Cost of Living Comparison Between Somalia and Italy Cost of Living Comparison Between Somalia and Italy

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $342 in Somalia versus $1,720 in Italy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $537 in Somalia versus $2,626 in Italy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $731 in Somalia versus $3,531 in Italy.

Living in Somalia costs about 80% less than in Italy on average.

Somalia (74% below) and Italy (29% above) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Somalia
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.96 SOS 1,680
$17.16 €14.96
-82.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$14.76 SOS 8,368
$81.4 €70.9
-81.86%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.03 SOS 2,851
$11.60 €10.11
-56.64%
Cappuccino
$1.37 SOS 777
$1.98 €1.73
-30.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 SOS 413
$3.00 €2.62
-75.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.32 SOS 184
$1.36 €1.18
-76.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$10.60 SOS 6,009
$5.92 €5.16
79.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$15.15 SOS 8,588
$5.25 €4.58
188.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Somalia
Italy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 SOS 799
$1.70 €1.49
-17.06%
White Bread (500g)
$0.99 SOS 561
$2.37 €2.07
-58.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.10 SOS 623
$3.03 €2.65
-63.70%
Eggs
$2.23 SOS 1,263
$3.95 €3.44
-43.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.01 SOS 2,841
$16.66 €14.53
-69.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.77 SOS 2,702
$12.26 €10.68
-61.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.55 SOS 3,146
$20.06 €17.49
-72.33%
Apples (1kg)
$3.09 SOS 1,751
$2.55 €2.23
21.18%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 SOS 929
$2.20 €1.92
-25.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.84 SOS 1,609
$2.75 €2.40
3.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.21 SOS 685
$3.22 €2.81
-62.42%
Potato (1kg)
$1.17 SOS 665
$1.94 €1.69
-39.69%
Onion (1kg)
$1.34 SOS 759
$1.82 €1.59
-26.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.87 SOS 492
$1.48 €1.29
-41.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 SOS 409
$0.50 €0.43
44.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.09 SOS 616
$7.13 €6.21
-84.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$2.05 SOS 1,162
$7.37 €6.43
-72.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.95 SOS 1,104
$1.76 €1.53
10.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.53 €2.20
-
🚌 Getting Around
Somalia
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 SOS 178
$1.99 €1.73
-84.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.43 SOS 14.4K
$42.32 €36.90
-39.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.53 SOS 870
$5.67 €4.94
-73.02%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.59 SOS 332
$1.52 €1.32
-61.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.52 SOS 2,565
$34.94 €30.46
-87.06%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.05 SOS 597
$2.09 €1.83
-49.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$5,753 SOS 3.3M
$32.7K €28.5K
-82.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$8,574 SOS 4.9M
$32.9K €28.7K
-73.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Somalia
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$100 SOS 56.7K
$227 €198
-55.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.94 SOS 3,938
$13.58 €11.84
-48.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.94 SOS 18.7K
$31.57 €27.52
4.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Somalia
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$28.53 SOS 16.2K
$57.7 €50.3
-50.52%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.46 SOS 5,363
$25.23 €22.00
-62.50%
Cinema Ticket
$5.09 SOS 2,887
$10.59 €9.24
-51.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Somalia
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$34.25 SOS 19.4K
$568 €495
-93.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$581 SOS 329.5K
$10.5K €9,187
-94.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Somalia
Italy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$14.85 SOS 8,420
$90.7 €79.0
-83.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.28 SOS 10.9K
$40.49 €35.30
-52.38%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$20.13 SOS 11.4K
$99.8 €87.0
-79.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$27.82 SOS 15.8K
$130 €113
-78.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Somalia
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$128 SOS 72.7K
$865 €754
-85.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$70.1 SOS 39.7K
$672 €586
-89.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$363 SOS 205.9K
$1,523 €1,328
-76.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$186 SOS 105.6K
$1,078 €940
-82.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$12.5K SOS 7.1M
$3,767 €3,284
230.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,680 SOS 2.1M
$2,360 €2,058
55.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Somalia
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$274 SOS 155.1K
$1,949 €1,699
-85.96%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.43
4.41
113.83%

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

Last update for Somalia: July 27, 2026

Last update for Italy: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $86.0 in Somalia, $743 in Italy. Capital cities: $155 in Mogadishu vs $1,334 in Rome.

National salary averages: $293 in Somalia, $1,912 in Italy. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 764% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 722% more in Italy.

Public transport is 633% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 553% higher in Italy, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Italy.

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 Italy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and Somalia?
At $1,817 per month in Italy and $332 in Somalia, there's a 447% 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 Italy 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 Italy or in Somalia?
In Somalia, $800 covers most cities easily; in Italy 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 Italy or to Somalia?
It depends on what you're after: Somalia wins on affordability; Italy 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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