Cost of Living Comparison Between Egypt and Somalia Cost of Living Comparison Between Egypt and Somalia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $450 in Egypt versus $260 in Somalia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $732 in Egypt versus $403 in Somalia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,013 in Egypt versus $546 in Somalia.

Living in Egypt is roughly 73% more expensive than in Somalia on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Egypt 67% lower, Somalia 81% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Egypt
Somalia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.04 E£207
$3.08 SOS 1,750
31.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.42 E£996
$14.80 SOS 8,407
31.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.94 E£253
$4.93 SOS 2,800
0.20%
Cappuccino
$1.53 E£78.3
$1.58 SOS 895
-3.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34 E£17.65
$0.93 SOS 529
-63.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.13 E£6.59
$0.44 SOS 251
-70.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.46 E£74.9
$10.99 SOS 6,240
-86.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99 E£153
$14.84 SOS 8,427
-79.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Egypt
Somalia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.85 E£43.84
$1.39 SOS 788
-38.85%
White Bread (500g)
$0.70 E£36.14
$1.12 SOS 636
-37.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.65 E£33.31
$0.87 SOS 494
-25.29%
Eggs
$1.32 E£67.7
$2.20 SOS 1,249
-40.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.45 E£177
$4.80 SOS 2,726
-28.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.26 E£219
$4.57 SOS 2,599
-6.78%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.99 E£461
$4.62 SOS 2,625
94.59%
Apples (1kg)
$1.57 E£80.3
$2.15 SOS 1,219
-26.98%
Banana (1kg)
$0.68 E£34.83
$1.30 SOS 736
-47.69%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.50 E£25.65
$1.75 SOS 995
-71.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.41 E£21.19
$1.21 SOS 689
-66.12%
Potato (1kg)
$0.38 E£19.33
$1.27 SOS 724
-70.08%
Onion (1kg)
$0.38 E£19.70
$1.55 SOS 883
-75.48%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.29 E£14.63
$0.99 SOS 562
-70.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.20 E£10.25
$0.67 SOS 378
-70.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.00 E£103
$0.97 SOS 554
106.19%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.05 E£362
$1.97 SOS 1,118
257.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.45 E£74.4
$2.04 SOS 1,159
-28.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 E£108
$2.04 SOS 1,158
3.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Egypt
Somalia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.30 E£15.50
$0.31 SOS 177
-3.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.14 E£418
$12.28 SOS 6,976
-33.71%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.38 E£19.25
$1.54 SOS 876
-75.32%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.28 E£14.24
$0.62 SOS 354
-54.84%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 E£93.0
$3.56 SOS 2,020
-49.16%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.43 E£21.86
$0.98 SOS 555
-56.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.4K E£1.7M
$9,819 SOS 5.6M
239.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.4K E£1.5M
$9,120 SOS 5.2M
211.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Egypt
Somalia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$22.40 E£1,149
$110 SOS 62.3K
-79.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.19 E£369
$6.90 SOS 3,920
4.20%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.44 E£689
$40.20 SOS 22.8K
-66.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Egypt
Somalia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$17.79 E£913
$27.08 SOS 15.4K
-34.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.66 E£342
$2.02 SOS 1,147
229.70%
Cinema Ticket
$2.90 E£149
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Egypt
Somalia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$94.0 E£4,821
$40.07 SOS 22.8K
134.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,482 E£127.3K
$296 SOS 168.1K
738.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Egypt
Somalia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$27.14 E£1,393
$12.87 SOS 7,308
110.88%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.76 E£2,296
$17.11 SOS 9,718
161.60%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 E£5,664
$16.57 SOS 9,411
566.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$50.5 E£2,589
$25.12 SOS 14.3K
100.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Egypt
Somalia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$155 E£7,942
$124 SOS 70.2K
25.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$94.6 E£4,854
$80.0 SOS 45.5K
18.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$309 E£15.8K
$373 SOS 211.9K
-17.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$196 E£10.0K
$186 SOS 105.6K
5.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$747 E£38.3K
$4,657 SOS 2.6M
-83.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$455 E£23.3K
$3,702 SOS 2.1M
-87.72%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Egypt
Somalia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$151 E£7,764
$280 SOS 158.9K
-45.91%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
16.46
15
9.73%

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

Last update for Egypt: September 7, 2026

Last update for Somalia: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $146 in Egypt, $64.0 in Somalia. Capital cities: $215 in Cairo vs $192 in Mogadishu.

National salary averages: $140 in Egypt, $298 in Somalia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 128% higher in Egypt.

Dining out costs 143% more in Egypt.

Public transport is 200% more expensive in Egypt.

Salaries are 113% higher in Somalia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Somalia.

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
Egypt vs Somalia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Egypt and Somalia?
At $527 per month in Egypt and $305 in Somalia, there's a 73% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Somalia: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Egypt is consistently higher than in Somalia across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $800 a realistic budget in Egypt or in Somalia?
In Somalia, $800 covers most cities easily; in Egypt it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Egypt or to Somalia?
It depends on what you're after: Somalia wins on affordability; Egypt may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Egypt vs other spots: cost of living compared

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