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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,734 in Sierra Leone versus $1,796 in Italy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,429 in Sierra Leone versus $2,739 in Italy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,124 in Sierra Leone versus $3,682 in Italy.

Living in Sierra Leone costs about 3% less than in Italy on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: Sierra Leone 26% above, Italy 30% above.

Internal cost variation is higher in Sierra Leone: monthly costs span $1,734 to $1,734, compared to $1,152$2,626 in Italy. City choice carries more weight in Sierra Leone.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sierra Leone
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.01 SLL 46.0K
$21.24 €18.31
-90.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.80 SLL 908.4K
$80.8 €69.7
-50.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.91 SLL 249.1K
$11.41 €9.84
-4.38%
Cappuccino
$2.34 SLL 53.4K
$2.08 €1.79
12.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 SLL 29.1K
$3.05 €2.63
-58.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72 SLL 16.5K
$1.38 €1.19
-47.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.84 SLL 41.9K
$5.79 €4.99
-68.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.35 SLL 76.4K
$5.75 €4.96
-41.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sierra Leone
Italy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.41 SLL 55.0K
$1.70 €1.46
41.76%
White Bread (500g)
$0.64 SLL 14.5K
$2.41 €2.08
-73.44%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.28 SLL 29.2K
$3.01 €2.59
-57.48%
Eggs
$1.83 SLL 41.8K
$4.32 €3.72
-57.64%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.01 SLL 160.0K
$17.93 €15.45
-60.90%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.13 SLL 231.3K
$12.67 €10.92
-20.05%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.17 SLL 118.0K
$20.57 €17.73
-74.87%
Apples (1kg)
$3.92 SLL 89.4K
$2.62 €2.26
49.62%
Banana (1kg)
$2.02 SLL 46.1K
$2.15 €1.85
-6.05%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.73 SLL 16.7K
$2.80 €2.41
-73.93%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.15 SLL 117.5K
$3.32 €2.87
55.12%
Potato (1kg)
$1.95 SLL 44.6K
$2.10 €1.81
-7.14%
Onion (1kg)
$1.64 SLL 37.5K
$1.89 €1.63
-13.23%
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$1.55 €1.33
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.33 SLL 30.3K
$0.56 €0.48
137.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.03 SLL 69.2K
$7.16 €6.17
-57.68%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.42 SLL 169.3K
$7.35 €6.33
0.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 SLL 27.1K
$1.80 €1.55
-33.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10 SLL 47.9K
$2.41 €2.07
-12.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Sierra Leone
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.44 SLL 10.1K
$1.93 €1.66
-77.20%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$45.24 €39.00
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.48 SLL 11.0K
$5.74 €4.95
-91.64%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.52 SLL 11.9K
$1.70 €1.47
-69.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$35.25 €30.38
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 SLL 29.0K
$2.04 €1.76
-37.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$12.1K SLL 275.8M
$37.5K €32.3K
-67.79%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.4K SLL 580.1M
$37.1K €31.9K
-31.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sierra Leone
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$60.2 SLL 1.4M
$231 €199
-73.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.49 SLL 399.2K
$12.34 €10.64
41.73%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.3 SLL 1.1M
$31.17 €26.87
61.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sierra Leone
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$55.2 €47.62
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$24.91 €21.47
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$11.13 €9.59
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sierra Leone
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$568 €490
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$12.5K €10.8K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sierra Leone
Italy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$10.12 SLL 230.9K
$93.0 €80.1
-89.11%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$7.79 SLL 177.8K
$39.82 €34.32
-80.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$20.03 SLL 457.3K
$104 €89.8
-80.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$50.1 SLL 1.1M
$135 €116
-62.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sierra Leone
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$922 SLL 21.1M
$852 €734
8.30%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,271 SLL 29.0M
$645 €556
97.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,464 SLL 79.1M
$1,449 €1,249
139.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,084 €935
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,100 SLL 25.1M
$3,813 €3,287
-71.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,079 SLL 24.6M
$2,357 €2,032
-54.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sierra Leone
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,347 SLL 30.7M
$1,933 €1,666
-30.30%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
3.57
-

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

Last update for Sierra Leone: September 8, 2026

Last update for Italy: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $939 in Sierra Leone, $755 in Italy. Capital cities: $939 in Freetown vs $1,247 in Rome.

National salary averages: $1,337 in Sierra Leone, $1,964 in Italy. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 24% higher in Sierra Leone.

Dining out costs 95% more in Italy.

Salaries are 47% higher in Italy, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Italy.

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 Italy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and Sierra Leone?
At $1,889 per month in Italy and $1,734 in Sierra Leone, there's a 9% 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 Sierra Leone: 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 Italy is consistently higher than in Sierra Leone across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Italy or in Sierra Leone?
In Sierra Leone, $2,500 covers most cities easily; in Italy 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 Italy or to Sierra Leone?
It depends on what you're after: Sierra Leone wins on affordability; Italy may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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