Living in Ali Sabih, Djibouti

Ali Sabih is a smaller coastal city in Ali Sabieh, Djibouti (under 250,000 people in the city proper). It has a warm climate, averaging 26°C over the year with about 161 mm of rain. We estimate a couple needs about €2,409 a month to live centrally. For foreigners, long-term residency in Djibouti is possible, with conditions.

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Est. cost: €2,409; a month for a couple
Climate: 26°C; 161 mm rain a year
Size: Smaller; under 250,000 people
Safety: 50/100; country-level
Residency: Possible, with conditions; for most foreigners

Limited data for Djibouti. Figures for safety, healthcare, cost of living and political stability in Djibouti are country-level estimates from World Bank indicators, each named with its year. We have no tax, English, social openness or internet speed figures for Djibouti, so the quiz scores those factors conservatively and this page leaves them out.

What stands out about Ali Sabih

Dry: about 161 mm of rain a year
On or near the sea

Climate

Ali Sabih averages 26°C across the year with about 161 mm of rain, which makes it warm and very dry. It is warmer than 81% of the 1225 cities we track, and it sits on the coast.

Source: Temperature from the Open-Meteo historical weather archive, daily means for 2019 to 2023; rainfall from TerraClimate (University of Idaho) 1991 to 2020 normals. Annual averages; monthly breakdowns are not in our dataset yet.

Healthcare

Djibouti scores 46 out of 100 for healthcare, stronger than 5% of the cities we compare.

Source: Country-level estimate, the same for every city in Djibouti: life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN, 2024) and current health spending per person in US dollars (SH.XPD.CHEX.PC.CD, 2023), calibrated to the 0 to 100 scale of our reference tables. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Safety and stability

Djibouti scores 50 out of 100 on safety, safer than 13% of the cities we compare. Its estimated democracy score is 3.3 out of 10.

Source: Country-level estimate, the same for every city in Djibouti: Worldwide Governance Indicators Political Stability and Absence of Violence estimate (GOV_WGI_PV.EST, 2025) and life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN, 2024), calibrated to the 0 to 100 scale of our reference tables (higher is safer). Stability: Worldwide Governance Indicators Voice and Accountability estimate (GOV_WGI_VA.EST, 2025), calibrated to the EIU Democracy Index scale. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Cost of living

We estimate a couple needs about €2,409 a month to live centrally in Ali Sabih, 12% below the €2,729 median across the 900 cities we compare. That makes it more affordable than 76% of them.

Source: OurNextCity model from the price level of GDP relative to the United States, from GDP per person in US dollars and at purchasing power parity (NY.GDP.PCAP.CD/NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD, 2025), calibrated to our country-level cost index (New York = 100) and scaled up for larger cities. An estimate for comparing cities, not a budget. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Residency and visas

Possible, with conditions. Long-term residency is available mainly through employer-sponsored work permits or business/investor permits tied to setting up a local company, with permanent residence only after roughly 10 years of legal stay; there is no passive-income or golden-visa route.

For short visits, 1 of 198 passports can enter visa-free and 197 can get an e-visa or visa on arrival.

Source: OurNextCity residency dataset, hand-reviewed approximations researched against published immigration rules. Not legal advice: check the official source before you apply. Short-stay entry from the passport-index dataset (ilyankou, MIT).

Questions couples ask about Ali Sabih

Is Ali Sabih a good place to live for couples?

It depends on what the two of you weigh most. Compared with the other cities we track, Ali Sabih scores well on affordability. It is weaker on safety, healthcare and political stability. Our figures for Djibouti are partial: no tax, English, social openness or internet speed data, and country-level World Bank estimates for the rest. Expect a warm, very dry climate (26°C average). OurNextCity has each partner answer 12 questions privately, then ranks 915 cities for both of you at once.

How much does it cost a couple to live in Ali Sabih?

We estimate about €2,409 a month for a couple living centrally, 12% below the €2,729 median across the cities we compare. It is a model estimate from the World Bank price level of GDP for Djibouti, calibrated to our country-level cost index adjusted for city size, so use it to compare cities rather than to set a budget.

Can foreigners live in Djibouti long term?

Our assessment: possible, with conditions. Long-term residency is available mainly through employer-sponsored work permits or business/investor permits tied to setting up a local company, with permanent residence only after roughly 10 years of legal stay; there is no passive-income or golden-visa route.

What is the weather like in Ali Sabih?

Ali Sabih averages 26°C across the year with about 161 mm of rain, which makes it warm and very dry. It is warmer than 81% of the cities we track.