Cost of Living Comparison Between Sierra Leone and Australia Cost of Living Comparison Between Sierra Leone and Australia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,931 per month in Sierra Leone vs $2,184 in Australia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,686 per month in Sierra Leone vs $3,217 in Australia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,441 per month in Sierra Leone vs $4,249 in Australia, rent included.

Sierra Leone is roughly 12% cheaper than Australia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Sierra Leone and Australia are pricier than the global median – Sierra Leone by 44%, Australia by 63%.

Sierra Leone has a wider regional cost range ($1,931$1,931) than Australia ($1,584$2,827), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Sierra Leone.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sierra Leone
Australia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.97 SLL 73.3K
$16.24 A$22.73
-81.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.58 SLL 804.0K
$77.1 A$108
-57.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.95 SLL 245.4K
$9.81 A$13.74
1.43%
Cappuccino
$1.74 SLL 43.0K
$3.58 A$5.01
-51.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.96 SLL 23.8K
$2.57 A$3.60
-62.65%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84 SLL 20.7K
$2.18 A$3.05
-61.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.48 SLL 36.4K
$6.63 A$9.28
-77.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92 SLL 72.1K
$7.12 A$9.97
-58.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sierra Leone
Australia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.48 SLL 61.1K
$1.50 A$2.10
65.33%
White Bread (500g)
$0.68 SLL 16.9K
$2.53 A$3.54
-73.12%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.31 SLL 32.3K
$2.07 A$2.90
-36.71%
Eggs
$1.99 SLL 49.0K
$4.29 A$6.01
-53.61%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.14 SLL 176.2K
$8.65 A$12.11
-17.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.60 SLL 187.4K
$8.34 A$11.68
-8.87%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.23 SLL 128.9K
$13.90 A$19.47
-62.37%
Apples (1kg)
$3.94 SLL 97.1K
$3.30 A$4.61
19.39%
Banana (1kg)
$1.97 SLL 48.6K
$2.77 A$3.88
-28.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.73 SLL 18.0K
$2.95 A$4.13
-75.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.03 SLL 124.2K
$4.19 A$5.87
20.05%
Potato (1kg)
$2.05 SLL 50.5K
$2.42 A$3.39
-15.29%
Onion (1kg)
$1.66 SLL 41.1K
$2.10 A$2.94
-20.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 SLL 25.1K
$2.26 A$3.16
-54.87%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.38 SLL 34.1K
$1.50 A$2.10
-8.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.88 SLL 46.5K
$31.58 A$44.22
-94.05%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.01 SLL 173.0K
$14.29 A$20.00
-50.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.42 SLL 35.1K
$4.59 A$6.42
-69.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 SLL 50.2K
$4.82 A$6.75
-57.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Sierra Leone
Australia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.47 SLL 11.7K
$3.02 A$4.22
-84.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$98.3 A$138
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.73 SLL 18.0K
$3.48 A$4.88
-79.02%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.28 SLL 31.5K
$1.75 A$2.45
-26.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.98 SLL 123.0K
$37.97 A$53.2
-86.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 SLL 32.3K
$1.21 A$1.69
8.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$12.2K SLL 301.3M
$29.0K A$40.6K
-57.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.4K SLL 626.3M
$22.6K A$31.6K
12.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sierra Leone
Australia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$146 SLL 3.6M
$177 A$248
-17.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.54 SLL 432.7K
$26.85 A$37.59
-34.67%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$75.4 SLL 1.9M
$52.4 A$73.4
43.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sierra Leone
Australia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.3 SLL 1.2M
$47.57 A$66.6
5.74%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.46 A$23.04
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$13.73 A$19.23
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sierra Leone
Australia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$1,593 A$2,231
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$12.7K A$17.8K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sierra Leone
Australia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$10.08 SLL 248.6K
$72.0 A$101
-86.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$8.01 SLL 197.7K
$51.3 A$71.8
-84.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$19.73 SLL 486.8K
$103 A$144
-80.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$49.79 SLL 1.2M
$108 A$152
-54.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sierra Leone
Australia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$818 SLL 20.2M
$1,401 A$1,961
-41.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,258 SLL 31.0M
$1,080 A$1,512
16.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,089 SLL 51.5M
$2,340 A$3,276
-10.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$102 SLL 2.5M
$1,756 A$2,459
-94.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,076 SLL 26.6M
$7,733 A$10.8K
-86.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,080 SLL 26.6M
$5,563 A$7,788
-80.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sierra Leone
Australia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,356 SLL 33.5M
$4,000 A$5,600
-66.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
6.35
-

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

Last update for Sierra Leone: April 25, 2026

Last update for Australia: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $807 in Sierra Leone vs $1,232 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $807 in Freetown and $1,529 in Canberra.

Average salary: $1,123 in Sierra Leone vs $3,878 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 53% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 141% more in Australia.

Salaries are 245% higher in Australia, giving Australia stronger purchasing power.

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
Sierra Leone vs Australia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Australia more expensive than Sierra Leone?
Sierra Leone is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 14% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Australia, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Australia consistently has higher rents.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Sierra Leone, contributing to the overall 14% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Australia or Sierra Leone?
$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Sierra Leone, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Australia or Sierra Leone?
Sierra Leone is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

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