Cost of Living Comparison Between Alexandria and Cairo Cost of Living Comparison Between Alexandria and Cairo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $434 per month in Alexandria vs $523 in Cairo, rent included.

A couple spends around $716 per month in Alexandria vs $843 in Cairo, rent included.

A family of three spends $998 per month in Alexandria vs $1,163 in Cairo, rent included.

Alexandria is about 17% cheaper than Cairo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Alexandria and Cairo are more affordable than the global median – Alexandria 68% lower, Cairo 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.49 E£181

$4.03 E£209

-13.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.53 E£806

$19.82 E£1,028

-21.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 E£238

$4.88 E£254

-5.94%

Cappuccino

$1.45 E£75.5

$1.50 E£77.7

-3.33%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 E£16.09

$0.37 E£18.97

-16.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 E£6.55

$0.13 E£6.89

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 E£62.4

$1.42 E£73.5

-15.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 E£151

$2.82 E£146

3.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 E£42.22

$0.93 E£48.26

-12.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 E£40.30

$0.59 E£30.52

32.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.65 E£33.62

$0.74 E£38.59

-12.16%

Eggs

$1.40 E£72.5

$1.54 E£80.1

-9.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.86 E£200

$3.31 E£172

16.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.53 E£235

$4.34 E£225

4.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.64 E£501

$8.42 E£437

14.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 E£77.0

$1.56 E£81.1

-5.13%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 E£30.40

$0.56 E£29.09

5.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.39 E£20.39

$0.47 E£24.26

-17.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.40 E£20.58

$0.39 E£20.24

2.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 E£19.53

$0.46 E£24.00

-17.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.41 E£21.23

$0.40 E£20.96

2.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 E£12.52

$0.22 E£11.35

9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.19 E£9.68

$0.23 E£11.73

-17.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.04 E£106

$2.02 E£105

0.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 E£298

$7.86 E£408

-26.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 E£70.8

$1.26 E£65.5

7.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 E£134

$1.77 E£91.8

45.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 E£8.89

$0.29 E£14.89

-41.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.79 E£716

$5.97 E£310

130.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 E£27.05

$0.38 E£19.84

36.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 E£22.26

$0.29 E£14.96

48.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 E£101

$1.02 E£52.8

91.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 E£17.20

$0.31 E£15.84

6.45%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.9K E£1.8M

$36.1K E£1.9M

-3.26%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$33.0K E£1.7M

$30.7K E£1.6M

7.61%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$11.47 E£595

$26.21 E£1,360

-56.24%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$5.74 E£298

$8.42 E£437

-31.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.18 E£528

$12.30 E£638

-17.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.30 E£690

$16.02 E£831

-16.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 E£357

$6.80 E£353

1.32%

Cinema Ticket

$3.01 E£156

$3.51 E£182

-14.25%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$88.9 E£4,616

$91.9 E£4,770

-3.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,842 E£95.6K

$1,993 E£103.5K

-7.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.19 E£1,411

$31.43 E£1,631

-13.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.04 E£2,493

$44.87 E£2,329

7.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 E£5,671

$107 E£5,562

1.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.0 E£2,648

$57.5 E£2,986

-11.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$106 E£5,487

$205 E£10.6K

-48.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$65.6 E£3,406

$130 E£6,771

-49.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$245 E£12.7K

$424 E£22.0K

-42.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$134 E£6,931

$250 E£13.0K

-46.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$698 E£36.2K

$843 E£43.7K

-17.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$449 E£23.3K

$483 E£25.1K

-7.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$135 E£7,008

$196 E£10.2K

-31.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.67

1.98%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Alexandria: June 2, 2026

Last update for Cairo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $106 in Alexandria versus $205 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 45% higher in Cairo, 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 $16.00 in Alexandria versus $20.00 in Cairo. Groceries tell a different story – $130 in Alexandria vs $128 in Cairo – so Cairo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Alexandria vs Cairo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cairo costs about 21% more than Alexandria, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $650 per month in Alexandria and $784 in Cairo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alexandria, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $88.9 per month in Alexandria and $91.9 in Cairo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Cairo – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $434 in Alexandria and $523 in Cairo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Alexandria – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Alexandria. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cairo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.