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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $604 per month in Mogadishu vs $360 in Galcaio, rent included.

A couple spends around $950 per month in Mogadishu vs $588 in Galcaio, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,297 per month in Mogadishu vs $815 in Galcaio, rent included.

Mogadishu costs about 68% more than Galcaio, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Mogadishu and Galcaio are more affordable than the global median – Mogadishu 55% lower, Galcaio 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 SOS 1,955

$4.86 SOS 2,776

-29.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.24 SOS 10.4K

$30.30 SOS 17.3K

-39.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.42 SOS 2,525

$7.14 SOS 4,083

-38.10%

Cappuccino

$1.52 SOS 870

$1.01 SOS 580

50.50%

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

$0.48 SOS 273

$0.49 SOS 278

-2.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SOS 176

$0.29 SOS 166

6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.07 SOS 2,329

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$15.22 SOS 8,701

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 SOS 798

$1.47 SOS 842

-4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 SOS 771

$0.49 SOS 280

175.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 SOS 505

$1.02 SOS 581

-13.73%

Eggs

$1.89 SOS 1,078

$2.26 SOS 1,294

-16.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.14 SOS 2,938

$6.05 SOS 3,459

-15.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 SOS 2,223

$3.04 SOS 1,738

27.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.96 SOS 2,835

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 SOS 1,979

$1.98 SOS 1,134

74.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 SOS 584

$1.83 SOS 1,043

-44.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 SOS 1,881

$2.57 SOS 1,468

28.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 SOS 737

$1.17 SOS 667

10.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 SOS 679

$0.79 SOS 451

50.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 SOS 863

$0.52 SOS 297

190.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 SOS 795

$0.48 SOS 274

189.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 SOS 277

$0.77 SOS 439

-36.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.18 SOS 673

$1.18 SOS 677

Wine (Bottle)

$2.04 SOS 1,163

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 SOS 1,110

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 SOS 298

$0.41 SOS 232

26.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.02 SOS 11.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 SOS 587

$1.47 SOS 842

-29.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 SOS 355

$1.49 SOS 851

-58.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.34 SOS 3,624

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 SOS 601

$1.09 SOS 621

-3.67%

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

$7,369 SOS 4.2M

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

$6,188 SOS 3.5M

$9,954 SOS 5.7M

-37.83%

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

$81.9 SOS 46.8K

$100 SOS 57.3K

-18.28%

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

$5.09 SOS 2,909

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 SOS 33.1K

$30.34 SOS 17.3K

90.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.67 SOS 18.1K

$25.42 SOS 14.5K

24.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.63 SOS 6,075

$10.15 SOS 5,798

4.73%

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

$49.15 SOS 28.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$576 SOS 329.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.76 SOS 10.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.04 SOS 13.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.41 SOS 15.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.6 SOS 35.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$152 SOS 87.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$66.7 SOS 38.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$469 SOS 268.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 SOS 103.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,146 SOS 1.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,358 SOS 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$336 SOS 192.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Mogadishu: April 22, 2026

Last update for Galcaio: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $152 in Mogadishu versus $0 in Galcaio. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18 in Mogadishu versus $30 in Galcaio. Groceries tell a different story – $159 in Mogadishu 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

Mogadishu vs Galcaio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mogadishu is pricier by about 68%, 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 $906 per month in Mogadishu and $540 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 $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 $604 in Mogadishu and $360 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.