For one person, living is cheaper in Cairo: $647 a month against $1,630 in Alba, rent and utilities included – about $11,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Alba and in Cairo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $1,630 per month in Alba vs $647 in Cairo, rent included.
Alba $1,630
Cairo $647
A couple spends around $2,551 per month in Alba vs $1,035 in Cairo, rent included.
Alba $2,551
Cairo $1,035
A family of three spends $3,473 per month in Alba vs $1,423 in Cairo, rent included.
Alba $3,473
Cairo $1,423
😐
Alba costs about 152% more than Cairo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Alba sits 21% above the global median, while Cairo is 52% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Alba
Cairo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.91€19.49
$4.64E£248
372.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$88.0€78.3
$28.12E£1,501
212.87%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.36€11.89
$6.03E£322
121.56%
Cappuccino
$2.13€1.90
$1.72E£92.1
23.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68€3.27
$0.36E£19.38
922.22%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.82€1.62
$0.12E£6.41
1416.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.55€4.94
$1.51E£80.4
267.55%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.83€6.08
$2.32E£124
194.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Alba
Cairo
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.68€1.49
$0.92E£48.92
82.61%
White Bread(500g)
$3.32€2.95
$0.73E£38.92
354.79%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.49€3.11
$0.74E£39.64
371.62%
Eggs
$5.08€4.51
$1.19E£63.7
326.89%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$23.19€20.63
$4.33E£231
435.57%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$14.68€13.05
$5.03E£269
191.85%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$22.94€20.40
$9.28E£496
147.20%
Apples(1kg)
$3.09€2.75
$1.77E£94.4
74.58%
Banana(1kg)
$2.32€2.06
$0.73E£39.03
217.81%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.40€3.02
$0.55E£29.51
518.18%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.16€3.70
$0.50E£26.91
732.00%
Potato(1kg)
$2.32€2.06
$0.42E£22.42
452.38%
Onion(1kg)
$2.02€1.79
$0.41E£21.81
392.68%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.73€1.54
$0.33E£17.51
424.24%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.61€0.55
$0.21E£11.20
190.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.89€6.13
$1.98E£106
247.98%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.54€8.48
$7.81E£417
22.15%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.96€1.75
$1.59E£84.7
23.27%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.43€2.16
$2.09E£112
16.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Alba
Cairo
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$0.35E£18.83
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$8.69E£464
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$8.00€7.11
$0.39E£21.02
1951.28%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.20€1.95
$0.22E£11.57
900.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$63.8€56.8
$1.51E£80.5
4125.83%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.14€1.90
$0.43E£22.88
397.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.7K€32.6K
$32.7KE£1.7M
12.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.7K€32.6K
$27.2KE£1.5M
34.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Alba
Cairo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$249€221
$27.27E£1,456
812.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.00€7.12
$8.58E£458
-6.76%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.33€26.09
$13.99E£747
109.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Alba
Cairo
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$29.69E£1,585
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$7.25E£387
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.37€11.00
$4.86E£260
154.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Alba
Cairo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$855€761
$121E£6,438
609.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$19.1K€17.0K
$3,560E£190.1K
435.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Alba
Cairo
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.7€88.7
$40.28E£2,151
147.42%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.95€44.43
$49.53E£2,645
0.85%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115€102
$115E£6,137
0.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$164€146
$60.0E£3,206
173.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Alba
Cairo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$535€476
$222E£11.9K
140.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$384€342
$195E£10.4K
96.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$732€651
$550E£29.3K
33.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$616€548
$346E£18.5K
78.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,916€2,594
$800E£42.7K
264.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$525E£28.0K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Alba
Cairo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,652€2,359
$200E£10.7K
1227.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.18
16.21
-80.38%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Alba: October 12, 2026
Last update for Cairo: October 11, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Alba
$419 25.7%
Cairo
$142 21.9% ↓ 66.1%$277
🏠Accommodation & Living
Alba
$384 23.6%
Cairo
$195 30.2% ↓ 49.2%$189
🍽Eating Out
Alba
$304 18.7%
Cairo
$90 13.9% ↓ 70.4%$214
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Alba
$286 17.6%
Cairo
$50 7.7% ↓ 82.6%$236
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Alba
$193 11.8%
Cairo
$119 18.4% ↓ 38.2%$74
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Alba
$25 * 1.5%
Cairo
$39 6.1% ↑ 59.3%$15
🚌Getting Around
Alba
$19 * 1.2%
Cairo
$12 1.8% ↓ 39%$7.4
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Alba
$989 28.5%
Cairo
$324 22.8% ↓ 67.3%$666
🏠Accommodation & Living
Alba
$616 17.8%
Cairo
$346 24.3% ↓ 43.8%$270
🍽Eating Out
Alba
$1.1K 30.4%
Cairo
$320 22.5% ↓ 69.7%$737
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Alba
$294 8.5%
Cairo
$58 4.1% ↓ 80.1%$236
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Alba
$429 12.3%
Cairo
$265 18.6% ↓ 38.2%$164
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Alba
$49 * 1.4%
Cairo
$86 6.1% ↑ 73.9%$37
🚌Getting Around
Alba
$38 * 1.1%
Cairo
$24 1.7% ↓ 37.1%$14
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $535 in Alba versus $222 in Cairo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 1228% higher in Alba, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $88.0 in Alba versus $28.00 in Cairo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $419 vs $142 – making Cairo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)
The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Alba vs Cairo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cairo cheaper than Alba?
Yes – Alba is pricier by about 152%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,445 per month in Alba and $970 in Cairo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Cairo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Alba or in Cairo?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $88.0 in Alba and $28.00 in Cairo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Alba and in Cairo?
Groceries cost about 195% more in Alba, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Alba or in Cairo?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cairo, where all-in costs run around $647, than in Alba at $1,630. In Cairo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Alba it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Alba or Cairo more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Cairo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Alba or Cairo?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Cairo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Alba makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.