Cost of Living Comparison Between Mogadishu and Bosaso Cost of Living Comparison Between Mogadishu and Bosaso

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $596 in Mogadishu versus $408 in Bosaso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $925 in Mogadishu versus $677 in Bosaso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,253 in Mogadishu versus $946 in Bosaso.

Living in Mogadishu is roughly 46% more expensive than Bosaso, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mogadishu 56% lower, Bosaso 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 SOS 1,930

$1.95 SOS 1,105

74.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.86 SOS 10.1K

$10.15 SOS 5,766

75.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.41 SOS 2,506

$4.96 SOS 2,817

-11.09%

Cappuccino

$1.48 SOS 841

$1.22 SOS 695

21.31%

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

$0.48 SOS 271

$0.98 SOS 558

-51.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 SOS 189

$0.51 SOS 288

-35.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.93 SOS 2,233

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.97 SOS 8,505

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 SOS 822

$2.45 SOS 1,393

-40.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 SOS 764

$0.99 SOS 560

36.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 SOS 510

$0.97 SOS 553

-7.22%

Eggs

$1.90 SOS 1,082

$1.83 SOS 1,037

3.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.02 SOS 2,851

$6.08 SOS 3,451

-17.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.92 SOS 2,227

$6.38 SOS 3,623

-38.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.95 SOS 2,813

$5.55 SOS 3,151

-10.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 SOS 1,891

$3.45 SOS 1,962

-3.48%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 SOS 560

$3.58 SOS 2,036

-72.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 SOS 1,836

$3.04 SOS 1,727

6.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 SOS 772

$1.96 SOS 1,113

-30.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SOS 701

$1.97 SOS 1,118

-37.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 SOS 858

$1.03 SOS 584

46.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 SOS 774

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SOS 295

$1.69 SOS 961

-69.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.22 SOS 691

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 SOS 1,148

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 SOS 273

$0.29 SOS 162

65.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.69 SOS 11.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 SOS 582

$1.46 SOS 831

-30.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 SOS 347

$0.58 SOS 332

5.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.54 SOS 3,714

$2.96 SOS 1,681

120.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 SOS 571

$1.02 SOS 579

-0.98%

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

$7,566 SOS 4.3M

$4,068 SOS 2.3M

86.00%

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

$6,238 SOS 3.5M

$9,161 SOS 5.2M

-31.91%

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

$84.1 SOS 47.8K

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

$5.12 SOS 2,909

$10.08 SOS 5,723

-49.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.3 SOS 33.1K

$31.93 SOS 18.1K

82.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.42 SOS 17.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.54 SOS 5,988

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

$50.4 SOS 28.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$571 SOS 324.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.51 SOS 9,948

$11.16 SOS 6,340

56.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.48 SOS 13.9K

$14.77 SOS 8,388

65.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.72 SOS 15.2K

$13.07 SOS 7,426

104.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.9 SOS 34.0K

$14.96 SOS 8,496

300.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$158 SOS 89.7K

$127 SOS 72.1K

24.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.7 SOS 39.0K

$84.4 SOS 47.9K

-18.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 SOS 264.4K

$200 SOS 113.4K

133.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 SOS 103.6K

$193 SOS 109.6K

-5.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,232 SOS 1.8M

$29.7K SOS 16.9M

-89.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,439 SOS 1.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$260 SOS 147.7K

$303 SOS 172.2K

-14.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.57

-6.65%

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

Last update for Mogadishu: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bosaso: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $158 in Mogadishu and $127 in Bosaso. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bosaso pays 17% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $18.00 in Mogadishu vs $10.00 in Bosaso. Groceries flip the comparison at $159 vs $201, with Mogadishu cheaper for home cooking.

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

Mogadishu vs Bosaso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mogadishu and Bosaso differ by about 46% in total monthly costs ($596 vs $408 including rent). Bosaso is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bosaso earns 17% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $158 in Mogadishu versus $127 in Bosaso. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bosaso – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $18.00 in Mogadishu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $596 per month in Mogadishu versus $408 in Bosaso – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Bosaso gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Bosaso gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Mogadishu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.