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: $260 in Somalia versus $1,796 in Italy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $403 in Somalia versus $2,739 in Italy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $546 in Somalia versus $3,682 in Italy.

Living in Somalia costs about 86% less than in Italy on average.

Somalia (81% below) and Italy (30% above) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Somalia
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.08 SOS 1,750
$21.24 €18.31
-85.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$14.80 SOS 8,407
$80.8 €69.7
-81.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.93 SOS 2,800
$11.41 €9.84
-56.79%
Cappuccino
$1.58 SOS 895
$2.08 €1.79
-24.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 SOS 529
$3.05 €2.63
-69.51%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.44 SOS 251
$1.38 €1.19
-68.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$10.99 SOS 6,240
$5.79 €4.99
89.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$14.84 SOS 8,427
$5.75 €4.96
158.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Somalia
Italy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.39 SOS 788
$1.70 €1.46
-18.24%
White Bread (500g)
$1.12 SOS 636
$2.41 €2.08
-53.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.87 SOS 494
$3.01 €2.59
-71.10%
Eggs
$2.20 SOS 1,249
$4.32 €3.72
-49.07%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.80 SOS 2,726
$17.93 €15.45
-73.23%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.57 SOS 2,599
$12.67 €10.92
-63.93%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.62 SOS 2,625
$20.57 €17.73
-77.54%
Apples (1kg)
$2.15 SOS 1,219
$2.62 €2.26
-17.94%
Banana (1kg)
$1.30 SOS 736
$2.15 €1.85
-39.53%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.75 SOS 995
$2.80 €2.41
-37.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.21 SOS 689
$3.32 €2.87
-63.55%
Potato (1kg)
$1.27 SOS 724
$2.10 €1.81
-39.52%
Onion (1kg)
$1.55 SOS 883
$1.89 €1.63
-17.99%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 SOS 562
$1.55 €1.33
-36.13%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 SOS 378
$0.56 €0.48
19.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$0.97 SOS 554
$7.16 €6.17
-86.45%
Wine (Bottle)
$1.97 SOS 1,118
$7.35 €6.33
-73.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.04 SOS 1,159
$1.80 €1.55
13.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 SOS 1,158
$2.41 €2.07
-15.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Somalia
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 SOS 177
$1.93 €1.66
-83.94%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.28 SOS 6,976
$45.24 €39.00
-72.86%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.54 SOS 876
$5.74 €4.95
-73.17%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.62 SOS 354
$1.70 €1.47
-63.53%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.56 SOS 2,020
$35.25 €30.38
-89.90%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.98 SOS 555
$2.04 €1.76
-51.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$9,819 SOS 5.6M
$37.5K €32.3K
-73.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$9,120 SOS 5.2M
$37.1K €31.9K
-75.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Somalia
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$110 SOS 62.3K
$231 €199
-52.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.90 SOS 3,920
$12.34 €10.64
-44.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.20 SOS 22.8K
$31.17 €26.87
28.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Somalia
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$27.08 SOS 15.4K
$55.2 €47.62
-50.98%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$2.02 SOS 1,147
$24.91 €21.47
-91.89%
Cinema Ticket
-
$11.13 €9.59
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Somalia
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$40.07 SOS 22.8K
$568 €490
-92.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$296 SOS 168.1K
$12.5K €10.8K
-97.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Somalia
Italy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$12.87 SOS 7,308
$93.0 €80.1
-86.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$17.11 SOS 9,718
$39.82 €34.32
-57.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$16.57 SOS 9,411
$104 €89.8
-84.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$25.12 SOS 14.3K
$135 €116
-81.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Somalia
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$124 SOS 70.2K
$852 €734
-85.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$80.0 SOS 45.5K
$645 €556
-87.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$373 SOS 211.9K
$1,449 €1,249
-74.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$186 SOS 105.6K
$1,084 €935
-82.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,657 SOS 2.6M
$3,813 €3,287
22.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,702 SOS 2.1M
$2,357 €2,032
57.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Somalia
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$280 SOS 158.9K
$1,933 €1,666
-85.53%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
15
3.57
320.17%

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

Last update for Somalia: September 7, 2026

Last update for Italy: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $64.0 in Somalia, $755 in Italy. Capital cities: $192 in Mogadishu vs $1,247 in Rome.

National salary averages: $298 in Somalia, $1,964 in Italy. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1080% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 986% more in Italy.

Public transport is 4200% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 559% higher 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 $1,889 per month in Italy and $305 in Somalia, there's a 519% 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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