Cost of Living Comparison Between Hargeysa and Galcaio Cost of Living Comparison Between Hargeysa and Galcaio

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $666 per month in Hargeysa vs $359 in Galcaio, rent included.

A couple spends around $995 per month in Hargeysa vs $585 in Galcaio, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,324 per month in Hargeysa vs $812 in Galcaio, rent included.

Hargeysa costs about 86% more than Galcaio, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hargeysa and Galcaio are more affordable than the global median – Hargeysa 50% lower, Galcaio 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.73 SOS 1,551

$5.04 SOS 2,861

-45.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.77 SOS 8,389

$29.89 SOS 17.0K

-50.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 SOS 3,212

$6.85 SOS 3,893

-17.52%

Cappuccino

$1.15 SOS 652

$1.03 SOS 583

11.65%

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

$0.92 SOS 522

$0.48 SOS 272

91.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 SOS 293

$0.29 SOS 163

79.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.89 SOS 5,617

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.95 SOS 5,652

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 SOS 719

$1.48 SOS 838

-14.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 SOS 446

$0.51 SOS 292

54.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 SOS 959

$0.98 SOS 558

72.45%

Eggs

$2.76 SOS 1,568

$2.31 SOS 1,313

19.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$1.95 SOS 1,105

$6.04 SOS 3,433

-67.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.10 SOS 3,465

$2.93 SOS 1,661

108.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.57 SOS 2,598

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 SOS 1,901

$1.97 SOS 1,120

70.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 SOS 1,107

$1.84 SOS 1,046

5.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 SOS 1,506

$2.45 SOS 1,394

8.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.86 SOS 490

$1.18 SOS 670

-27.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 SOS 556

$0.77 SOS 436

27.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 SOS 748

$0.49 SOS 276

169.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 SOS 273

$0.49 SOS 277

-2.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 SOS 427

$0.82 SOS 466

-8.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.98 SOS 554

$1.17 SOS 663

-16.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.06 SOS 1,168

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 SOS 166

$0.41 SOS 230

-29.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.48 SOS 16.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 SOS 1,693

$1.53 SOS 867

94.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 SOS 529

$1.48 SOS 843

-37.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 SOS 3,895

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 SOS 598

$1.13 SOS 642

-7.08%

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

$10.1K SOS 5.7M

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

$109 SOS 62.1K

$99.9 SOS 56.7K

9.54%

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

$7.38 SOS 4,191

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.92 SOS 15.9K

$30.57 SOS 17.4K

-8.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.81 SOS 19.8K

$24.60 SOS 14.0K

41.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.06 SOS 5,148

$10.02 SOS 5,690

-9.58%

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 SOS 2,885

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

$36.65 SOS 20.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$607 SOS 344.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.25 SOS 12.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.37 SOS 11.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$20.37 SOS 11.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.50 SOS 16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$189 SOS 107.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$123 SOS 70.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$457 SOS 259.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 SOS 142.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,062 SOS 2.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$298 SOS 169.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Hargeysa: July 22, 2026

Last update for Galcaio: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Hargeysa versus $30.00 in Galcaio. Groceries tell a different story – $148 in Hargeysa vs $122 in Galcaio – so Galcaio wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Hargeysa vs Galcaio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hargeysa is pricier by about 86%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $999 per month in Hargeysa and $538 in Galcaio. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Hargeysa, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Hargeysa and $30.00 in Galcaio. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $666 in Hargeysa and $359 in Galcaio, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Galcaio – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Galcaio. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hargeysa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.