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: $1,981 in Sierra Leone versus $1,720 in Italy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,705 in Sierra Leone versus $2,626 in Italy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,429 in Sierra Leone versus $3,531 in Italy.

Living in Sierra Leone is roughly 15% more expensive than in Italy on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: Sierra Leone 49% above, Italy 29% above.

Internal cost variation is higher in Sierra Leone: monthly costs span $1,981 to $1,981, compared to $1,191$2,443 in Italy. City choice carries more weight in Sierra Leone.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sierra Leone
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.08 SLL 70.0K
$17.16 €14.96
-82.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.57 SLL 741.6K
$81.4 €70.9
-59.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.83 SLL 223.9K
$11.60 €10.11
-15.26%
Cappuccino
$1.74 SLL 39.7K
$1.98 €1.73
-12.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92 SLL 20.9K
$3.00 €2.62
-69.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84 SLL 19.2K
$1.36 €1.18
-38.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.54 SLL 35.1K
$5.92 €5.16
-73.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90 SLL 66.0K
$5.25 €4.58
-44.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sierra Leone
Italy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.43 SLL 55.3K
$1.70 €1.49
42.94%
White Bread (500g)
$0.66 SLL 14.9K
$2.37 €2.07
-72.15%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.32 SLL 30.0K
$3.03 €2.65
-56.44%
Eggs
$2.00 SLL 45.5K
$3.95 €3.44
-49.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.25 SLL 165.0K
$16.66 €14.53
-56.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.59 SLL 172.8K
$12.26 €10.68
-38.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.22 SLL 118.8K
$20.06 €17.49
-73.98%
Apples (1kg)
$4.09 SLL 93.0K
$2.55 €2.23
60.39%
Banana (1kg)
$2.03 SLL 46.2K
$2.20 €1.92
-7.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.73 SLL 16.6K
$2.75 €2.40
-73.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.12 SLL 116.6K
$3.22 €2.81
59.01%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 SLL 46.4K
$1.94 €1.69
5.15%
Onion (1kg)
$1.60 SLL 36.5K
$1.82 €1.59
-12.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 SLL 23.3K
$1.48 €1.29
-31.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.43 SLL 32.6K
$0.50 €0.43
186.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.95 SLL 44.5K
$7.13 €6.21
-72.65%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.68 SLL 174.9K
$7.37 €6.43
4.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.47 SLL 33.5K
$1.76 €1.53
-16.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 SLL 46.6K
$2.53 €2.20
-19.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Sierra Leone
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.47 SLL 10.7K
$1.99 €1.73
-76.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$42.32 €36.90
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.78 SLL 17.7K
$5.67 €4.94
-86.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.24 SLL 28.2K
$1.52 €1.32
-18.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 SLL 113.2K
$34.94 €30.46
-85.78%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 SLL 30.6K
$2.09 €1.83
-35.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$12.1K SLL 276.0M
$32.7K €28.5K
-62.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.0K SLL 569.7M
$32.9K €28.7K
-23.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sierra Leone
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$144 SLL 3.3M
$227 €198
-36.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.64 SLL 401.7K
$13.58 €11.84
29.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$74.5 SLL 1.7M
$31.57 €27.52
136.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sierra Leone
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.6 SLL 1.2M
$57.7 €50.3
-12.24%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$25.23 €22.00
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$10.59 €9.24
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sierra Leone
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$568 €495
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$10.5K €9,187
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sierra Leone
Italy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$9.90 SLL 225.5K
$90.7 €79.0
-89.08%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$8.16 SLL 185.8K
$40.49 €35.30
-79.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$19.97 SLL 454.7K
$99.8 €87.0
-79.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$49.58 SLL 1.1M
$130 €113
-61.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sierra Leone
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$831 SLL 18.9M
$865 €754
-3.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,251 SLL 28.5M
$672 €586
86.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,102 SLL 47.9M
$1,523 €1,328
38.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$101 SLL 2.3M
$1,078 €940
-90.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,086 SLL 24.7M
$3,767 €3,284
-71.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,095 SLL 24.9M
$2,360 €2,058
-53.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sierra Leone
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,333 SLL 30.3M
$1,949 €1,699
-31.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
4.41
-

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

Last update for Sierra Leone: July 28, 2026

Last update for Italy: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $808 in Sierra Leone, $743 in Italy. Capital cities: $808 in Freetown vs $1,334 in Rome.

National salary averages: $1,334 in Sierra Leone, $1,912 in Italy. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 9% higher in Sierra Leone.

Dining out costs 124% more in Italy.

Salaries are 43% 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 $1,817 per month in Italy and $1,981 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 Italy: 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 Italy 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 Italy, $2,500 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 Italy or to Sierra Leone?
It depends on what you're after: Italy wins on affordability; Sierra Leone may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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