Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Sierra Leone Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Sierra Leone

Name: Sierra Leone
Address: SL

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,143 per month in South Africa vs $1,734 in Sierra Leone, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,781 per month in South Africa vs $1,429 in Sierra Leone, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,419 per month in South Africa vs $1,124 in Sierra Leone, rent included.

The cost of living in South Africa is roughly 34% lower than in Sierra Leone on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

South Africa sits 17% below the global median, while Sierra Leone is 26% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

The regional cost range is wider in South Africa ($647–$1,815) than in Sierra Leone ($1,734–$1,734), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.30 R 182

$2.01 SLL 46.0K

462.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.51 R 717

$39.80 SLL 908.4K

11.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.90 R 95.0

$10.91 SLL 249.1K

-45.92%

Cappuccino

$2.44 R 39.22

$2.34 SLL 53.4K

4.27%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 R 18.64

$1.27 SLL 29.1K

-8.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.39

$0.72 SLL 16.5K

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 R 41.29

$1.84 SLL 41.9K

39.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 R 49.60

$3.35 SLL 76.4K

-8.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 R 20.57

$2.41 SLL 55.0K

-46.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 R 18.15

$0.64 SLL 14.5K

76.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 R 29.55

$1.28 SLL 29.2K

42.97%

Eggs

$2.55 R 41.12

$1.83 SLL 41.8K

39.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.35 R 134

$7.01 SLL 160.0K

19.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 R 87.6

$10.13 SLL 231.3K

-46.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.88 R 127

$5.17 SLL 118.0K

52.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 R 30.61

$3.92 SLL 89.4K

-51.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 R 27.36

$2.02 SLL 46.1K

-15.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 R 29.14

$0.73 SLL 16.7K

147.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 R 30.23

$5.15 SLL 117.5K

-63.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 R 24.76

$1.95 SLL 44.6K

-21.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.03

$1.64 SLL 37.5K

-9.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 R 21.45

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 R 19.09

$1.33 SLL 30.3K

-10.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 R 55.0

$3.03 SLL 69.2K

12.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.08 R 81.7

$7.42 SLL 169.3K

-31.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 R 24.28

$1.19 SLL 27.1K

26.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 R 32.64

$2.10 SLL 47.9K

-3.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 R 28.39

$0.44 SLL 10.1K

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.1 R 1,016

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 R 17.97

$0.48 SLL 11.0K

133.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 R 16.33

$0.52 SLL 11.9K

94.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.07 R 130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 R 23.53

$1.27 SLL 29.0K

14.96%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.8K R 592.8K

$12.1K SLL 275.8M

204.68%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.5K R 523.6K

$25.4K SLL 580.1M

27.93%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$136 R 2,185

$60.2 SLL 1.4M

125.38%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$35.72 R 575

$17.49 SLL 399.2K

104.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.40 R 667

$50.3 SLL 1.1M

-17.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.96 R 563

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.46 R 201

Cinema Ticket

$7.62 R 123

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$231 R 3,725

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,726 R 92.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 R 908

$10.12 SLL 230.9K

456.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.91 R 546

$7.79 SLL 177.8K

335.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 R 1,639

$20.03 SLL 457.3K

408.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.0 R 1,497

$50.1 SLL 1.1M

85.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 R 8,154

$922 SLL 21.1M

-45.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 R 6,727

$1,271 SLL 29.0M

-67.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$979 R 15.8K

$3,464 SLL 79.1M

-71.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$838 R 13.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,151 R 18.5K

$1,100 SLL 25.1M

4.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$800 R 12.9K

$1,079 SLL 24.6M

-25.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,554 R 25.0K

$1,347 SLL 30.7M

15.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.24

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

Last update for South Africa: September 8, 2026

Last update for Sierra Leone: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $445 in South Africa vs $939 in Sierra Leone. For reference, capital cities sit at $324 in Bloemfontein and $939 in Freetown.

Average salary: $1,553 in South Africa vs $1,337 in Sierra Leone. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 111% higher in Sierra Leone.

Salaries are 16% higher in South Africa, and purchasing power comes out stronger in South Africa.

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

South Africa vs Sierra Leone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

South Africa is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 41% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Sierra Leone, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Sierra Leone consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in South Africa, contributing to the overall 41% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in South Africa, but in Sierra Leone it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

South Africa 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.