Moving to Somalia from Sweden

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Sweden to Somalia, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic and Somali. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Mogadishu averages 86°F vs 52°F in Stockholm, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Sweden 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

SE
2.1
SO
20.2

Sweden 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

SE
$7,770
SO
$52
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

SE
71.5
SO
0.2

Somalia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sweden 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

SE
8.0
SO
64.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SE
3.6t
SO
0.0t

Sweden 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

SE
40.4
SO
0.7
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SE
3.6%
SO
24.5%

Sweden 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

SE
7.6%
SO
19.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SE
$64,200
SO
$1,500

Sweden 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

SE
82.7 yrs
SO
55.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SE
2.3
SO
86.5

Sweden 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.

Stockholm Rain: 21.5 in/yr (546 mm)
52° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Stockholm Mogadishu
Jan–Mar 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) 86°/74°F (30°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) 88°/76°F (31°/25°C)
Jul–Sep 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) 84°/73°F (29°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) 87°/75°F (30°/24°C)
View all months
Month Stockholm Mogadishu
Jan 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) 86°/73°F (30.1°/23.0°C)
Feb 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.2°C)
Mar 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) 87°/76°F (30.7°/24.7°C)
Apr 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) 90°/78°F (32.0°/25.5°C)
May 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) 88°/76°F (31.1°/24.7°C)
Jun 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.6°C)
Jul 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) 83°/73°F (28.5°/23.0°C)
Aug 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) 83°/73°F (28.5°/23.0°C)
Sep 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) 85°/74°F (29.2°/23.2°C)
Oct 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) 86°/76°F (30.1°/24.2°C)
Nov 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) 87°/75°F (30.5°/24.1°C)
Dec 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) 87°/74°F (30.6°/23.5°C)

Data: Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI)

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Sweden 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.

Sweden passport

Sweden passport holder visiting Somalia

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

Somalia passport holder visiting Sweden

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

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 Sweden and Somalia.

Is Somalia safe for expats?

Sweden performs better than Somalia across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Somalia compared to Sweden?

Somalia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sweden leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 0.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Somalia, compared to 71.5 in Sweden. Somalia scores 27 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sweden: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Mogadishu is 86°F, compared to 52°F in Stockholm. Mogadishu receives around 18.7 in of rainfall per year, while Stockholm gets 21.5 in.

What language do they speak in Somalia?

The official languages in Somalia are Arabic and Somali. In Sweden, the official language is Swedish.

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At a Glance

SE SO
Population 10,483,647 12,386,248
Currency Swedish Krona (SEK) Somali Shilling (SOS)
Languages Swedish Arabic, Somali
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +46 +252
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112