Cost of Living Comparison Between Sierra Leone and United Kingdom Cost of Living Comparison Between Sierra Leone and United Kingdom

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,734 per month in Sierra Leone vs $2,405 in United Kingdom, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,429 per month in Sierra Leone vs $3,520 in United Kingdom, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,124 per month in Sierra Leone vs $4,635 in United Kingdom, rent included.

The cost of living in Sierra Leone is roughly 28% lower than in United Kingdom on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Sierra Leone and United Kingdom are pricier than the global median – Sierra Leone by 26%, United Kingdom by 74%.

The regional cost range is wider in Sierra Leone ($1,734$1,734) than in United Kingdom ($1,100$4,235), so city choice matters more there.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sierra Leone
United Kingdom
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.01 SLL 46.0K
$21.52 £15.90
-90.66%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.80 SLL 908.4K
$88.0 £65.0
-54.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.91 SLL 249.1K
$10.89 £8.05
0.18%
Cappuccino
$2.34 SLL 53.4K
$4.92 £3.64
-52.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 SLL 29.1K
$2.59 £1.91
-50.97%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72 SLL 16.5K
$1.84 £1.36
-60.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.84 SLL 41.9K
$6.91 £5.11
-73.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.35 SLL 76.4K
$6.86 £5.07
-51.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sierra Leone
United Kingdom
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.41 SLL 55.0K
$1.67 £1.23
44.31%
White Bread (500g)
$0.64 SLL 14.5K
$1.67 £1.23
-61.68%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.28 SLL 29.2K
$2.20 £1.63
-41.82%
Eggs
$1.83 SLL 41.8K
$4.19 £3.10
-56.32%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.01 SLL 160.0K
$9.98 £7.38
-29.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.13 SLL 231.3K
$9.47 £7.00
6.97%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.17 SLL 118.0K
$15.41 £11.39
-66.45%
Apples (1kg)
$3.92 SLL 89.4K
$3.02 £2.23
29.80%
Banana (1kg)
$2.02 SLL 46.1K
$1.70 £1.25
18.82%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.73 SLL 16.7K
$2.92 £2.16
-75.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.15 SLL 117.5K
$3.38 £2.50
52.37%
Potato (1kg)
$1.95 SLL 44.6K
$1.84 £1.36
5.98%
Onion (1kg)
$1.64 SLL 37.5K
$1.58 £1.17
3.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$1.26 £0.93
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.33 SLL 30.3K
$1.70 £1.26
-21.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.03 SLL 69.2K
$24.21 £17.90
-87.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.42 SLL 169.3K
$11.00 £8.13
-32.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 SLL 27.1K
$2.98 £2.21
-60.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10 SLL 47.9K
$3.39 £2.51
-38.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Sierra Leone
United Kingdom
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.44 SLL 10.1K
$3.43 £2.53
-87.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$105 £77.9
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.48 SLL 11.0K
$5.36 £3.96
-91.04%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.52 SLL 11.9K
$2.37 £1.75
-78.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$27.55 £20.36
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 SLL 29.0K
$1.93 £1.43
-34.20%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$12.1K SLL 275.8M
$39.7K £29.3K
-69.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.4K SLL 580.1M
$40.7K £30.1K
-37.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sierra Leone
United Kingdom
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$60.2 SLL 1.4M
$321 £238
-81.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.49 SLL 399.2K
$18.67 £13.80
-6.32%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.3 SLL 1.1M
$43.93 £32.47
14.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sierra Leone
United Kingdom
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$46.56 £34.41
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.71 £13.83
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$13.53 £10.00
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sierra Leone
United Kingdom
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$1,739 £1,285
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$22.7K £16.7K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sierra Leone
United Kingdom
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$10.12 SLL 230.9K
$90.9 £67.2
-88.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$7.79 SLL 177.8K
$47.40 £35.04
-83.57%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$20.03 SLL 457.3K
$105 £77.8
-80.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$50.1 SLL 1.1M
$101 £74.9
-50.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sierra Leone
United Kingdom
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$922 SLL 21.1M
$1,382 £1,022
-33.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,271 SLL 29.0M
$1,095 £809
16.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,464 SLL 79.1M
$2,216 £1,638
56.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,814 £1,341
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,100 SLL 25.1M
$5,730 £4,235
-80.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,079 SLL 24.6M
$4,515 £3,337
-76.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sierra Leone
United Kingdom
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,347 SLL 30.7M
$3,329 £2,461
-59.53%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
5.32
-

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

Last update for Sierra Leone: September 8, 2026

Last update for United Kingdom: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $939 in Sierra Leone vs $1,285 in United Kingdom. For reference, capital cities sit at $939 in Freetown and $2,926 in London.

Average salary: $1,337 in Sierra Leone vs $3,292 in United Kingdom. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 37% higher in United Kingdom.

Dining out costs 115% more in United Kingdom.

Salaries are 146% higher in United Kingdom, and purchasing power comes out stronger in United Kingdom.

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 United Kingdom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sierra Leone more expensive than United Kingdom?
Sierra Leone is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 54% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in United Kingdom, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but United Kingdom 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 54% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Sierra Leone or in United Kingdom?
$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Sierra Leone, but in United Kingdom it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Sierra Leone or to United Kingdom?
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.

Sierra Leone vs other spots: cost of living compared

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