Cost of Living Comparison Between Somalia and South Africa Cost of Living Comparison Between Somalia and South Africa

Name: South Africa
Address: ZA

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $260 per month in Somalia vs $1,143 in South Africa, rent included.

A couple spends around $403 per month in Somalia vs $1,781 in South Africa, rent included.

A family of three spends $546 per month in Somalia vs $2,419 in South Africa, rent included.

The cost of living in Somalia is roughly 77% lower than in South Africa on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Somalia and South Africa are more affordable than the global median – Somalia 81% lower, South Africa 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.08 SOS 1,750

$11.30 R 182

-72.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.80 SOS 8,407

$44.51 R 717

-66.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 SOS 2,800

$5.90 R 95.0

-16.44%

Cappuccino

$1.58 SOS 895

$2.44 R 39.22

-35.25%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 SOS 529

$1.16 R 18.64

-19.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 SOS 251

$0.96 R 15.39

-54.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.99 SOS 6,240

$2.56 R 41.29

329.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.84 SOS 8,427

$3.08 R 49.60

381.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 SOS 788

$1.28 R 20.57

8.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 SOS 636

$1.13 R 18.15

-0.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 SOS 494

$1.83 R 29.55

-52.46%

Eggs

$2.20 SOS 1,249

$2.55 R 41.12

-13.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.80 SOS 2,726

$8.35 R 134

-42.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.57 SOS 2,599

$5.44 R 87.6

-15.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.62 SOS 2,625

$7.88 R 127

-41.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 SOS 1,219

$1.90 R 30.61

13.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 SOS 736

$1.70 R 27.36

-23.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 SOS 995

$1.81 R 29.14

-3.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 SOS 689

$1.88 R 30.23

-35.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 SOS 724

$1.54 R 24.76

-17.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.55 SOS 883

$1.49 R 24.03

4.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 SOS 562

$1.33 R 21.45

-25.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 SOS 378

$1.19 R 19.09

-43.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.97 SOS 554

$3.41 R 55.0

-71.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$1.97 SOS 1,118

$5.08 R 81.7

-61.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 SOS 1,159

$1.51 R 24.28

35.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 SOS 1,158

$2.03 R 32.64

0.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 SOS 177

$1.76 R 28.39

-82.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.28 SOS 6,976

$63.1 R 1,016

-80.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 SOS 876

$1.12 R 17.97

37.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 SOS 354

$1.01 R 16.33

-38.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 SOS 2,020

$8.07 R 130

-55.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 SOS 555

$1.46 R 23.53

-32.88%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$9,819 SOS 5.6M

$36.8K R 592.8K

-73.33%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$9,120 SOS 5.2M

$32.5K R 523.6K

-71.95%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$110 SOS 62.3K

$136 R 2,185

-19.18%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$6.90 SOS 3,920

$35.72 R 575

-80.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.20 SOS 22.8K

$41.40 R 667

-2.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.08 SOS 15.4K

$34.96 R 563

-22.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.02 SOS 1,147

$12.46 R 201

-83.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.62 R 123

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$40.07 SOS 22.8K

$231 R 3,725

-82.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$296 SOS 168.1K

$5,726 R 92.2K

-94.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.87 SOS 7,308

$56.4 R 908

-77.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.11 SOS 9,718

$33.91 R 546

-49.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$16.57 SOS 9,411

$102 R 1,639

-83.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.12 SOS 14.3K

$93.0 R 1,497

-72.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$124 SOS 70.2K

$506 R 8,154

-75.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$80.0 SOS 45.5K

$418 R 6,727

-80.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$373 SOS 211.9K

$979 R 15.8K

-61.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 SOS 105.6K

$838 R 13.5K

-77.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,657 SOS 2.6M

$1,151 R 18.5K

304.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,702 SOS 2.1M

$800 R 12.9K

362.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$280 SOS 158.9K

$1,554 R 25.0K

-82.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.24

33.45%

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

Last update for Somalia: September 7, 2026

Last update for South Africa: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $64.0 in Somalia vs $445 in South Africa. For reference, capital cities sit at $192 in Mogadishu and $324 in Bloemfontein.

Average salary: $298 in Somalia vs $1,553 in South Africa. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 595% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 471% more in South Africa.

Public transport is 1600% more expensive in South Africa.

Salaries are 421% higher in South Africa, and purchasing power comes out stronger in South Africa.

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 South Africa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Somalia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 304% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in South Africa, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but South Africa consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Somalia, contributing to the overall 304% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$800 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Somalia, but in South Africa it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Somalia is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.