Moving to Somalia from Iran

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Iran to Somalia, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic and Somali. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Mogadishu averages 86°F vs 72°F in Tehran, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Iran 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

IR
20.6
SO
20.2

Somalia performs significantly better than Iran across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

IR
$1,064
SO
$52
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2018

affects wait times and access to care

IR
15.1
SO
0.2

Iran 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

IR
51.0
SO
64.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IR
9.1t
SO
0.0t

Iran 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

IR
12.3
SO
0.7
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IR
81.3%
SO
24.5%

Iran generally does better on infrastructure, though Somalia leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

IR
9.1%
SO
19.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

IR
$16,200
SO
$1,500

Iran 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

IR
75.2 yrs
SO
55.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IR
14.8
SO
86.5

Iran 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.

Tehran Rain: 9.1 in/yr (230 mm)
72° / 53°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Tehran Mogadishu
Jan–Mar 52°/35°F (11°/2°C) 86°/74°F (30°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 82°/61°F (28°/16°C) 88°/76°F (31°/25°C)
Jul–Sep 94°/72°F (35°/22°C) 84°/73°F (29°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) 87°/75°F (30°/24°C)
View all months
Month Tehran Mogadishu
Jan 45°/30°F (7.2°/-1.1°C) 86°/73°F (30.1°/23.0°C)
Feb 50°/33°F (9.9°/0.7°C) 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.2°C)
Mar 60°/41°F (15.4°/5.2°C) 87°/76°F (30.7°/24.7°C)
Apr 71°/52°F (21.9°/10.9°C) 90°/78°F (32.0°/25.5°C)
May 82°/61°F (28.0°/16.1°C) 88°/76°F (31.1°/24.7°C)
Jun 93°/70°F (34.1°/20.9°C) 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.6°C)
Jul 98°/75°F (36.8°/24.0°C) 83°/73°F (28.5°/23.0°C)
Aug 96°/73°F (35.4°/23.0°C) 83°/73°F (28.5°/23.0°C)
Sep 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.2°C) 85°/74°F (29.2°/23.2°C)
Oct 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) 86°/76°F (30.1°/24.2°C)
Nov 62°/44°F (16.5°/6.7°C) 87°/75°F (30.5°/24.1°C)
Dec 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.3°C) 87°/74°F (30.6°/23.5°C)

Data:

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iran 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.

Iran passport

Iran passport holder visiting Somalia

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

Somalia passport holder visiting Iran

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

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 Iran and Somalia.

Is Somalia safe for expats?

Somalia performs significantly better than Iran across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Somalia compared to Iran?

Iran 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 15.1 in Iran. Somalia scores 27 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iran: 74).

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

The average high temperature in Mogadishu is 86°F, compared to 72°F in Tehran. Mogadishu receives around 18.7 in of rainfall per year, while Tehran gets 9.1 in.

What language do they speak in Somalia?

The official languages in Somalia are Arabic and Somali. In Iran, the official language is Persian (Farsi).

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At a Glance

IR SO
Population 86,758,304 12,386,248
Currency Iranian Rial (IRR) Somali Shilling (SOS)
Languages Persian (Farsi) Arabic, Somali
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +98 +252
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 115