Cost of Living Comparison Between Somalia and Egypt Cost of Living Comparison Between Somalia and Egypt

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $344 in Somalia versus $455 in Egypt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $539 in Somalia versus $730 in Egypt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $733 in Somalia versus $1,004 in Egypt.

Living in Somalia costs about 24% less than in Egypt on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Somalia 74% lower, Egypt 66% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Somalia
Egypt
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.06 SOS 1,736
$3.89 E£197
-21.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$15.08 SOS 8,563
$19.99 E£1,010
-24.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.95 SOS 2,809
$4.89 E£247
1.23%
Cappuccino
$1.37 SOS 777
$1.42 E£71.6
-3.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 SOS 444
$0.33 E£16.56
136.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36 SOS 203
$0.14 E£6.86
157.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$10.38 SOS 5,897
$1.37 E£69.1
657.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$14.70 SOS 8,352
$2.99 E£151
391.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Somalia
Egypt
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.39 SOS 789
$0.85 E£42.93
63.53%
White Bread (500g)
$0.92 SOS 521
$0.63 E£31.69
46.03%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.10 SOS 625
$0.66 E£33.43
66.67%
Eggs
$2.34 SOS 1,328
$1.45 E£73.4
61.38%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.95 SOS 2,811
$3.15 E£159
57.14%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.64 SOS 2,634
$4.33 E£219
7.16%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.28 SOS 2,998
$8.42 E£425
-37.29%
Apples (1kg)
$3.08 SOS 1,749
$1.45 E£73.2
112.41%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 SOS 934
$0.57 E£28.77
187.72%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.84 SOS 1,616
$0.48 E£24.14
491.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.22 SOS 693
$0.41 E£20.52
197.56%
Potato (1kg)
$1.18 SOS 669
$0.48 E£24.29
145.83%
Onion (1kg)
$1.32 SOS 751
$0.44 E£22.46
200.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.87 SOS 491
$0.24 E£12.12
262.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.74 SOS 423
$0.19 E£9.65
289.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.13 SOS 639
$1.99 E£100
-43.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$1.98 SOS 1,122
$6.79 E£343
-70.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.96 SOS 1,114
$1.30 E£65.7
50.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.87 E£94.3
-
🚌 Getting Around
Somalia
Egypt
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 SOS 162
$0.29 E£14.83
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.02 SOS 14.2K
$6.17 E£311
305.51%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.51 SOS 859
$0.39 E£19.52
287.18%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.58 SOS 331
$0.31 E£15.74
87.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.52 SOS 2,567
$1.25 E£63.2
261.60%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.05 SOS 597
$0.31 E£15.57
238.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$5,691 SOS 3.2M
$34.3K E£1.7M
-83.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$8,577 SOS 4.9M
$30.9K E£1.6M
-72.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Somalia
Egypt
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$101 SOS 57.1K
$21.05 E£1,063
377.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.05 SOS 4,003
$7.02 E£354
0.43%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.20 SOS 18.9K
$11.61 E£586
185.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Somalia
Egypt
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$28.94 SOS 16.4K
$14.78 E£746
95.81%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.33 SOS 5,297
$6.97 E£352
33.86%
Cinema Ticket
$4.91 SOS 2,788
$2.89 E£146
69.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Somalia
Egypt
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$34.51 SOS 19.6K
$86.0 E£4,344
-59.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$579 SOS 328.6K
$1,931 E£97.5K
-70.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Somalia
Egypt
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$14.88 SOS 8,450
$26.03 E£1,315
-42.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.76 SOS 11.2K
$43.67 E£2,205
-54.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$20.69 SOS 11.8K
$107 E£5,417
-80.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$28.79 SOS 16.4K
$51.4 E£2,594
-43.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Somalia
Egypt
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$126 SOS 71.7K
$163 E£8,208
-22.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$70.8 SOS 40.2K
$102 E£5,138
-30.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$363 SOS 206.1K
$319 E£16.1K
13.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$184 SOS 104.5K
$189 E£9,533
-2.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$12.5K SOS 7.1M
$773 E£39.0K
1519.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,648 SOS 2.1M
$449 E£22.7K
712.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Somalia
Egypt
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$270 SOS 153.2K
$155 E£7,813
74.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.43
16.38
-42.43%

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

Last update for Somalia: July 12, 2026

Last update for Egypt: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $85.0 in Somalia, $183 in Egypt. Capital cities: $187 in Hargeysa vs $207 in Cairo.

National salary averages: $292 in Somalia, $142 in Egypt. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 115% higher in Egypt.

Dining out costs 78% more in Egypt.

Public transport is 200% more expensive in Somalia.

Salaries are 106% higher in Somalia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Somalia.

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
Somalia vs Egypt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Egypt and Somalia?
At $511 per month in Egypt and $340 in Somalia, there's a 51% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Somalia: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Egypt is consistently higher than in Somalia across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $800 a realistic budget in Egypt or in Somalia?
In Somalia, $800 covers most cities easily; in Egypt it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Egypt or to Somalia?
It depends on what you're after: Somalia wins on affordability; Egypt may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Somalia vs other spots: cost of living compared

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