Moving to Somalia from Afghanistan

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Afghanistan to Somalia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Afghanistan to Somalia, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic and Somali. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Mogadishu averages 86°F vs 67°F in Kabul, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Afghanistan to Somalia.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

AF
24.1
SO
20.2

Somalia performs significantly better than Afghanistan across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

AF
$330
SO
$52
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2020

affects wait times and access to care

AF
2.5
SO
0.2

Afghanistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Somalia leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

AF
143.0
SO
64.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

AF
0.3t
SO
0.0t

Somalia performs significantly better than Afghanistan across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

AF
0.1
SO
0.7
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

AF
54.8%
SO
24.5%

Somalia generally does better on infrastructure, though Afghanistan leads in internet access.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

AF
14.4%
SO
19.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

AF
$2,000
SO
$1,500

Afghanistan generally does better on employment & economy, though Somalia leads in poverty rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

AF
53.6 yrs
SO
55.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

AF
104.9
SO
86.5

Somalia generally does better on family life, though Afghanistan leads in education spending.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Kabul Rain: 12.3 in/yr (312 mm)
67° / 40°F

Avg. annual high / low

Mogadishu Rain: 18.7 in/yr (474 mm)
86° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kabul Mogadishu
Jan–Mar 45°/25°F (8°/-4°C) 86°/74°F (30°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 76°/48°F (25°/9°C) 88°/76°F (31°/25°C)
Jul–Sep 88°/56°F (31°/13°C) 84°/73°F (29°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 59°/31°F (15°/-1°C) 87°/75°F (30°/24°C)
View all months
Month Kabul Mogadishu
Jan 40°/19°F (4.5°/-7.1°C) 86°/73°F (30.1°/23.0°C)
Feb 42°/22°F (5.5°/-5.7°C) 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.2°C)
Mar 54°/33°F (12.5°/0.7°C) 87°/76°F (30.7°/24.7°C)
Apr 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) 90°/78°F (32.0°/25.5°C)
May 76°/48°F (24.4°/8.8°C) 88°/76°F (31.1°/24.7°C)
Jun 86°/54°F (30.2°/12.4°C) 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.6°C)
Jul 90°/60°F (32.1°/15.3°C) 83°/73°F (28.5°/23.0°C)
Aug 90°/58°F (32.0°/14.3°C) 83°/73°F (28.5°/23.0°C)
Sep 83°/49°F (28.5°/9.4°C) 85°/74°F (29.2°/23.2°C)
Oct 72°/39°F (22.4°/3.9°C) 86°/76°F (30.1°/24.2°C)
Nov 59°/30°F (15.0°/-1.2°C) 87°/75°F (30.5°/24.1°C)
Dec 47°/24°F (8.3°/-4.7°C) 87°/74°F (30.6°/23.5°C)

Data:

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Afghanistan and Somalia. To live, work, or study long-term in Somalia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Somalia's immigration authority.

Afghanistan passport

Afghanistan passport holder visiting Somalia

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Afghanistan passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Somalia.
Somalia passport

Somalia passport holder visiting Afghanistan

Visa Required
Somalia passport holders need a visa to enter Afghanistan.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Somalia?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Somalia has 0.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Somalia safe for expats?

Somalia performs significantly better than Afghanistan across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Somalia compared to Afghanistan?

Afghanistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Somalia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 0.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Somalia, compared to 2.5 in Afghanistan. Somalia scores 27 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Afghanistan: 41).

What's the weather like in Somalia compared to Afghanistan?

The average high temperature in Mogadishu is 86°F, compared to 67°F in Kabul. Mogadishu receives around 18.7 in of rainfall per year, while Kabul gets 12.3 in.

What language do they speak in Somalia?

The official languages in Somalia are Arabic and Somali. In Afghanistan, the official languages are Dari, Pashto and Turkmen.

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At a Glance

AF SO
Population 38,346,720 12,386,248
Currency Afghan Afghani (AFN) Somali Shilling (SOS)
Languages Dari, Pashto, Turkmen Arabic, Somali
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +93 +252
Time zones 1 1