Cost of Living Comparison Between Mogadishu and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Mogadishu and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $596 in Mogadishu versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $925 in Mogadishu versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,253 in Mogadishu versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Mogadishu costs roughly 53% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mogadishu 56% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 SOS 1,930

$4.70 ฿154

-27.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.86 SOS 10.1K

$45.37 ฿1,483

-60.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.41 SOS 2,506

$8.43 ฿276

-47.69%

Cappuccino

$1.48 SOS 841

$2.93 ฿95.7

-49.49%

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

$0.48 SOS 271

$0.69 ฿22.42

-30.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 SOS 189

$0.37 ฿12.00

-10.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.93 SOS 2,233

$2.41 ฿78.7

63.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.97 SOS 8,505

$3.72 ฿122

302.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 SOS 822

$2.23 ฿73.0

-34.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 SOS 764

$1.83 ฿59.9

-26.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 SOS 510

$2.17 ฿70.9

-58.53%

Eggs

$1.90 SOS 1,082

$2.21 ฿72.4

-14.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.02 SOS 2,851

$19.74 ฿645

-74.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.92 SOS 2,227

$3.63 ฿119

7.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.95 SOS 2,813

$13.53 ฿442

-63.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 SOS 1,891

$3.28 ฿107

1.52%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 SOS 560

$1.61 ฿52.7

-38.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 SOS 1,836

$2.41 ฿78.7

34.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 SOS 772

$2.08 ฿68.1

-34.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SOS 701

$1.53 ฿49.97

-19.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 SOS 858

$1.48 ฿48.41

2.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 SOS 774

$0.99 ฿32.32

37.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SOS 295

$0.51 ฿16.68

1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.22 SOS 691

$4.41 ฿144

-72.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 SOS 1,148

$1.78 ฿58.1

13.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 SOS 273

$1.37 ฿44.83

-64.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.69 SOS 11.2K

$11.39 ฿372

72.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 SOS 582

$3.02 ฿98.7

-66.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 SOS 347

$0.99 ฿32.51

-38.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.54 SOS 3,714

$14.10 ฿461

-53.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 SOS 571

$1.36 ฿44.55

-25.74%

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

$7,566 SOS 4.3M

$28.2K ฿921.9K

-73.17%

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

$6,238 SOS 3.5M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-81.04%

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

$84.1 SOS 47.8K

$122 ฿3,978

-30.90%

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

$5.12 SOS 2,909

$13.57 ฿444

-62.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.3 SOS 33.1K

$18.31 ฿599

218.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.42 SOS 17.8K

$60.2 ฿1,969

-47.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.54 SOS 5,988

$17.14 ฿560

-38.51%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

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

$50.4 SOS 28.7K

$693 ฿22.7K

-92.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$571 SOS 324.3K

$15.7K ฿512.8K

-96.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.51 SOS 9,948

$59.5 ฿1,946

-70.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.48 SOS 13.9K

$34.77 ฿1,137

-29.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.72 SOS 15.2K

$115 ฿3,746

-76.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.9 SOS 34.0K

$83.3 ฿2,723

-28.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$158 SOS 89.7K

$613 ฿20.0K

-74.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.7 SOS 39.0K

$437 ฿14.3K

-84.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 SOS 264.4K

$2,094 ฿68.5K

-77.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 SOS 103.6K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-87.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,232 SOS 1.8M

$3,749 ฿122.6K

-13.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,439 SOS 1.4M

$2,616 ฿85.5K

-6.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$260 SOS 147.7K

$508 ฿16.6K

-48.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

50.09%

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

Last update for Mogadishu: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $158 in Mogadishu and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 95% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $18.00 in Mogadishu vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $159 vs $293 per month, with Mogadishu cheaper across the board.

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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mogadishu wins on cost – living expenses run 112% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mogadishu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Phuket earns 95% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $158 in Mogadishu versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mogadishu – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $596 per month in Mogadishu versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 112% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $596 in Mogadishu versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mogadishu but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Mogadishu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mogadishu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $596 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mogadishu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mogadishu and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mogadishu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 112% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.