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: $600 in Mogadishu versus $418 in Bosaso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $944 in Mogadishu versus $684 in Bosaso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,289 in Mogadishu versus $951 in Bosaso.

Living in Mogadishu is roughly 44% more expensive than in Bosaso, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mogadishu 55% lower, Bosaso 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.55 SOS 2,016

$1.98 SOS 1,123

79.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.03 SOS 10.2K

$10.07 SOS 5,720

79.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.38 SOS 2,487

$4.85 SOS 2,757

-9.69%

Cappuccino

$1.47 SOS 835

$1.23 SOS 701

19.51%

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

$0.49 SOS 278

$0.98 SOS 558

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 SOS 187

$0.50 SOS 286

-34.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.04 SOS 2,293

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$15.09 SOS 8,570

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 SOS 822

$2.57 SOS 1,461

-43.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 SOS 768

$0.98 SOS 556

37.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 SOS 528

$1.02 SOS 581

-8.82%

Eggs

$1.91 SOS 1,087

$1.84 SOS 1,047

3.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.04 SOS 2,865

$5.96 SOS 3,384

-15.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.06 SOS 2,305

$6.60 SOS 3,747

-38.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.01 SOS 2,847

$5.38 SOS 3,054

-6.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 SOS 1,972

$3.55 SOS 2,019

-2.25%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 SOS 551

$3.49 SOS 1,982

-72.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 SOS 1,834

$3.04 SOS 1,729

6.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 SOS 772

$1.97 SOS 1,118

-30.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 SOS 676

$2.02 SOS 1,146

-41.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 SOS 860

$0.98 SOS 555

54.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 SOS 762

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 SOS 273

$1.61 SOS 917

-70.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.21 SOS 688

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 SOS 1,128

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 SOS 274

$0.31 SOS 177

54.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.18 SOS 11.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 SOS 575

$1.46 SOS 831

-30.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 SOS 330

$0.62 SOS 351

-6.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.42 SOS 3,646

$2.96 SOS 1,681

116.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 SOS 579

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

$7,519 SOS 4.3M

$3,997 SOS 2.3M

88.11%

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

$6,136 SOS 3.5M

$8,976 SOS 5.1M

-31.64%

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

$84.4 SOS 47.9K

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

$5.04 SOS 2,860

$9.98 SOS 5,668

-49.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 SOS 32.4K

$31.46 SOS 17.9K

81.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.90 SOS 17.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.41 SOS 5,912

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

$49.70 SOS 28.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$577 SOS 327.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.37 SOS 9,864

$10.82 SOS 6,145

60.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.39 SOS 13.9K

$15.24 SOS 8,657

60.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.34 SOS 15.0K

$12.89 SOS 7,324

104.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.3 SOS 34.3K

$14.90 SOS 8,464

304.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$158 SOS 89.5K

$124 SOS 70.2K

27.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$66.7 SOS 37.9K

$83.5 SOS 47.4K

-20.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 SOS 264.9K

$199 SOS 112.8K

134.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 SOS 100.3K

$187 SOS 106.3K

-5.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,226 SOS 1.8M

$29.7K SOS 16.9M

-89.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,405 SOS 1.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$262 SOS 148.6K

$299 SOS 169.9K

-12.52%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bosaso: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $158 in Mogadishu and $124 in Bosaso. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bosaso pays 14% 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 $160 vs $202, 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 44% in total monthly costs ($600 vs $418 including rent). Bosaso is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 14% lower in Bosaso. 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 $124 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 $600 per month in Mogadishu versus $418 in Bosaso – a 44% 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 44% less than in Mogadishu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.