Moving to Somalia from Australia

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Australia to Somalia — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Australia to Somalia, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic and Somali. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Mogadishu averages 86°F vs 67°F in Canberra, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Australia and Somalia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

AU
4.5
SO
20.2

Australia performs better than Somalia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

AU
$7,691
SO
$52
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

AU
39.8
SO
0.2

Somalia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

AU
10.0
SO
64.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

AU
14.1t
SO
0.0t

Australia generally does better on environment, though Somalia leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

AU
35.1
SO
0.7
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

AU
4.6%
SO
24.5%

Australia performs better than Somalia across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

AU
3.7%
SO
19.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

AU
$59,500
SO
$1,500

Australia performs better than Somalia across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

AU
83.1 yrs
SO
55.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

AU
3.0
SO
86.5

Australia performs better than Somalia across all family life metrics.

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

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Canberra Rain: 24.8 in/yr (629 mm)
67° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Canberra Mogadishu
Jan–Mar 80°/54°F (26°/12°C) 86°/74°F (30°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) 88°/76°F (31°/25°C)
Jul–Sep 56°/35°F (13°/1°C) 84°/73°F (29°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 73°/47°F (23°/9°C) 87°/75°F (30°/24°C)
View all months
Month Canberra Mogadishu
Jan 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C) 86°/73°F (30.1°/23.0°C)
Feb 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C) 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.2°C)
Mar 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C) 87°/76°F (30.7°/24.7°C)
Apr 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C) 90°/78°F (32.0°/25.5°C)
May 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C) 88°/76°F (31.1°/24.7°C)
Jun 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C) 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.6°C)
Jul 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C) 83°/73°F (28.5°/23.0°C)
Aug 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C) 83°/73°F (28.5°/23.0°C)
Sep 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C) 85°/74°F (29.2°/23.2°C)
Oct 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) 86°/76°F (30.1°/24.2°C)
Nov 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C) 87°/75°F (30.5°/24.1°C)
Dec 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C) 87°/74°F (30.6°/23.5°C)

Data: Bureau of Meteorology Bureau of Meteorology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Australia 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.

Australia passport

Australia passport holder visiting Somalia

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

Somalia passport holder visiting Australia

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

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?

With 0.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Somalia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Australia and Somalia.

Is Somalia safe for expats?

Australia performs better than Somalia across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Somalia compared to Australia?

Somalia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 0.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Somalia, compared to 39.8 in Australia. Somalia scores 27 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Australia: 87).

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

The average high temperature in Mogadishu is 86°F, compared to 67°F in Canberra. Mogadishu receives around 18.7 in of rainfall per year, while Canberra gets 24.8 in.

What language do they speak in Somalia?

The official languages in Somalia are Arabic and Somali. In Australia, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

AU SO
Population 26,141,369 12,386,248
Currency Australian Dollar (A$) Somali Shilling (SOS)
Languages English Arabic, Somali
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +61 +252
Time zones 8 1
Emergency number 000