Moving to Somalia from Netherlands

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Netherlands to Somalia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Netherlands to Somalia, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic and Somali. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Mogadishu averages 86°F vs 56°F in Amsterdam, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Somalia compared to Netherlands.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

NL
3.4
SO
20.2

Netherlands performs better than Somalia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

NL
$8,195
SO
$52
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

NL
39.1
SO
0.2

Somalia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Netherlands 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

NL
13.0
SO
64.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

NL
6.6t
SO
0.0t

Netherlands 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

NL
44.4
SO
0.7
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

NL
16.1%
SO
24.5%

Netherlands 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

NL
3.6%
SO
19.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

NL
$69,300
SO
$1,500

Netherlands 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

NL
82.2 yrs
SO
55.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

NL
3.4
SO
86.5

Netherlands 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.

Amsterdam Rain: 30.7 in/yr (780 mm)
56° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Amsterdam Mogadishu
Jan–Mar 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) 86°/74°F (30°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) 88°/76°F (31°/25°C)
Jul–Sep 69°/53°F (21°/12°C) 84°/73°F (29°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) 87°/75°F (30°/24°C)
View all months
Month Amsterdam Mogadishu
Jan 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C) 86°/73°F (30.1°/23.0°C)
Feb 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C) 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.2°C)
Mar 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C) 87°/76°F (30.7°/24.7°C)
Apr 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C) 90°/78°F (32.0°/25.5°C)
May 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C) 88°/76°F (31.1°/24.7°C)
Jun 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C) 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.6°C)
Jul 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C) 83°/73°F (28.5°/23.0°C)
Aug 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C) 83°/73°F (28.5°/23.0°C)
Sep 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C) 85°/74°F (29.2°/23.2°C)
Oct 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C) 86°/76°F (30.1°/24.2°C)
Nov 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C) 87°/75°F (30.5°/24.1°C)
Dec 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) 87°/74°F (30.6°/23.5°C)

Data: Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Netherlands 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.

Netherlands passport

Netherlands passport holder visiting Somalia

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

Somalia passport holder visiting Netherlands

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

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?

Connectivity is usually fine (Somalia: 0.7 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Somalia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Somalia safe for expats?

Netherlands performs better than Somalia across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Somalia compared to Netherlands?

Somalia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Netherlands leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 0.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Somalia, compared to 39.1 in Netherlands. Somalia scores 27 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Netherlands: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Mogadishu is 86°F, compared to 56°F in Amsterdam. Mogadishu receives around 18.7 in of rainfall per year, while Amsterdam gets 30.7 in.

What language do they speak in Somalia?

The official languages in Somalia are Arabic and Somali. In Netherlands, the official language is Dutch.

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At a Glance

NL SO
Population 17,400,824 12,386,248
Currency Euro (€) Somali Shilling (SOS)
Languages Dutch Arabic, Somali
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +31 +252
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112