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 $1,981 per month in Sierra Leone vs $2,365 in United Kingdom, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,705 per month in Sierra Leone vs $3,470 in United Kingdom, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,429 per month in Sierra Leone vs $4,575 in United Kingdom, rent included.

The cost of living in Sierra Leone is roughly 16% 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 49%, United Kingdom by 78%.

The regional cost range is wider in Sierra Leone ($1,981$1,981) than in United Kingdom ($1,652$3,902), so city choice matters more there.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sierra Leone
United Kingdom
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.08 SLL 70.0K
$20.15 £15.08
-84.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.57 SLL 741.6K
$88.5 £66.2
-63.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.83 SLL 223.9K
$10.33 £7.73
-4.84%
Cappuccino
$1.74 SLL 39.7K
$4.53 £3.39
-61.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92 SLL 20.9K
$2.38 £1.78
-61.34%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84 SLL 19.2K
$1.70 £1.27
-50.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.54 SLL 35.1K
$6.61 £4.95
-76.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90 SLL 66.0K
$6.24 £4.67
-53.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sierra Leone
United Kingdom
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.43 SLL 55.3K
$1.64 £1.23
48.17%
White Bread (500g)
$0.66 SLL 14.9K
$1.67 £1.25
-60.48%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.32 SLL 30.0K
$2.22 £1.66
-40.54%
Eggs
$2.00 SLL 45.5K
$3.98 £2.98
-49.75%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.25 SLL 165.0K
$9.60 £7.18
-24.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.59 SLL 172.8K
$9.15 £6.85
-17.05%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.22 SLL 118.8K
$13.94 £10.43
-62.55%
Apples (1kg)
$4.09 SLL 93.0K
$2.94 £2.20
39.12%
Banana (1kg)
$2.03 SLL 46.2K
$1.67 £1.25
21.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.73 SLL 16.6K
$2.85 £2.14
-74.39%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.12 SLL 116.6K
$3.44 £2.58
48.84%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 SLL 46.4K
$1.70 £1.27
20.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.60 SLL 36.5K
$1.61 £1.20
-0.62%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 SLL 23.3K
$1.12 £0.84
-8.93%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.43 SLL 32.6K
$1.52 £1.14
-5.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.95 SLL 44.5K
$20.60 £15.41
-90.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.68 SLL 174.9K
$10.60 £7.93
-27.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.47 SLL 33.5K
$2.87 £2.15
-48.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 SLL 46.6K
$3.27 £2.45
-37.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Sierra Leone
United Kingdom
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.47 SLL 10.7K
$3.23 £2.42
-85.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$93.3 £69.8
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.78 SLL 17.7K
$5.28 £3.95
-85.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.24 SLL 28.2K
$1.52 £1.14
-18.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 SLL 113.2K
$26.79 £20.04
-81.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 SLL 30.6K
$1.98 £1.48
-31.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$12.1K SLL 276.0M
$37.9K £28.3K
-68.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.0K SLL 569.7M
$40.6K £30.3K
-38.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sierra Leone
United Kingdom
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$144 SLL 3.3M
$325 £243
-55.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.64 SLL 401.7K
$17.63 £13.19
0.06%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$74.5 SLL 1.7M
$42.17 £31.55
76.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sierra Leone
United Kingdom
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.6 SLL 1.2M
$45.93 £34.36
10.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$15.86 £11.87
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$13.36 £10.00
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sierra Leone
United Kingdom
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$1,736 £1,299
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$21.3K £16.0K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sierra Leone
United Kingdom
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$9.90 SLL 225.5K
$90.8 £67.9
-89.09%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$8.16 SLL 185.8K
$45.24 £33.85
-81.96%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$19.97 SLL 454.7K
$102 £76.6
-80.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$49.58 SLL 1.1M
$102 £76.2
-51.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sierra Leone
United Kingdom
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$831 SLL 18.9M
$1,412 £1,057
-41.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,251 SLL 28.5M
$1,122 £840
11.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,102 SLL 47.9M
$2,367 £1,770
-11.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$101 SLL 2.3M
$1,827 £1,367
-94.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,086 SLL 24.7M
$5,662 £4,235
-80.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,095 SLL 24.9M
$4,424 £3,309
-75.25%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sierra Leone
United Kingdom
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,333 SLL 30.3M
$3,238 £2,422
-58.84%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
5.75
-

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

Last update for Sierra Leone: July 28, 2026

Last update for United Kingdom: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $808 in Sierra Leone vs $1,266 in United Kingdom. For reference, capital cities sit at $808 in Freetown and $3,021 in London.

Average salary: $1,334 in Sierra Leone vs $3,174 in United Kingdom. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 57% higher in United Kingdom.

Dining out costs 155% more in United Kingdom.

Salaries are 138% 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 40% 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 40% 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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