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: $1,970 in Sierra Leone versus $1,719 in Italy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,723 in Sierra Leone versus $2,625 in Italy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,475 in Sierra Leone versus $3,531 in Italy.

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

Both countries sit above the global median: Sierra Leone 47% above, Italy 28% above.

Internal cost variation is higher in Sierra Leone: monthly costs span $1,970 to $1,970, compared to $1,156$2,452 in Italy. City choice carries more weight in Sierra Leone.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sierra Leone
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.96 SLL 67.3K
$17.02 €14.66
-82.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.79 SLL 744.5K
$82.3 €71.0
-60.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.89 SLL 224.7K
$11.62 €10.01
-14.89%
Cappuccino
$1.71 SLL 38.8K
$1.91 €1.64
-10.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97 SLL 22.0K
$3.02 €2.60
-67.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.79 SLL 18.0K
$1.31 €1.13
-39.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.52 SLL 34.5K
$5.81 €5.01
-73.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 SLL 63.2K
$5.12 €4.41
-45.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sierra Leone
Italy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.47 SLL 56.0K
$1.64 €1.42
50.61%
White Bread (500g)
$0.69 SLL 15.8K
$2.42 €2.09
-71.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.35 SLL 30.6K
$2.92 €2.52
-53.77%
Eggs
$2.06 SLL 46.8K
$4.12 €3.55
-50.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.21 SLL 163.6K
$16.70 €14.39
-56.83%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.46 SLL 169.4K
$12.60 €10.86
-40.79%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.38 SLL 122.1K
$20.61 €17.76
-73.90%
Apples (1kg)
$3.95 SLL 89.7K
$2.48 €2.14
59.27%
Banana (1kg)
$1.97 SLL 44.8K
$2.15 €1.85
-8.37%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.73 SLL 16.5K
$2.72 €2.35
-73.16%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.01 SLL 113.9K
$3.25 €2.80
54.15%
Potato (1kg)
$2.06 SLL 46.8K
$1.94 €1.67
6.19%
Onion (1kg)
$1.66 SLL 37.6K
$1.81 €1.56
-8.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.98 SLL 22.4K
$1.48 €1.27
-33.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.42 SLL 32.3K
$0.54 €0.47
162.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.87 SLL 42.5K
$6.82 €5.87
-72.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.57 SLL 172.0K
$7.33 €6.32
3.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.44 SLL 32.7K
$1.80 €1.55
-20.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12 SLL 48.0K
$2.54 €2.19
-16.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Sierra Leone
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.47 SLL 10.7K
$2.01 €1.73
-76.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$41.70 €35.93
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.73 SLL 16.6K
$5.90 €5.09
-87.63%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.28 SLL 29.0K
$1.52 €1.31
-15.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.91 SLL 111.6K
$34.23 €29.50
-85.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 SLL 30.7K
$2.13 €1.83
-36.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$12.2K SLL 276.9M
$32.8K €28.3K
-62.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.6K SLL 559.4M
$33.5K €28.9K
-26.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sierra Leone
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$145 SLL 3.3M
$226 €194
-35.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.83 SLL 404.9K
$13.32 €11.48
33.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$75.7 SLL 1.7M
$31.26 €26.94
142.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sierra Leone
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.0 SLL 1.2M
$56.9 €49.02
-10.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$25.71 €22.15
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$10.35 €8.92
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sierra Leone
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$579 €499
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$10.5K €9,076
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sierra Leone
Italy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$9.90 SLL 224.8K
$90.2 €77.7
-89.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$7.97 SLL 181.0K
$40.79 €35.15
-80.46%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$20.39 SLL 462.9K
$98.7 €85.1
-79.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$49.29 SLL 1.1M
$133 €115
-62.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sierra Leone
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$808 SLL 18.3M
$853 €735
-5.27%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,250 SLL 28.4M
$667 €575
87.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,093 SLL 47.5M
$1,517 €1,307
37.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$98.3 SLL 2.2M
$1,083 €933
-90.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,106 SLL 25.1M
$3,767 €3,245
-70.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,098 SLL 24.9M
$2,403 €2,071
-54.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sierra Leone
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,319 SLL 29.9M
$1,986 €1,711
-33.60%
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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Italy: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $832 in Sierra Leone, $742 in Italy. Capital cities: $832 in Freetown vs $1,368 in Rome.

National salary averages: $1,327 in Sierra Leone, $1,931 in Italy. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 12% higher in Sierra Leone.

Dining out costs 131% more in Italy.

Salaries are 46% higher in Italy, giving Italy 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 Italy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and Sierra Leone?
At $1,804 per month in Italy and $1,970 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?
Italy is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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 beats 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 Sierra Leone?
In Italy, $2,500 covers most cities easily. In Sierra Leone, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Italy or 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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