Cost of Living Comparison Between Mogadishu and Hargeysa Cost of Living Comparison Between Mogadishu and Hargeysa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $596 per month in Mogadishu vs $676 in Hargeysa, rent included.

A couple spends around $925 per month in Mogadishu vs $1,015 in Hargeysa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,253 per month in Mogadishu vs $1,353 in Hargeysa, rent included.

Mogadishu is about 12% cheaper than Hargeysa, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Mogadishu and Hargeysa are more affordable than the global median – Mogadishu 56% lower, Hargeysa 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 SOS 1,930

$2.62 SOS 1,488

29.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.86 SOS 10.1K

$15.25 SOS 8,664

17.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.41 SOS 2,506

$5.45 SOS 3,094

-19.08%

Cappuccino

$1.48 SOS 841

$1.15 SOS 651

28.70%

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

$0.48 SOS 271

$0.91 SOS 516

-47.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 SOS 189

$0.48 SOS 273

-31.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.93 SOS 2,233

$10.07 SOS 5,719

-60.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.97 SOS 8,505

$10.13 SOS 5,756

47.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 SOS 822

$1.27 SOS 720

14.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 SOS 764

$0.78 SOS 445

73.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 SOS 510

$1.69 SOS 960

-46.75%

Eggs

$1.90 SOS 1,082

$2.75 SOS 1,561

-30.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.02 SOS 2,851

$1.96 SOS 1,111

156.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.92 SOS 2,227

$6.15 SOS 3,494

-36.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.95 SOS 2,813

$4.57 SOS 2,598

8.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 SOS 1,891

$3.35 SOS 1,902

-0.60%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 SOS 560

$1.96 SOS 1,113

-49.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 SOS 1,836

$2.60 SOS 1,476

24.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 SOS 772

$0.84 SOS 479

61.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SOS 701

$0.99 SOS 561

24.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 SOS 858

$1.36 SOS 773

11.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 SOS 774

$0.52 SOS 297

161.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SOS 295

$0.76 SOS 429

-31.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.22 SOS 691

$0.97 SOS 553

25.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 SOS 1,148

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 SOS 273

$0.27 SOS 152

77.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.69 SOS 11.2K

$29.45 SOS 16.7K

-33.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 SOS 582

$3.02 SOS 1,713

-66.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 SOS 347

$0.88 SOS 501

-30.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.54 SOS 3,714

$7.06 SOS 4,011

-7.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 SOS 571

$1.06 SOS 599

-4.72%

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

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

$84.1 SOS 47.8K

$110 SOS 62.4K

-23.43%

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

$5.12 SOS 2,909

$7.46 SOS 4,236

-31.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.3 SOS 33.1K

$27.30 SOS 15.5K

113.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.42 SOS 17.8K

$35.11 SOS 19.9K

-10.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.54 SOS 5,988

$8.83 SOS 5,015

19.37%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 SOS 2,881

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

$50.4 SOS 28.7K

$36.97 SOS 21.0K

36.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$571 SOS 324.3K

$604 SOS 343.1K

-5.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.51 SOS 9,948

$22.63 SOS 12.9K

-22.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.48 SOS 13.9K

$19.91 SOS 11.3K

22.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.72 SOS 15.2K

$19.83 SOS 11.3K

34.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.9 SOS 34.0K

$29.85 SOS 17.0K

100.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$158 SOS 89.7K

$187 SOS 106.1K

-15.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.7 SOS 39.0K

$123 SOS 69.6K

-43.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 SOS 264.4K

$444 SOS 252.0K

4.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 SOS 103.6K

$247 SOS 140.4K

-26.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,232 SOS 1.8M

$4,939 SOS 2.8M

-34.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,439 SOS 1.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$260 SOS 147.7K

$269 SOS 152.6K

-3.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-60.00%

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

Last update for Mogadishu: May 31, 2026

Last update for Hargeysa: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $158 in Mogadishu versus $187 in Hargeysa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 3% higher in Hargeysa, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Mogadishu versus $15.00 in Hargeysa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $159 vs $149 – making Hargeysa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Hargeysa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hargeysa costs about 13% more than Mogadishu, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $894 per month in Mogadishu and $1,014 in Hargeysa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mogadishu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $596 in Mogadishu and $676 in Hargeysa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 50% less in Mogadishu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $596 in Mogadishu and $676 in Hargeysa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Mogadishu – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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