SomaliNet Forums

Xamar is fast becoming one of the most expensive cities in Somalia. The real estate bubble, the vast number of diaspora pouring back and the vast quantities of aid have raised the cost of living. The dollar stood at about 30,000 a year ago is now in the low 20,000s. However there hasn't been a drop in the price of imports. The peace bubble has put pressure on those who are dependent on remittances because of the inflation. $100 doesn't buy much nowdays.

I can't believe that a goat costs nearly $100 where it used to be $40. Rents are up across the city. I guess long gone are the days where Xamar was the most affordable urban settlement in Somalia.

For those who are there, how much do the following cost:

1. Goat
2. 1 sack of sugar/flour/rice
3. 1 kilowatt of electricity
4. 1 liter of fuel
5. Rent for an average dwelling for middle income families


The government must do the following to easy inflation:

1. Reduce duties on imported commodities to boost imports which increases competition and pushes prices downwards.
2. Force aid projects to avoid buying commodities from the local market which tends to drive up prices but instead to import them.
3. Dismantle isbaaros which add to the cost of items.

Is this they're way of driving out the poor residence in xamar

It has been like this for a while!

My mum and aunt support my grandmother. They don't have to work about rent, because they own the property, but they have electricity all day round and I don't know the cost of that. I'll ask my mum how much the goat costs though, cause we just did qurbani recently.

The government has to get rid of isbaaros, period. I hate such blatant corruption that is rampant in Africa.

the goat prices is due to Ciida, and the livestock sent to Hajj.I guess it happens every year around this time

Veil, i know that $12 a month you get electricity all day long which i thought was really good.

Executive wrote:the goat prices is due to Ciida, and the livestock sent to Hajj.I guess it happens every year around this time

Not at above 100 for a goat. That is ridiculous.


Veiled,

There is a bubble. it will burst and the prices will fall back in line with reality.


Greenday,

That probably lit a few bulbs/sockets.



Rabshoole,

No, there is massive speculation which drives up the costs. Folks believe that the end of conflict is over, the good days are here but without having any substantive evidence to base it on. The fact that AS has been disloged as a military force from inside most parts of Xamar doesn't necessarily mean that everything needs to be too expensive nor that we have turned a corner on fixing the structural socioeconomic issues.

From the sound of things it seems these folks wanna walk before they can crawl, inflating the cost of living at this point can only get worse. We'll see how this plays out in the near future.