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Djibouti · Cost of living

Living in Djibouti

What it really costs to live in Djibouti, what you can earn, the visas that get you in, and the taxes you'll pay — for Djibouti, updated 2026. Djibouti lies in Eastern Africa. The main languages are French, Arabic. Djibouti borders Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia.

€1 060–€1 220Single / month
48/100Safety
13%Tax @ €90k
5 yrsTo residency
Monthly cost

Cost of Living in Djibouti

€480
1BR centre/mo
€320
1BR outside/mo
€280
Groceries/mo
€35
Transport/mo
€120
Utilities/mo
€45
Internet/mo
Breakdown

Full Monthly Breakdown for Djibouti

1BR Apartment (Centre)€480/mo
1BR Apartment (Outside)€320/mo
3BR Apartment (Centre)€950/mo
Groceries (single)€280/mo
Transport pass€35/mo
Utilities€120/mo
Internet€45/mo
Health insurance€80/mo
Entertainment & dining€180/mo
Total single (centre)€1 220/mo
Family of 4 (centre)€2 350/mo
Earnings

What You Can Earn in Djibouti

Typical gross annual salaries in Djibouti by sector (entry · median · senior). Djibouti pay usually sits around the national median.

SectorEntryMedianSenior
it€19 500€28 000€39 000
retail€10 500€15 000€21 000
finance€17 000€24 000€33 500
education€13 500€19 000€26 500
healthcare€15 500€22 000€31 000
engineering€17 500€25 000€35 000
hospitality€11 000€16 000€22 500
construction€14 000€20 000€28 000
Daily life

Living in Djibouti: Safety, Health & Climate

Djibouti shares Djibouti's wider quality-of-life profile. Djibouti has a dry climate. Here is what daily life looks like on the things that matter most when you relocate.

🛡️
48/100
Safety index
🏥
52/100
Healthcare
🗣️
Low
English
🌤️
34°C
Summer avg
📶
12.5Mbps
Internet
😊
6.2/10
Expat satisfaction
Getting in

Visa Routes to Djibouti

Affording Djibouti is only half the question — you also need a visa that lets you stay in Djibouti. The main routes:

  • A job offer is normally required for the main work route.
  • Permanent residence after about 5 years.
  • Citizenship after ~10 years — dual nationality allowed.
  • Investment route from about €25 000 (USD).

See all Djibouti visa routes compared →

Money kept

Taxes in Djibouti

13%
Effective @ €90k

Top marginal rate 20%, VAT 10%. Special regime — Requires legal source verification

Setting up

Settling into Djibouti

  • Foreigners can open a local bank account in Djibouti.
  • Budget around €1 200 for first-month setup in Djibouti.
  • Regulated professions needing credential recognition: Medicine, Law, Engineering.

Get Your Djibouti Emigration Report

Personalised visa options, costs and a 90-day plan for Djibouti.

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FAQ

Djibouti FAQ

How much does it cost to live in Djibouti?

A single person in central Djibouti should budget about €1 220/month, roughly €1 060 outside the centre. A family of four needs around €2 350/month.

Can I get a visa to live in Djibouti?

Yes — the main route usually needs a job offer, with permanent residence reachable in about 5 years. See the full Djibouti visa comparison for the route that fits you.

Sources: salaries, taxes, safety, healthcare and visa data from World Bank, OECD, the Global Peace Index and official government portals. Cost-of-living figures are community-sourced benchmarks — a guide, not a quote. Last reviewed 2026-05.

Related: Djibouti Guide · Visa Comparison · All Countries