Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Djibouti and the United States

For one person, living is cheaper in Djibouti: $2,068 a month against $2,734 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Djibouti
United States
🇩🇯 Djibouti
$2,068
/mo nomad
🇺🇸 United States
$2,734
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Djibouti and in the United States

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Djibouti and in the United States actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,068 per month in Djibouti vs $2,734 in the United States, rent included.

  • Djibouti $2,068
  • United States $2,734

A couple spends around $3,229 per month in Djibouti vs $3,985 in the United States, rent included.

  • Djibouti $3,229
  • United States $3,985

A family of three spends $4,389 per month in Djibouti vs $5,235 in the United States, rent included.

  • Djibouti $4,389
  • United States $5,235

The regional cost range is wider in the United States ($979–$5,160) than in Djibouti ($2,069–$2,069), so city choice matters more there.

The cost of living in Djibouti is roughly 24% lower than in the United States on average.

Both Djibouti and the United States are pricier than the global median – Djibouti by 52%, the United States by 101%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Djibouti
United States
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.60 DJF 1,711
$20.03 $20.03
-52.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.3 DJF 13.1K
$80.0 $80.0
-8.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.52 DJF 2,765
$11.80 $11.80
31.53%
Cappuccino
$3.45 DJF 615
$5.55 $5.55
-37.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86 DJF 331
$2.66 $2.66
-30.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 DJF 299
$2.17 $2.17
-22.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.84 DJF 1,219
$6.12 $6.12
11.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.21 DJF 1,463
$7.94 $7.94
3.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Djibouti
United States
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.85 DJF 509
$1.04 $1.04
174.04%
White Bread (500g)
$9.42 DJF 1,678
$3.59 $3.59
162.40%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.79 DJF 497
$4.52 $4.52
-38.27%
Eggs
$5.84 DJF 1,041
$4.28 $4.28
36.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.73 DJF 1,733
$13.22 $13.22
-26.40%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$18.01 DJF 3,209
$12.60 $12.60
42.94%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.30 DJF 2,192
$17.60 $17.60
-30.11%
Apples (1kg)
$3.71 DJF 661
$5.30 $5.30
-30.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.20 DJF 214
$1.69 $1.69
-28.99%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.63 DJF 468
$4.44 $4.44
-40.77%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.58 DJF 281
$4.77 $4.77
-66.88%
Potato (1kg)
$1.56 DJF 279
$2.97 $2.97
-47.47%
Onion (1kg)
$1.69 DJF 301
$3.15 $3.15
-46.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$5.71 DJF 1,017
$2.20 $2.20
159.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 DJF 96.0
$2.35 $2.35
-77.02%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.94 DJF 346
$10.98 $10.98
-82.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$20.72 DJF 3,692
$15.05 $15.05
37.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.39 DJF 426
$2.06 $2.06
16.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.45 DJF 615
$3.79 $3.79
-8.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Djibouti
United States
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.43 DJF 77.0
$1.94 $1.94
-77.84%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.59 DJF 7,589
$59.4 $59.4
-28.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.84 DJF 506
$3.58 $3.58
-20.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$5.59 DJF 996
$1.88 $1.88
197.34%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$28.15 DJF 5,016
$29.84 $29.84
-5.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.23 DJF 398
$1.02 $1.02
118.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.0K DJF 6.1M
$28.8K $28.8K
18.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.3K DJF 5.9M
$26.2K $26.2K
27.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Djibouti
United States
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$526 DJF 93.6K
$218 $218
141.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.11 DJF 5,721
$62.5 $62.5
-48.60%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.9 DJF 10.7K
$74.5 $74.5
-19.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Djibouti
United States
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$85.8 DJF 15.3K
$41.86 $41.86
105.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.63 DJF 5,101
$22.81 $22.81
25.52%
Cinema Ticket
$12.46 DJF 2,219
$14.70 $14.70
-15.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Djibouti
United States
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$338 DJF 60.3K
$1,489 $1,489
-77.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,942 DJF 1.6M
$25.3K $25.3K
-64.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Djibouti
United States
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.81 DJF 7,628
$54.3 $54.3
-21.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.91 DJF 3,547
$42.71 $42.71
-53.38%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$121 DJF 21.6K
$94.1 $94.1
28.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$55.1 DJF 9,819
$114 $114
-51.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Djibouti
United States
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$675 DJF 120.2K
$1,659 $1,659
-59.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$472 DJF 84.2K
$1,348 $1,348
-64.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$999 DJF 178.0K
$2,682 $2,682
-62.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,263 DJF 225.0K
$2,169 $2,169
-41.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$12.6K DJF 2.2M
$3,283 $3,283
283.37%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,183 DJF 1.1M
$2,482 $2,482
149.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Djibouti
United States
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,790 DJF 497.1K
$4,296 $4,296
-35.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.07
6.55
99.54%

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

Last update for Djibouti: October 26, 2026

Last update for the United States: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Djibouti
$618
United States
$355 42.5% $263
Accommodation & Living
Djibouti
$472
United States
$1.3K 185% $875
Groceries & Markets
Djibouti
$455
United States
$415 8.7% $40
Eating Out
Djibouti
$230
United States
$328 42.9% $98
Sport & Entertainment
Djibouti
$111
United States
$71 35.6% $39
Clothing & Footwear
Djibouti
$108
United States
$137 27.4% $30
Getting Around
Djibouti
$75
United States
$80 6.7% $5

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $672 in Djibouti vs $1,620 in the United States. For reference, capital cities sit at $672 in Djibouti and $2,768 in Washington, DC.

Average salary: $2,785 in Djibouti vs $4,549 in the United States. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 141% higher in the United States.

Public transport is 47% more expensive in the United States.

Salaries are 63% higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.

Good to know
🇩🇯 Djibouti
🇺🇸 United States
🕒 Local time
11:48 11:48 AM
04:48 4:48 AM
7 h behind Djibouti
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,152,944
340,110,988
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to DJF – Djiboutian Franc Converter

Djiboutian Franc exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 178 DJF (1,000 DJF = 5.61 USD). 1 EUR = 198 DJF (1,000 DJF = 5.04 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.899 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Djibouti United States 12,610 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Djibouti
  • United States

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Djibouti vs United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is cheaper: Djibouti or the United States?
Djibouti is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 24% lower on average.
Is rent more expensive in Djibouti or in the United States?
Housing costs more in the United States: a central one-bedroom averages $1,620 versus $672 in Djibouti.
Which country is better for expats: Djibouti or the United States?
Djibouti is the budget-friendly choice for expats. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

Djibouti vs other spots: cost of living compared

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