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 $1,931 per month in Sierra Leone vs $2,360 in United Kingdom, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,686 per month in Sierra Leone vs $3,471 in United Kingdom, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,441 per month in Sierra Leone vs $4,581 in United Kingdom, rent included.

Sierra Leone is roughly 18% cheaper than 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 44%, United Kingdom by 76%.

Sierra Leone has a wider regional cost range ($1,931$1,931) than United Kingdom ($1,688$4,005), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Sierra Leone.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sierra Leone
United Kingdom
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.97 SLL 73.6K
$20.50 £15.17
-85.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.58 SLL 806.7K
$89.6 £66.3
-63.62%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.95 SLL 246.3K
$10.05 £7.44
-1.00%
Cappuccino
$1.74 SLL 43.1K
$4.53 £3.35
-61.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.96 SLL 23.8K
$2.47 £1.83
-61.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84 SLL 20.7K
$1.70 £1.25
-50.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.48 SLL 36.5K
$6.61 £4.89
-77.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92 SLL 72.4K
$6.48 £4.80
-54.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sierra Leone
United Kingdom
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.48 SLL 61.3K
$1.64 £1.21
51.22%
White Bread (500g)
$0.68 SLL 16.9K
$1.70 £1.26
-60.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.31 SLL 32.4K
$2.20 £1.63
-40.45%
Eggs
$1.99 SLL 49.2K
$3.98 £2.94
-50.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.14 SLL 176.8K
$9.62 £7.12
-25.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.60 SLL 188.1K
$9.02 £6.67
-15.74%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.23 SLL 129.4K
$14.00 £10.36
-62.64%
Apples (1kg)
$3.94 SLL 97.5K
$3.07 £2.27
28.34%
Banana (1kg)
$1.97 SLL 48.8K
$1.61 £1.19
22.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.73 SLL 18.1K
$2.82 £2.09
-74.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.03 SLL 124.6K
$3.58 £2.65
40.50%
Potato (1kg)
$2.05 SLL 50.7K
$1.61 £1.19
27.33%
Onion (1kg)
$1.66 SLL 41.2K
$1.52 £1.13
9.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 SLL 25.2K
$1.16 £0.86
-12.07%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.38 SLL 34.2K
$1.50 £1.11
-8.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.88 SLL 46.7K
$20.28 £15.01
-90.73%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.01 SLL 173.6K
$10.76 £7.96
-34.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.42 SLL 35.3K
$2.90 £2.14
-51.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 SLL 50.4K
$3.27 £2.42
-37.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Sierra Leone
United Kingdom
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.47 SLL 11.7K
$3.25 £2.40
-85.54%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$96.6 £71.5
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.73 SLL 18.1K
$5.41 £4.00
-86.51%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.28 SLL 31.6K
$1.55 £1.14
-17.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.98 SLL 123.4K
$27.40 £20.28
-81.82%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 SLL 32.4K
$2.00 £1.48
-34.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$12.2K SLL 302.3M
$38.6K £28.6K
-68.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.4K SLL 628.4M
$40.1K £29.7K
-36.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sierra Leone
United Kingdom
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$146 SLL 3.6M
$324 £239
-55.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.54 SLL 434.1K
$17.16 £12.70
2.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$75.4 SLL 1.9M
$42.46 £31.42
77.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sierra Leone
United Kingdom
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.3 SLL 1.2M
$46.45 £34.38
8.29%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.23 £12.01
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$13.44 £9.94
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sierra Leone
United Kingdom
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$1,720 £1,273
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$21.1K £15.6K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sierra Leone
United Kingdom
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$10.08 SLL 249.4K
$89.6 £66.3
-88.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$8.01 SLL 198.3K
$43.89 £32.48
-81.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$19.73 SLL 488.5K
$101 £74.6
-80.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$49.79 SLL 1.2M
$105 £78.1
-52.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sierra Leone
United Kingdom
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$818 SLL 20.3M
$1,396 £1,033
-41.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,258 SLL 31.1M
$1,126 £833
11.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,089 SLL 51.7M
$2,346 £1,736
-10.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$102 SLL 2.5M
$1,877 £1,389
-94.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,076 SLL 26.6M
$5,923 £4,383
-81.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,080 SLL 26.7M
$4,613 £3,413
-76.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sierra Leone
United Kingdom
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,356 SLL 33.6M
$3,374 £2,497
-59.82%
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: April 25, 2026

Last update for United Kingdom: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $807 in Sierra Leone vs $1,267 in United Kingdom. For reference, capital cities sit at $807 in Freetown and $3,034 in London.

Average salary: $1,123 in Sierra Leone vs $3,209 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 163% more in United Kingdom.

Salaries are 186% higher in United Kingdom, giving United Kingdom 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 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 47% 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 47% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Sierra Leone or 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 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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