico City vs other spots: cost of living compared