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: $341 in Somalia versus $453 in Egypt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $535 in Somalia versus $729 in Egypt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $729 in Somalia versus $1,005 in Egypt.

Living in Somalia costs about 25% less than in Egypt on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Somalia 75% lower, Egypt 66% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Somalia
Egypt
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.06 SOS 1,739
$4.03 E£209
-24.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$14.93 SOS 8,479
$19.90 E£1,031
-24.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.93 SOS 2,803
$5.08 E£263
-2.95%
Cappuccino
$1.32 SOS 749
$1.45 E£75.0
-8.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72 SOS 410
$0.35 E£18.26
105.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 SOS 200
$0.14 E£7.20
150.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$10.60 SOS 6,023
$1.42 E£73.4
646.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$14.72 SOS 8,362
$2.90 E£150
407.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Somalia
Egypt
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 SOS 817
$0.91 E£47.07
58.24%
White Bread (500g)
$0.92 SOS 525
$0.62 E£32.26
48.39%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.04 SOS 593
$0.67 E£34.55
55.22%
Eggs
$2.31 SOS 1,314
$1.51 E£78.0
52.98%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.10 SOS 2,896
$3.13 E£162
62.94%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.67 SOS 2,651
$4.34 E£225
7.60%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.55 SOS 3,152
$8.74 E£453
-36.50%
Apples (1kg)
$2.96 SOS 1,683
$1.53 E£79.1
93.46%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 SOS 922
$0.56 E£29.24
189.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.82 SOS 1,602
$0.44 E£22.79
540.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.21 SOS 690
$0.40 E£20.98
202.50%
Potato (1kg)
$1.15 SOS 652
$0.44 E£22.79
161.36%
Onion (1kg)
$1.27 SOS 723
$0.44 E£23.01
188.64%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.89 SOS 507
$0.24 E£12.43
270.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.69 SOS 391
$0.21 E£11.06
228.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.08 SOS 616
$1.92 E£99.2
-43.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$2.03 SOS 1,155
$6.82 E£353
-70.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.99 SOS 1,128
$1.27 E£66.0
56.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.85 E£96.0
-
🚌 Getting Around
Somalia
Egypt
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 SOS 177
$0.27 E£13.79
14.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$24.90 SOS 14.1K
$5.94 E£307
319.19%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.46 SOS 829
$0.38 E£19.70
284.21%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.59 SOS 334
$0.29 E£14.82
103.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.45 SOS 2,527
$1.30 E£67.2
242.31%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.00 SOS 568
$0.31 E£15.93
222.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$5,687 SOS 3.2M
$34.3K E£1.8M
-83.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$8,558 SOS 4.9M
$31.6K E£1.6M
-72.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Somalia
Egypt
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$99.6 SOS 56.6K
$21.84 E£1,131
356.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.91 SOS 3,926
$7.09 E£367
-2.54%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.78 SOS 19.2K
$11.91 E£617
183.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Somalia
Egypt
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$28.95 SOS 16.4K
$14.50 E£751
99.66%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.30 SOS 5,283
$6.81 E£353
36.56%
Cinema Ticket
$5.02 SOS 2,849
$2.93 E£152
71.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Somalia
Egypt
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$33.84 SOS 19.2K
$87.8 E£4,546
-61.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$592 SOS 336.3K
$1,934 E£100.2K
-69.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Somalia
Egypt
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$14.67 SOS 8,335
$26.08 E£1,351
-43.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.88 SOS 11.3K
$43.77 E£2,267
-54.58%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$20.76 SOS 11.8K
$109 E£5,627
-80.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$28.26 SOS 16.1K
$51.8 E£2,684
-45.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Somalia
Egypt
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$125 SOS 71.2K
$163 E£8,434
-23.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$70.5 SOS 40.0K
$101 E£5,237
-30.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$367 SOS 208.4K
$320 E£16.6K
14.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$182 SOS 103.2K
$188 E£9,729
-3.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$12.3K SOS 7.0M
$741 E£38.4K
1563.43%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,596 SOS 2.0M
$453 E£23.5K
693.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Somalia
Egypt
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$271 SOS 154.2K
$148 E£7,642
83.96%
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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Egypt: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $86.0 in Somalia, $183 in Egypt. Capital cities: $158 in Mogadishu vs $205 in Cairo.

National salary averages: $286 in Somalia, $145 in Egypt. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 113% higher in Egypt.

Dining out costs 78% more in Egypt.

Public transport is 150% more expensive in Somalia.

Salaries are 97% higher in Somalia, giving Somalia stronger purchasing power.

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 $500 per month in Egypt and $338 in Somalia, there's a 48% 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?
Somalia is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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 beats 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 Somalia?
In Somalia, $800 covers most cities easily. In Egypt, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Egypt or 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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