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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $600 per month in Mogadishu vs $679 in Hargeysa, rent included.

A couple spends around $944 per month in Mogadishu vs $1,009 in Hargeysa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,289 per month in Mogadishu vs $1,339 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 55% lower, Hargeysa 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.55 SOS 2,016

$2.65 SOS 1,506

33.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.03 SOS 10.2K

$15.02 SOS 8,532

20.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.38 SOS 2,487

$5.58 SOS 3,169

-21.51%

Cappuccino

$1.47 SOS 835

$1.15 SOS 656

27.83%

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

$0.49 SOS 278

$0.95 SOS 538

-48.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 SOS 187

$0.48 SOS 274

-31.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.04 SOS 2,293

$10.18 SOS 5,781

-60.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$15.09 SOS 8,570

$9.80 SOS 5,568

53.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 SOS 822

$1.34 SOS 760

8.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 SOS 768

$0.72 SOS 409

87.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 SOS 528

$1.66 SOS 943

-43.98%

Eggs

$1.91 SOS 1,087

$2.73 SOS 1,548

-30.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.04 SOS 2,865

$2.02 SOS 1,148

149.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.06 SOS 2,305

$6.09 SOS 3,457

-33.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.01 SOS 2,847

$4.53 SOS 2,570

10.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 SOS 1,972

$3.41 SOS 1,936

1.76%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 SOS 551

$2.03 SOS 1,151

-52.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 SOS 1,834

$2.70 SOS 1,535

19.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 SOS 772

$0.84 SOS 479

61.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 SOS 676

$1.03 SOS 582

15.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 SOS 860

$1.31 SOS 742

15.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 SOS 762

$0.52 SOS 298

157.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 SOS 273

$0.79 SOS 451

-39.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.21 SOS 688

$0.98 SOS 556

23.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 SOS 1,128

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 SOS 274

$0.27 SOS 152

77.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.18 SOS 11.5K

$30.10 SOS 17.1K

-32.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 SOS 575

$3.02 SOS 1,717

-66.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 SOS 330

$0.93 SOS 531

-37.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.42 SOS 3,646

$6.90 SOS 3,921

-6.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 SOS 579

$1.00 SOS 570

2.00%

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

$7,519 SOS 4.3M

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

$6,136 SOS 3.5M

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

$84.4 SOS 47.9K

$112 SOS 63.5K

-24.56%

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

$5.04 SOS 2,860

$7.48 SOS 4,249

-32.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 SOS 32.4K

$27.10 SOS 15.4K

110.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.90 SOS 17.6K

$34.36 SOS 19.5K

-10.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.41 SOS 5,912

$9.08 SOS 5,157

14.65%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 SOS 2,786

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

$49.70 SOS 28.2K

$37.39 SOS 21.2K

32.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$577 SOS 327.5K

$600 SOS 340.6K

-3.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.37 SOS 9,864

$22.07 SOS 12.5K

-21.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.39 SOS 13.9K

$20.21 SOS 11.5K

20.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.34 SOS 15.0K

$20.29 SOS 11.5K

29.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.3 SOS 34.3K

$30.40 SOS 17.3K

98.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$158 SOS 89.5K

$187 SOS 106.2K

-15.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$66.7 SOS 37.9K

$123 SOS 69.6K

-45.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 SOS 264.9K

$448 SOS 254.5K

4.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 SOS 100.3K

$246 SOS 139.9K

-28.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,226 SOS 1.8M

$5,019 SOS 2.9M

-35.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,405 SOS 1.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$262 SOS 148.6K

$300 SOS 170.6K

-12.89%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Hargeysa: July 14, 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 15% 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: $160 vs $150 – 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 $900 per month in Mogadishu and $1,019 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 $600 in Mogadishu and $679 in Hargeysa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 49% 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 $600 in Mogadishu and $679 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.