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

Name: Somalia
Address: SO

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

The cost of living in South Africa is about 340% higher than in Somalia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.30 R 182

$3.08 SOS 1,750

266.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.51 R 717

$14.80 SOS 8,407

200.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.90 R 95.0

$4.93 SOS 2,800

19.68%

Cappuccino

$2.44 R 39.22

$1.58 SOS 895

54.43%

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

$1.16 R 18.64

$0.93 SOS 529

24.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.39

$0.44 SOS 251

118.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 R 41.29

$10.99 SOS 6,240

-76.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 R 49.60

$14.84 SOS 8,427

-79.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 R 20.57

$1.39 SOS 788

-7.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 R 18.15

$1.12 SOS 636

0.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 R 29.55

$0.87 SOS 494

110.34%

Eggs

$2.55 R 41.12

$2.20 SOS 1,249

15.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.35 R 134

$4.80 SOS 2,726

73.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 R 87.6

$4.57 SOS 2,599

19.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.88 R 127

$4.62 SOS 2,625

70.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 R 30.61

$2.15 SOS 1,219

-11.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 R 27.36

$1.30 SOS 736

30.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 R 29.14

$1.75 SOS 995

3.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 R 30.23

$1.21 SOS 689

55.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 R 24.76

$1.27 SOS 724

21.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.03

$1.55 SOS 883

-3.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 R 21.45

$0.99 SOS 562

34.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 R 19.09

$0.67 SOS 378

77.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 R 55.0

$0.97 SOS 554

251.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.08 R 81.7

$1.97 SOS 1,118

157.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 R 24.28

$2.04 SOS 1,159

-25.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 R 32.64

$2.04 SOS 1,158

-0.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 R 28.39

$0.31 SOS 177

467.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.1 R 1,016

$12.28 SOS 6,976

413.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 R 17.97

$1.54 SOS 876

-27.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 R 16.33

$0.62 SOS 354

62.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.07 R 130

$3.56 SOS 2,020

126.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 R 23.53

$0.98 SOS 555

48.98%

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

$36.8K R 592.8K

$9,819 SOS 5.6M

274.90%

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

$32.5K R 523.6K

$9,120 SOS 5.2M

256.51%

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

$136 R 2,185

$110 SOS 62.3K

23.73%

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

$35.72 R 575

$6.90 SOS 3,920

417.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.40 R 667

$40.20 SOS 22.8K

2.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.96 R 563

$27.08 SOS 15.4K

29.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.46 R 201

$2.02 SOS 1,147

516.83%

Cinema Ticket

$7.62 R 123

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

$231 R 3,725

$40.07 SOS 22.8K

477.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,726 R 92.2K

$296 SOS 168.1K

1834.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 R 908

$12.87 SOS 7,308

337.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.91 R 546

$17.11 SOS 9,718

98.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 R 1,639

$16.57 SOS 9,411

514.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.0 R 1,497

$25.12 SOS 14.3K

270.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 R 8,154

$124 SOS 70.2K

309.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 R 6,727

$80.0 SOS 45.5K

422.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$979 R 15.8K

$373 SOS 211.9K

162.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$838 R 13.5K

$186 SOS 105.6K

350.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,151 R 18.5K

$4,657 SOS 2.6M

-75.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$800 R 12.9K

$3,702 SOS 2.1M

-78.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,554 R 25.0K

$280 SOS 158.9K

455.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.24

-25.07%

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

Last update for South Africa: September 8, 2026

Last update for Somalia: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Average salary: $1,553 in South Africa vs $298 in Somalia. 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

South Africa vs Somalia: 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.