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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $602 per month in Mogadishu vs $359 in Galcaio, rent included.

A couple spends around $935 per month in Mogadishu vs $585 in Galcaio, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,269 per month in Mogadishu vs $812 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

$3.40 SOS 1,931

$5.04 SOS 2,861

-32.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.10 SOS 10.3K

$29.89 SOS 17.0K

-39.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.48 SOS 2,542

$6.85 SOS 3,893

-34.60%

Cappuccino

$1.46 SOS 832

$1.03 SOS 583

41.75%

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

$0.51 SOS 291

$0.48 SOS 272

6.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SOS 173

$0.29 SOS 163

6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.11 SOS 2,332

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.84 SOS 8,430

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 SOS 818

$1.48 SOS 838

-2.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 SOS 769

$0.51 SOS 292

164.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 SOS 509

$0.98 SOS 558

-8.16%

Eggs

$1.97 SOS 1,117

$2.31 SOS 1,313

-14.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.10 SOS 2,894

$6.04 SOS 3,433

-15.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 SOS 2,303

$2.93 SOS 1,661

38.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.95 SOS 2,809

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 SOS 1,987

$1.97 SOS 1,120

77.66%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 SOS 556

$1.84 SOS 1,046

-46.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 SOS 1,865

$2.45 SOS 1,394

33.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 SOS 731

$1.18 SOS 670

9.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 SOS 684

$0.77 SOS 436

55.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 SOS 877

$0.49 SOS 276

214.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 SOS 794

$0.49 SOS 277

185.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 SOS 270

$0.82 SOS 466

-41.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.21 SOS 688

$1.17 SOS 663

3.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.06 SOS 1,168

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 SOS 1,109

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 SOS 298

$0.41 SOS 230

26.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.26 SOS 11.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 SOS 557

$1.53 SOS 867

-35.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 SOS 350

$1.48 SOS 843

-58.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.31 SOS 3,586

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 SOS 576

$1.13 SOS 642

-10.62%

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

$7,476 SOS 4.2M

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

$6,185 SOS 3.5M

$10.1K SOS 5.7M

-38.55%

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

$82.5 SOS 46.9K

$99.9 SOS 56.7K

-17.38%

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

$4.94 SOS 2,808

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.2 SOS 33.0K

$30.57 SOS 17.4K

90.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.00 SOS 17.6K

$24.60 SOS 14.0K

26.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.49 SOS 5,956

$10.02 SOS 5,690

4.69%

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

$49.33 SOS 28.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$575 SOS 326.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.39 SOS 9,875

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.93 SOS 13.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.77 SOS 15.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.0 SOS 34.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$154 SOS 87.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$67.7 SOS 38.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 SOS 265.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 SOS 103.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,255 SOS 1.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,416 SOS 1.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$264 SOS 150.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Mogadishu: July 19, 2026

Last update for Galcaio: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Mogadishu versus $30.00 in Galcaio. Groceries tell a different story – $160 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 $902 per month in Mogadishu and $538 in Galcaio. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 32% 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 $602 in Mogadishu and $359 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.