Cost of Living Comparison Between Mogadishu and Galcaio Cost of Living Comparison Between Mogadishu and Galcaio

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $596 per month in Mogadishu vs $366 in Galcaio, rent included.

A couple spends around $925 per month in Mogadishu vs $582 in Galcaio, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,253 per month in Mogadishu vs $799 in Galcaio, rent included.

Mogadishu costs about 63% more than Galcaio, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Mogadishu and Galcaio are more affordable than the global median – Mogadishu 56% lower, Galcaio 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 SOS 1,926

$5.06 SOS 2,869

-32.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.86 SOS 10.1K

$29.46 SOS 16.7K

-39.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.41 SOS 2,502

$6.86 SOS 3,891

-35.71%

Cappuccino

$1.48 SOS 840

$1.02 SOS 581

45.10%

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

$0.48 SOS 271

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 SOS 189

$0.31 SOS 177

6.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.93 SOS 2,229

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.97 SOS 8,490

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 SOS 821

$1.54 SOS 872

-5.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 SOS 763

$0.51 SOS 290

164.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 SOS 509

$0.98 SOS 557

-8.16%

Eggs

$1.90 SOS 1,080

$2.19 SOS 1,243

-13.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.02 SOS 2,846

$5.82 SOS 3,300

-13.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.92 SOS 2,223

$2.96 SOS 1,679

32.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.95 SOS 2,808

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 SOS 1,887

$1.98 SOS 1,123

68.18%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 SOS 559

$1.83 SOS 1,037

-45.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 SOS 1,833

$2.57 SOS 1,458

25.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 SOS 771

$1.17 SOS 663

16.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SOS 700

$0.78 SOS 445

57.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 SOS 857

$0.51 SOS 290

196.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 SOS 773

$0.48 SOS 271

183.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SOS 294

$0.81 SOS 461

-35.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.22 SOS 689

$1.22 SOS 691

Wine (Bottle)

$1.98 SOS 1,122

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 SOS 1,146

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 SOS 273

$0.43 SOS 245

11.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.69 SOS 11.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 SOS 581

$1.51 SOS 857

-32.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 SOS 346

$1.54 SOS 873

-60.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.54 SOS 3,708

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 SOS 570

$1.13 SOS 641

-10.62%

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

$7,566 SOS 4.3M

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

$6,238 SOS 3.5M

$10.1K SOS 5.7M

-38.09%

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

$84.1 SOS 47.7K

$101 SOS 57.3K

-16.72%

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

$5.12 SOS 2,904

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.3 SOS 33.0K

$29.50 SOS 16.7K

97.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.42 SOS 17.8K

$25.08 SOS 14.2K

25.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.54 SOS 5,977

$10.13 SOS 5,745

4.05%

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

$50.4 SOS 28.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$571 SOS 323.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.51 SOS 9,931

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.48 SOS 13.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.72 SOS 15.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.9 SOS 34.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$158 SOS 89.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.7 SOS 38.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 SOS 264.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 SOS 103.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,232 SOS 1.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,439 SOS 1.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$260 SOS 147.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Mogadishu: May 31, 2026

Last update for Galcaio: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Mogadishu versus $29.00 in Galcaio. Groceries tell a different story – $159 in Mogadishu vs $121 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

Mogadishu vs Galcaio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mogadishu is pricier by about 63%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $894 per month in Mogadishu and $548 in Galcaio. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 31% more in Mogadishu, 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 $18.00 in Mogadishu and $29.00 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 $596 in Mogadishu and $366 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.

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