Last update: Oct 2026 Djibouti ⭐ Capital 475.3K

Cost of Living in Djibouti

For one person, living costs in Djibouti are estimated at $2,072 a month, including rent and utilities, which take about half of the total. Other living expenses average about $35 a day.

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Djibouti

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Djibouti actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Living costs for one person come to about $2,072 monthly including rent, or $1,077 excluding housing.

$2,072 /mo

Estimated monthly costs for a couple: $3,242 with rent, or $1,845 without housing.

$3,242 /mo

Monthly costs for a family of three come to about $4,412 including rent, or $2,613 for daily expenses alone.

$4,412 /mo

Djibouti sits 53–56% above the global median across household types. Within Africa, costs are 129% above average – among the most expensive in the region.

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🍽 Eating Out
Cost
Range
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.91 DJF 1,762
$7.36 DJF 1,309
$14.16 DJF 2,518
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$72.7 DJF 12.9K
$56.0 DJF 9,951
$89.5 DJF 15.9K
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.41 DJF 2,740
$14.01 DJF 2,492
$16.82 DJF 2,990
Cappuccino
$3.43 DJF 609
$2.86 DJF 508
$4.57 DJF 814
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89 DJF 336
$0.84 DJF 149
$2.79 DJF 497
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 DJF 308
$0.57 DJF 102
$2.88 DJF 511
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.19 DJF 1,279
$5.75 DJF 1,022
$8.63 DJF 1,536
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.20 DJF 1,458
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cost
Range
Milk (1 liter)
$2.83 DJF 503
$1.98 DJF 353
$3.39 DJF 604
White Bread (500g)
$9.39 DJF 1,670
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.77 DJF 492
$1.71 DJF 304
$3.82 DJF 679
Eggs
$5.76 DJF 1,024
$3.40 DJF 605
$8.18 DJF 1,455
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.58 DJF 1,704
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$18.01 DJF 3,202
$12.38 DJF 2,202
$27.72 DJF 4,929
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.32 DJF 2,191
$10.31 DJF 1,834
$14.33 DJF 2,548
Apples (1kg)
$3.66 DJF 651
$3.29 DJF 585
$4.40 DJF 782
Banana (1kg)
$1.25 DJF 223
$1.15 DJF 205
$1.45 DJF 258
Oranges (1kg)
$2.58 DJF 458
$1.67 DJF 298
$3.34 DJF 594
Tomato (1kg)
$1.65 DJF 294
$1.14 DJF 203
$2.30 DJF 408
Potato (1kg)
$1.55 DJF 275
$0.54 DJF 96.8
$1.64 DJF 292
Onion (1kg)
$1.60 DJF 285
$0.82 DJF 145
$1.81 DJF 322
Lettuce (1 head)
$5.59 DJF 994
$5.59 DJF 994
$5.59 DJF 994
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58 DJF 103
$0.58 DJF 103
$0.58 DJF 103
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.93 DJF 344
$1.10 DJF 196
$3.39 DJF 603
Wine (Bottle)
$21.31 DJF 3,789
$14.21 DJF 2,526
$28.41 DJF 5,053
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.40 DJF 427
$2.30 DJF 409
$2.50 DJF 445
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.58 DJF 637
$3.17 DJF 563
$4.00 DJF 711
🚌 Getting Around
Cost
Range
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.40 DJF 71.8
$0.27 DJF 47.85
$0.54 DJF 95.7
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$43.07 DJF 7,660
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.82 DJF 502
$2.82 DJF 502
$2.82 DJF 502
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$5.58 DJF 993
$5.58 DJF 993
$5.58 DJF 993
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.90 DJF 4,962
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.24 DJF 398
$1.73 DJF 307
$2.76 DJF 490
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.3K DJF 6.1M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.3K DJF 5.9M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cost
Range
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$518 DJF 92.2K
$324 DJF 57.6K
$713 DJF 126.8K
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.21 DJF 5,728
$17.05 DJF 3,032
$36.94 DJF 6,569
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$58.0 DJF 10.3K
$49.72 DJF 8,843
$66.3 DJF 11.8K
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cost
Range
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$87.0 DJF 15.5K
$85.1 DJF 15.1K
$90.7 DJF 16.1K
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.66 DJF 4,918
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.78 DJF 2,273
$8.53 DJF 1,517
$17.05 DJF 3,031
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cost
Range
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$332 DJF 59.1K
$325 DJF 57.8K
$340 DJF 60.4K
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,798 DJF 1.6M
$5,059 DJF 899.6K
$12.5K DJF 2.2M
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cost
Range
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.44 DJF 7,548
$28.30 DJF 5,032
$56.6 DJF 10.1K
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.99 DJF 3,554
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$126 DJF 22.3K
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.0 DJF 10.1K
$45.63 DJF 8,115
$68.4 DJF 12.2K
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cost
Range
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$681 DJF 121.1K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$476 DJF 84.7K
$224 DJF 39.8K
$728 DJF 129.5K
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$986 DJF 175.3K
$837 DJF 148.9K
$1,116 DJF 198.5K
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,281 DJF 227.8K
$516 DJF 91.8K
$2,294 DJF 408.0K
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$12.6K DJF 2.2M
$10.8K DJF 1.9M
$14.3K DJF 2.5M
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,231 DJF 1.1M
$1,016 DJF 180.7K
$11.4K DJF 2.0M
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cost
Range
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,823 DJF 502.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.07
7.2
20

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

Last update: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Djibouti $2,072
Monthly Utilities & Internet
$609
Accommodation & Living
$476
Groceries & Markets
$455
Eating Out
$233
Sport & Entertainment
$113
Clothing & Footwear
$110
Getting Around
$75

Cost Breakdown

Expect to pay about $681 for a central one-bedroom, or $476 outside the center. At 24% of the average salary ($2,823), housing is the biggest financial pressure.

