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: $344 in Somalia versus $1,718 in Italy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $538 in Somalia versus $2,623 in Italy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $732 in Somalia versus $3,528 in Italy.

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

Somalia (74% below) and Italy (28% above) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Somalia
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.96 SOS 1,694
$17.24 €14.72
-82.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$15.22 SOS 8,705
$80.3 €68.6
-81.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.10 SOS 2,918
$11.44 €9.77
-55.42%
Cappuccino
$1.37 SOS 786
$1.92 €1.64
-28.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.76 SOS 437
$2.98 €2.55
-74.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 SOS 200
$1.32 €1.13
-73.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$10.59 SOS 6,053
$5.83 €4.98
81.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$15.03 SOS 8,593
$5.16 €4.41
191.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Somalia
Italy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 SOS 792
$1.69 €1.44
-18.34%
White Bread (500g)
$1.00 SOS 571
$2.41 €2.06
-58.51%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.08 SOS 618
$3.00 €2.57
-64.00%
Eggs
$2.23 SOS 1,273
$4.08 €3.49
-45.34%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.94 SOS 2,826
$16.21 €13.85
-69.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.53 SOS 2,592
$12.65 €10.80
-64.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.33 SOS 3,045
$20.13 €17.19
-73.52%
Apples (1kg)
$3.04 SOS 1,738
$2.60 €2.22
16.92%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 SOS 936
$2.21 €1.89
-25.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.75 SOS 1,572
$2.61 €2.23
5.36%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.21 SOS 693
$3.28 €2.80
-63.11%
Potato (1kg)
$1.18 SOS 676
$1.95 €1.66
-39.49%
Onion (1kg)
$1.29 SOS 739
$1.83 €1.56
-29.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.92 SOS 527
$1.55 €1.32
-40.65%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.74 SOS 425
$0.50 €0.43
48.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.11 SOS 637
$6.88 €5.87
-83.87%
Wine (Bottle)
$2.06 SOS 1,177
$6.86 €5.86
-69.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.05 SOS 1,172
$1.80 €1.54
13.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.53 €2.16
-
🚌 Getting Around
Somalia
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 SOS 164
$1.94 €1.65
-85.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$24.66 SOS 14.1K
$41.82 €35.71
-41.03%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.51 SOS 865
$5.71 €4.87
-73.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.62 SOS 352
$1.53 €1.31
-59.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.46 SOS 2,552
$35.12 €29.99
-87.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.06 SOS 605
$2.03 €1.73
-47.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$5,673 SOS 3.2M
$31.8K €27.2K
-82.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$8,639 SOS 4.9M
$33.3K €28.4K
-74.03%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Somalia
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$101 SOS 57.7K
$224 €191
-54.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.10 SOS 4,057
$13.50 €11.53
-47.41%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.20 SOS 19.0K
$30.92 €26.41
7.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Somalia
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$28.71 SOS 16.4K
$56.3 €48.07
-49.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.99 SOS 5,138
$25.38 €21.68
-64.58%
Cinema Ticket
$4.98 SOS 2,846
$10.41 €8.89
-52.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Somalia
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$34.50 SOS 19.7K
$575 €491
-94.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$592 SOS 338.7K
$10.6K €9,022
-94.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Somalia
Italy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$14.77 SOS 8,447
$89.4 €76.4
-83.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.40 SOS 11.1K
$39.72 €33.92
-51.16%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$20.48 SOS 11.7K
$99.5 €85.0
-79.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$28.72 SOS 16.4K
$130 €111
-77.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Somalia
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$125 SOS 71.7K
$854 €729
-85.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$71.0 SOS 40.6K
$651 €556
-89.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$363 SOS 207.5K
$1,478 €1,262
-75.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$185 SOS 105.5K
$1,109 €947
-83.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$12.0K SOS 6.9M
$3,926 €3,353
205.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$10.6K SOS 6.1M
$2,410 €2,058
339.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Somalia
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$310 SOS 177.2K
$1,932 €1,650
-83.97%
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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Italy: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $85.0 in Somalia, $742 in Italy. Capital cities: $157 in Mogadishu vs $1,349 in Rome.

National salary averages: $322 in Somalia, $1,935 in Italy. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 773% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 722% more in Italy.

Public transport is 633% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 501% higher in Italy, giving Italy 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 Italy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and Somalia?
At $1,842 per month in Italy and $339 in Somalia, there's a 443% 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 Italy 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 Italy or Somalia?
In Somalia, $800 covers most cities easily. In Italy, 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 Italy or 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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