Cost of Living in Asmara

I can confirm, this is the absolute worst place in the world to be a DN! Internet is only available in a few hotels, and even then it's 2mbps with limited access to Western social media. SIM cards are a pain even for locals and no data plans are sold. Your Starlink is likely to get confiscated on entry. And local cash is hard to come by, there are no ATMs in the country and no apps, the only way to send yourself cash is the one Western Union in the country exists, run by the government. (Most people bring USD cash to exchange at the airport.)

Nonetheless - this is an amazing place to visit to unplug. It's safe, beautiful, has great food and is culturally very interesting. Despite the "North Korea of Africa" reputation, tourists are free to roam around Asmara, and there are loads of cafes, restaurants and bars to test out in the city.

I wouldn't go too far out of my way to visit Asmara, but if I were planning to be in the Gulf already (where there are cheap flights to Asmara out of DXB and JED) I would absolutely recommend visiting for a long weekend for a unique experience.