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

Name: Sierra Leone
Address: SL

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,643 per month in United States vs $1,932 in Sierra Leone, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,857 per month in United States vs $1,692 in Sierra Leone, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,070 per month in United States vs $1,451 in Sierra Leone, rent included.

United States costs about 37% more than Sierra Leone on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both United States and Sierra Leone are pricier than the global median – United States by 97%, Sierra Leone by 44%.

United States has a wider regional cost range ($1,343–$5,081) than Sierra Leone ($1,932–$1,932), so location matters more when choosing where to live in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.04 $20.04

$3.04 SLL 69.3K

559.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 $76.0

$32.88 SLL 748.7K

131.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 $11.42

$9.97 SLL 227.1K

14.54%

Cappuccino

$5.39 $5.39

$1.70 SLL 38.7K

217.06%

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

$2.55 $2.55

$0.90 SLL 20.5K

183.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.79 SLL 17.9K

158.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

$1.52 SLL 34.7K

303.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$2.84 SLL 64.7K

152.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$2.45 SLL 55.7K

-57.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$0.69 SLL 15.8K

428.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$1.36 SLL 30.9K

247.79%

Eggs

$4.38 $4.38

$2.02 SLL 46.0K

116.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 $12.76

$7.14 SLL 162.7K

78.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.42 $12.42

$7.66 SLL 174.5K

62.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.41 $16.41

$5.17 SLL 117.9K

217.41%

Apples (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$4.10 SLL 93.3K

32.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.94 SLL 44.3K

-14.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$0.69 SLL 15.7K

565.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$5.01 SLL 114.2K

-2.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.05 SLL 46.6K

42.44%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.68 SLL 38.2K

86.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.03 SLL 23.4K

119.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.42 SLL 32.3K

61.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 $9.89

$1.90 SLL 43.2K

420.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 $15.10

$7.57 SLL 172.3K

99.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.43 SLL 32.7K

33.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 $3.66

$2.14 SLL 48.6K

71.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$0.44 SLL 10.0K

463.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 $64.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 $3.84

$0.77 SLL 17.5K

398.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.28 SLL 29.1K

37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.58 $30.58

$5.11 SLL 116.5K

498.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.30 SLL 29.6K

-26.15%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$12.1K SLL 276.1M

151.43%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$25.4K SLL 578.3M

3.88%

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

$204 $204

$143 SLL 3.3M

42.83%

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

$57.3 $57.3

$17.59 SLL 400.6K

225.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$74.1 SLL 1.7M

-3.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.67 $46.67

$50.9 SLL 1.2M

-8.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.12 $22.12

Cinema Ticket

$13.84 $13.84

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

$1,384 $1,384

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K $22.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 $53.0

$9.98 SLL 227.4K

430.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.17 $43.17

$7.86 SLL 179.1K

449.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 $90.6

$20.39 SLL 464.3K

344.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$49.77 SLL 1.1M

129.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 $1,766

$818 SLL 18.6M

115.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 $1,459

$1,247 SLL 28.4M

17.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,832 $2,832

$2,156 SLL 49.1M

31.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,411 $2,411

$101 SLL 2.3M

2276.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,287 $3,287

$1,070 SLL 24.4M

207.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$1,093 SLL 24.9M

142.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,379 $4,379

$1,324 SLL 30.2M

230.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

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

Last update for United States: May 30, 2026

Last update for Sierra Leone: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,637 in United States vs $810 in Sierra Leone. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,591 in Washington, DC and $810 in Freetown.

Average salary: $4,500 in United States vs $1,334 in Sierra Leone. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 102% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 128% more in United States.

Salaries are 237% higher in United States, giving United States 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

United States vs Sierra Leone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sierra Leone is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 66% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

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

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Sierra Leone, contributing to the overall 66% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

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

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.