Moving to Sierra Leone from Colombia

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Colombia to Sierra Leone — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Colombia to Sierra Leone, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Freetown averages 86°F vs 61°F in Bogota, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Colombia and Sierra Leone stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

CO
25.4
SL
2.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

CO
16.2
SL
13.8

Sierra Leone performs significantly better than Colombia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

CO
$1,758
SL
$159
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

CO
24.5
SL
0.4

Colombia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sierra Leone leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

CO
24.0
SL
97.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

CO
1.8t
SL
0.2t

Colombia generally does better on environment, though Sierra Leone leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

CO
17.0
SL
0.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

CO
4.4%
SL
0.5%

Colombia generally does better on infrastructure, though Sierra Leone leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

CO
9.6%
SL
3.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

CO
$18,800
SL
$1,700

Colombia generally does better on employment & economy, though Sierra Leone leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

CO
74.9 yrs
SL
58.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

CO
11.7
SL
73.4

Colombia generally does better on family life, though Sierra Leone leads in education spending.

Data: Directorate of National Taxes and Customs (DIAN), The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Bogota Rain: 31.5 in/yr (799 mm)
61° / 45°F

Avg. annual high / low

Freetown Rain: 116.0 in/yr (2946 mm)
86° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bogota Freetown
Jan–Mar 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) 87°/75°F (30°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 61°/47°F (16°/9°C) 87°/76°F (31°/24°C)
Jul–Sep 60°/45°F (15°/7°C) 84°/74°F (29°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) 86°/75°F (30°/24°C)
View all months
Month Bogota Freetown
Jan 62°/42°F (16.4°/5.6°C) 86°/75°F (29.9°/23.8°C)
Feb 62°/44°F (16.7°/6.5°C) 87°/75°F (30.3°/24.0°C)
Mar 62°/46°F (16.7°/7.6°C) 88°/76°F (30.9°/24.4°C)
Apr 61°/47°F (16.0°/8.6°C) 88°/77°F (31.2°/24.8°C)
May 61°/48°F (16.2°/8.7°C) 88°/76°F (30.9°/24.4°C)
Jun 60°/47°F (15.7°/8.3°C) 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.6°C)
Jul 59°/46°F (14.9°/7.7°C) 84°/74°F (28.7°/23.1°C)
Aug 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.3°C) 83°/73°F (28.4°/23.0°C)
Sep 60°/45°F (15.8°/7.1°C) 84°/74°F (29.0°/23.1°C)
Oct 61°/46°F (15.9°/7.7°C) 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.4°C)
Nov 61°/46°F (16.0°/7.9°C) 86°/75°F (30.1°/24.0°C)
Dec 61°/43°F (16.1°/6.3°C) 85°/75°F (29.7°/24.1°C)

Data: Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environment Studies Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environment Studies, Sierra Leone Meteorological Agency Sierra Leone Meteorological Agency

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Colombia and Sierra Leone. To live, work, or study long-term in Sierra Leone, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Sierra Leone's immigration authority.

Colombia passport

Colombia passport holder visiting Sierra Leone

Visa Required
Colombia passport holders need a visa to enter Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone passport

Sierra Leone passport holder visiting Colombia

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Sierra Leone passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Colombia.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Sierra Leone?

With 0.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Sierra Leone can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Colombia and Sierra Leone.

Is Sierra Leone safe for expats?

Sierra Leone performs significantly better than Colombia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Sierra Leone is 2.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 25.4 in Colombia.

How is healthcare in Sierra Leone compared to Colombia?

Colombia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sierra Leone leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 0.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Sierra Leone, compared to 24.5 in Colombia. Sierra Leone scores 41 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Colombia: 80).

What's the weather like in Sierra Leone compared to Colombia?

The average high temperature in Freetown is 86°F, compared to 61°F in Bogota. Freetown receives around 116.0 in of rainfall per year, while Bogota gets 31.5 in.

What language do they speak in Sierra Leone?

The official language in Sierra Leone is English. In Colombia, the official language is Spanish.

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At a Glance

CO SL
Population 49,059,221 8,692,606
Currency Colombian Peso (COP) Sierra Leonean Leone (SLL)
Languages Spanish English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +57 +232
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 123