😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,734 in Sierra Leone versus $450 in Egypt.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,429 in Sierra Leone versus $732 in Egypt.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,124 in Sierra Leone versus $1,013 in Egypt.
🌍Living in Sierra Leone is roughly 285% more expensive than in Egypt on average.
📊Sierra Leone (26% above) and Egypt (67% below) straddle the global median.
📏Internal cost variation is higher in Sierra Leone: monthly costs span $1,734 to $1,734, compared to $325–$729 in Egypt. City choice carries more weight in Sierra Leone.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sierra Leone
Egypt
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.01SLL 46.0K
$4.04E£207
-50.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.80SLL 908.4K
$19.42E£996
104.94%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.91SLL 249.1K
$4.94E£253
120.85%
Cappuccino
$2.34SLL 53.4K
$1.53E£78.3
52.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27SLL 29.1K
$0.34E£17.65
273.53%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72SLL 16.5K
$0.13E£6.59
453.85%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.84SLL 41.9K
$1.46E£74.9
26.03%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.35SLL 76.4K
$2.99E£153
12.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sierra Leone
Egypt
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.41SLL 55.0K
$0.85E£43.84
183.53%
White Bread(500g)
$0.64SLL 14.5K
$0.70E£36.14
-8.57%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.28SLL 29.2K
$0.65E£33.31
96.92%
Eggs
$1.83SLL 41.8K
$1.32E£67.7
38.64%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.01SLL 160.0K
$3.45E£177
103.19%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.13SLL 231.3K
$4.26E£219
137.79%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$5.17SLL 118.0K
$8.99E£461
-42.49%
Apples(1kg)
$3.92SLL 89.4K
$1.57E£80.3
149.68%
Banana(1kg)
$2.02SLL 46.1K
$0.68E£34.83
197.06%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.73SLL 16.7K
$0.50E£25.65
46.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.15SLL 117.5K
$0.41E£21.19
1156.10%
Potato(1kg)
$1.95SLL 44.6K
$0.38E£19.33
413.16%
Onion(1kg)
$1.64SLL 37.5K
$0.38E£19.70
331.58%
Lettuce(1 head)
-
$0.29E£14.63
-
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.33SLL 30.3K
$0.20E£10.25
565.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.03SLL 69.2K
$2.00E£103
51.50%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.42SLL 169.3K
$7.05E£362
5.25%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19SLL 27.1K
$1.45E£74.4
-17.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10SLL 47.9K
$2.11E£108
-0.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Sierra Leone
Egypt
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.44SLL 10.1K
$0.30E£15.50
46.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$8.14E£418
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.48SLL 11.0K
$0.38E£19.25
26.32%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.52SLL 11.9K
$0.28E£14.24
85.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
-
$1.81E£93.0
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27SLL 29.0K
$0.43E£21.86
195.35%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$12.1KSLL 275.8M
$33.4KE£1.7M
-63.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.4KSLL 580.1M
$28.4KE£1.5M
-10.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sierra Leone
Egypt
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$60.2SLL 1.4M
$22.40E£1,149
168.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.49SLL 399.2K
$7.19E£369
143.25%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.3SLL 1.1M
$13.44E£689
274.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sierra Leone
Egypt
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$17.79E£913
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.66E£342
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$2.90E£149
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sierra Leone
Egypt
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
-
$94.0E£4,821
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
-
$2,482E£127.3K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sierra Leone
Egypt
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$10.12SLL 230.9K
$27.14E£1,393
-62.71%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$7.79SLL 177.8K
$44.76E£2,296
-82.60%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$20.03SLL 457.3K
$110E£5,664
-81.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$50.1SLL 1.1M
$50.5E£2,589
-0.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sierra Leone
Egypt
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$922SLL 21.1M
$155E£7,942
495.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,271SLL 29.0M
$94.6E£4,854
1243.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$3,464SLL 79.1M
$309E£15.8K
1022.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$196E£10.0K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,100SLL 25.1M
$747E£38.3K
47.31%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,079SLL 24.6M
$455E£23.3K
137.26%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sierra Leone
Egypt
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,347SLL 30.7M
$151E£7,764
790.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
0
16.46
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Sierra Leone: September 8, 2026
Last update for Egypt: September 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $939 in Sierra Leone, $146 in Egypt. Capital cities: $939 in Freetown vs $215 in Cairo.
💰National salary averages: $1,337 in Sierra Leone, $140 in Egypt. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 543% higher in Sierra Leone.
⭐Dining out costs 129% more in Sierra Leone.
⭐Salaries are 855% higher in Sierra Leone, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Sierra Leone.
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 Egypt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Egypt and Sierra Leone?
At $527 per month in Egypt and $1,734 in Sierra Leone, there's a 229% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Egypt: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Sierra Leone is consistently higher than in Egypt across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in Egypt or in Sierra Leone?
In Egypt, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Sierra Leone it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Egypt or to Sierra Leone?
It depends on what you're after: Egypt wins on affordability; Sierra Leone may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.
Sierra Leone vs other spots: cost of living compared