Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mogadishu and Galcaio

For one person, living is cheaper in Galcaio: $191 a month against $616 in Mogadishu, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Mogadishu
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Mogadishu Living Index

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Mogadishu

🇸🇴 Somalia

$616

/mo nomad

Galcaio

🇸🇴 Somalia

$191

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mogadishu and in Galcaio

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

A single person spends $616 per month in Mogadishu vs $191 in Galcaio, rent included.

Mogadishu $616
Galcaio $191

A couple spends around $947 per month in Mogadishu vs $309 in Galcaio, rent included.

Mogadishu $947
Galcaio $309

A family of three spends $1,279 per month in Mogadishu vs $428 in Galcaio, rent included.

Mogadishu $1,279
Galcaio $428

Mogadishu costs about 223% more than Galcaio, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Mogadishu and Galcaio are more affordable than the global median – Mogadishu 55% lower, Galcaio 86% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 SOS 1,720

$2.96 SOS 1,683

2.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.64 SOS 20.2K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.38 SOS 2,490

$4.11 SOS 2,335

6.57%

Cappuccino

$1.96 SOS 1,111

$0.98 SOS 555

100.00%

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

$1.14 SOS 649

$0.59 SOS 332

93.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 SOS 304

$0.19 SOS 105

184.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 SOS 716

$1.49 SOS 845

-15.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 SOS 928

$0.52 SOS 294

213.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 SOS 458

$0.67 SOS 378

20.90%

Eggs

$1.91 SOS 1,088

$2.99 SOS 1,698

-36.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.13 SOS 2,912

$1.96 SOS 1,111

161.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.91 SOS 2,221

$4.95 SOS 2,814

-21.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.63 SOS 2,630

$5.87 SOS 3,333

-21.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.81 SOS 2,163

$2.05 SOS 1,165

85.85%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 SOS 559

$0.72 SOS 409

36.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 SOS 1,697

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 SOS 739

$1.01 SOS 574

28.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 SOS 868

$1.02 SOS 579

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 SOS 984

$1.03 SOS 585

67.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 SOS 876

$0.52 SOS 298

196.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SOS 305

$1.02 SOS 577

-47.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.52 SOS 295

Wine (Bottle)

$2.05 SOS 1,163

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 SOS 1,103

$1.99 SOS 1,130

-2.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 SOS 1,115

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 SOS 270

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 SOS 580

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 SOS 322

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 SOS 1,738

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 SOS 516

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

$6,479 SOS 3.7M

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

$159 SOS 90.1K

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

$4.90 SOS 2,783

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.7 SOS 38.4K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.59 SOS 17.9K

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

$78.7 SOS 44.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$773 SOS 438.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.90 SOS 7,897

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.90 SOS 7,894

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$24.54 SOS 13.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.46 SOS 18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$192 SOS 109.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$79.0 SOS 44.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 SOS 272.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 SOS 106.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,165 SOS 1.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,445 SOS 1.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$280 SOS 158.8K

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

Last update for Mogadishu: October 25, 2026

Last update for Galcaio: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mogadishu

$231 37.5%

Galcaio

–

Groceries & Markets

Mogadishu

$162 * 26.4%

Galcaio

–

Accommodation & Living

Mogadishu

$79 12.8%

Galcaio

–

Eating Out

Mogadishu

$68 * 11%

Galcaio

–

Clothing & Footwear

Mogadishu

$38 6.2%

Galcaio

–

Sport & Entertainment

Mogadishu

$32 * 5.1%

Galcaio

–

Getting Around

Mogadishu

$5.8 * 0.9%

Galcaio

–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Good to know

🇸🇴 Mogadishu

🇸🇴 Galcaio

🕒 Local time

12:26 12:26 PM

Same time as Mogadishu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,610,000 Capital

61,200

💱 Currency

Somali Shilling SOS Sh

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 SOS = 1.76 USD

1,000 SOS = 1.58 EUR

1,000 SOS = 1.76 USD

1,000 SOS = 1.58 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Mogadishu Galcaio 580 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Mogadishu
Galcaio

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

Mogadishu vs Galcaio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mogadishu is pricier by about 223%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $923 per month in Mogadishu and $286 in Galcaio. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $616 in Mogadishu and $191 in Galcaio. That’s a gap of about 223%.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Mogadishu, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $616 in Mogadishu and $191 in Galcaio, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Mogadishu has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $191 in Galcaio to $616 in Mogadishu. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.