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: $260 in Somalia versus $450 in Egypt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $403 in Somalia versus $732 in Egypt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $546 in Somalia versus $1,013 in Egypt.

Living in Somalia costs about 42% less than in Egypt on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Somalia 81% lower, Egypt 67% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Somalia
Egypt
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.08 SOS 1,750
$4.04 E£207
-23.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$14.80 SOS 8,407
$19.42 E£996
-23.79%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.93 SOS 2,800
$4.94 E£253
-0.20%
Cappuccino
$1.58 SOS 895
$1.53 E£78.3
3.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 SOS 529
$0.34 E£17.65
173.53%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.44 SOS 251
$0.13 E£6.59
238.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$10.99 SOS 6,240
$1.46 E£74.9
652.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$14.84 SOS 8,427
$2.99 E£153
396.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Somalia
Egypt
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.39 SOS 788
$0.85 E£43.84
63.53%
White Bread (500g)
$1.12 SOS 636
$0.70 E£36.14
60.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.87 SOS 494
$0.65 E£33.31
33.85%
Eggs
$2.20 SOS 1,249
$1.32 E£67.7
66.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.80 SOS 2,726
$3.45 E£177
39.13%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.57 SOS 2,599
$4.26 E£219
7.28%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.62 SOS 2,625
$8.99 E£461
-48.61%
Apples (1kg)
$2.15 SOS 1,219
$1.57 E£80.3
36.94%
Banana (1kg)
$1.30 SOS 736
$0.68 E£34.83
91.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.75 SOS 995
$0.50 E£25.65
250.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.21 SOS 689
$0.41 E£21.19
195.12%
Potato (1kg)
$1.27 SOS 724
$0.38 E£19.33
234.21%
Onion (1kg)
$1.55 SOS 883
$0.38 E£19.70
307.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 SOS 562
$0.29 E£14.63
241.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 SOS 378
$0.20 E£10.25
235.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$0.97 SOS 554
$2.00 E£103
-51.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$1.97 SOS 1,118
$7.05 E£362
-72.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.04 SOS 1,159
$1.45 E£74.4
40.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 SOS 1,158
$2.11 E£108
-3.32%
🚌 Getting Around
Somalia
Egypt
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 SOS 177
$0.30 E£15.50
3.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.28 SOS 6,976
$8.14 E£418
50.86%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.54 SOS 876
$0.38 E£19.25
305.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.62 SOS 354
$0.28 E£14.24
121.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.56 SOS 2,020
$1.81 E£93.0
96.69%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.98 SOS 555
$0.43 E£21.86
127.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$9,819 SOS 5.6M
$33.4K E£1.7M
-70.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$9,120 SOS 5.2M
$28.4K E£1.5M
-67.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Somalia
Egypt
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$110 SOS 62.3K
$22.40 E£1,149
389.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.90 SOS 3,920
$7.19 E£369
-4.03%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.20 SOS 22.8K
$13.44 E£689
199.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Somalia
Egypt
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$27.08 SOS 15.4K
$17.79 E£913
52.22%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$2.02 SOS 1,147
$6.66 E£342
-69.67%
Cinema Ticket
-
$2.90 E£149
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Somalia
Egypt
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$40.07 SOS 22.8K
$94.0 E£4,821
-57.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$296 SOS 168.1K
$2,482 E£127.3K
-88.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Somalia
Egypt
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$12.87 SOS 7,308
$27.14 E£1,393
-52.58%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$17.11 SOS 9,718
$44.76 E£2,296
-61.77%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$16.57 SOS 9,411
$110 E£5,664
-84.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$25.12 SOS 14.3K
$50.5 E£2,589
-50.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Somalia
Egypt
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$124 SOS 70.2K
$155 E£7,942
-20.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$80.0 SOS 45.5K
$94.6 E£4,854
-15.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$373 SOS 211.9K
$309 E£15.8K
20.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$186 SOS 105.6K
$196 E£10.0K
-5.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,657 SOS 2.6M
$747 E£38.3K
523.76%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,702 SOS 2.1M
$455 E£23.3K
714.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Somalia
Egypt
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$280 SOS 158.9K
$151 E£7,764
84.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
15
16.46
-8.87%

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

Last update for Somalia: September 7, 2026

Last update for Egypt: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $64.0 in Somalia, $146 in Egypt. Capital cities: $192 in Mogadishu vs $215 in Cairo.

National salary averages: $298 in Somalia, $140 in Egypt. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 128% higher in Egypt.

Dining out costs 143% more in Egypt.

Public transport is 200% more expensive in Egypt.

Salaries are 113% 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 $527 per month in Egypt and $305 in Somalia, there's a 73% 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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