Average take-home pay sits at $2,823, while typical expenses reach $2,072. This leaves some room for savings, though a comfortable buffer starts closer to $3,108.

Expect to spend about $455 monthly on groceries. Dining out at a mid-range restaurant costs roughly $73.0 for two – above the African average of $41.00.

Public transport is priced at around $43.07 per month – above the African average of $30.00.

Cost Highlights

Djibouti has the 3rd most expensive white bread worldwide

Taxi is among the 20 most expensive worldwide (out of 7,151 cities)

Djibouti has the 2nd most expensive family monthly cost (excluding rent) in Africa

Good to know
🕒 Local time
23:51 11:51 PM
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
475,332 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to DJF – Djiboutian Franc Converter

Djiboutian Franc exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 178 DJF (1,000 DJF = 5.62 USD). 1 EUR = 200 DJF (1,000 DJF = 5 EUR).

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Djibouti Median Internet Speeds (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
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Cost of Living in Djibouti - Frequently Asked Questions
How affordable is Djibouti for travelers, expats, and digital nomads in general terms?
Overall affordability in Djibouti varies with your choices and pace. For travelers and many expats who blend local options with a few imported comforts, everyday costs can feel reasonable, especially in markets, casual eateries, and shared housing. Some imported groceries, private services, and premium accommodations push expenses higher, while public amenities and local workspaces help balance the budget. Seasonality and the size of the city influence prices, but on balance you’ll find value when you prioritize practical options over luxury. Cost of Living in Djibouti, Djibouti reflects these trade-offs across neighborhoods and lifestyles. Tip: Start with a short trial stay in a few districts to gauge real costs before longer commitments.
What does a typical day look like for housing, food, and getting around?
On a typical day, expats balance local routines with a dash of convenience. Housing often means mid-range apartments in practical, safe neighborhoods near services; shorter leases are common, and you can negotiate for modest furnishings. Food options span bustling markets with fresh produce to simple, inexpensive eateries; cooking at home dramatically stretches value. Transportation leans on taxis or shared rides for longer trips, with walking or cycling handy in walkable zones. For work and errands, expect some spots with reliable Wi-Fi and a few coworking choices. Djibouti, Djibouti living cost varies by area and season, so give yourself time to compare neighborhoods before locking in a place. Tip: start with a one-month trial in a couple of areas.
What strategies support quality of life, budgeting, and finding a neighborhood that fits your lifestyle?
Quality of life in Djibouti hinges on a flexible budgeting framework and neighborhood fit. Use a simple monthly plan that covers housing, utilities, groceries, transport, and leisure, leaving room for surprises like power or internet outages. Compare neighborhoods by access to markets, safety, and commute, not just rental price. Seasonality affects energy use and dining options; plan for cooler evenings or hotter days by selecting accommodations with good cooling or ventilation. Save by cooking at home, shopping local, and leveraging coworking spaces with included amenities. Tip: build a small reserve for irregular costs and revisit your plan every few weeks to adjust.
What is the average cost of living in Djibouti in 2026?
As of 2026, monthly living costs in Djibouti come to around $2,072 including rent, or roughly $1,077 excluding it. Numbers shift a bit by season and neighborhood, but this range works well as a planning baseline.
Is Djibouti worth the cost of living?
At around $2,072 monthly all-in, Djibouti offers decent value. It's not the cheapest and not the priciest – a good fit for people who want city convenience without capital-level costs.
What is a good salary in Djibouti?
Earning $3,108 monthly in Djibouti means you're living well – a one-bedroom, regular groceries, transport, and some entertainment without stress. That's the threshold where most residents feel genuinely comfortable rather than just getting by.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Djibouti?
Rents for a 1-bedroom flat in Djibouti range from $476 to $681, depending on location and condition. Central apartments sit at the top of that range; outer neighborhoods and suburbs deliver noticeably better value per square meter.
How expensive is a gym membership in Djibouti?
A regular gym membership in Djibouti costs around $87.0 monthly. It's a reasonable expense that fits into most budgets, and you generally get decent facilities for the price.
What is a typical grocery budget in Djibouti?
Expect to spend around $455 per month on groceries in Djibouti. Neither cheap nor expensive by global standards – everyday items are fairly priced, though imported or specialty products cost more.
Can a person live on $2,000 monthly in Djibouti?
Living on $2,000 in Djibouti means careful planning, since monthly costs average $2,072. It works with a cheap apartment and disciplined spending, but expect trade-offs on where you live, how often you eat out, and entertainment.
Is Djibouti a good place to live?
Living in Djibouti means access to coastal lifestyle, beach access, great local cuisine at about $2,072 per month including rent. It works for a wide range of budgets, and most residents find the lifestyle-to-cost balance appealing. Your experience will depend on priorities like climate, culture, and career.
Can you save money living in Djibouti?
Monthly expenses in Djibouti run around $2,072, so putting money aside takes more than $3,108 in income. Keeping housing costs low and avoiding lifestyle creep are the keys to building a decent savings rate here.

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