Cost of Living Comparison Between Alexandria and Ismailia Cost of Living Comparison Between Alexandria and Ismailia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $434 per month in Alexandria vs $344 in Ismailia, rent included.

A couple spends around $716 per month in Alexandria vs $582 in Ismailia, rent included.

A family of three spends $998 per month in Alexandria vs $819 in Ismailia, rent included.

Alexandria costs about 26% more than Ismailia, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Alexandria and Ismailia are more affordable than the global median – Alexandria 68% lower, Ismailia 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.49 E£181

$3.58 E£186

-2.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.53 E£806

$15.66 E£813

-0.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 E£238

$4.50 E£234

2.00%

Cappuccino

$1.45 E£75.5

$0.95 E£49.38

52.63%

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

$0.31 E£16.09

$0.27 E£13.84

14.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 E£6.55

$0.11 E£5.62

18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 E£62.4

$1.20 E£62.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 E£151

$1.96 E£102

48.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 E£42.22

$0.85 E£44.28

-4.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 E£40.30

$0.41 E£21.35

90.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.65 E£33.62

$0.66 E£34.11

-1.52%

Eggs

$1.40 E£72.5

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.86 E£200

$3.01 E£156

28.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.53 E£235

$3.72 E£193

21.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.64 E£501

$7.78 E£404

23.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 E£77.0

$1.46 E£76.0

1.37%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 E£30.40

$0.54 E£28.01

9.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.39 E£20.39

$0.41 E£21.36

-4.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.40 E£20.58

$0.29 E£14.90

37.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 E£19.53

$0.37 E£19.45

2.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.41 E£21.23

$0.41 E£21.39

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 E£12.52

$0.19 E£9.75

26.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.19 E£9.68

$0.17 E£8.61

11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.04 E£106

$1.63 E£84.6

25.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 E£298

$5.85 E£303

-1.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 E£70.8

$1.02 E£53.1

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 E£134

$1.95 E£101

32.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 E£8.89

$0.25 E£12.93

-32.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.79 E£716

$4.04 E£210

241.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 E£27.05

$0.33 E£17.19

57.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 E£22.26

$0.45 E£23.58

-4.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 E£101

$1.94 E£101

0.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 E£17.20

$0.33 E£17.32

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

$34.9K E£1.8M

$30.1K E£1.6M

15.91%

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

$33.0K E£1.7M

$16.1K E£835.7K

104.92%

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

$11.47 E£595

$11.33 E£588

1.24%

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

$5.74 E£298

$5.68 E£295

1.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.18 E£528

$7.72 E£401

31.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.30 E£690

$11.67 E£606

13.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 E£357

$19.66 E£1,020

-64.95%

Cinema Ticket

$3.01 E£156

$2.01 E£104

49.75%

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

$88.9 E£4,616

$86.9 E£4,509

2.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,842 E£95.6K

$1,214 E£63.0K

51.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.19 E£1,411

$12.65 E£657

114.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.04 E£2,493

$10.12 E£525

374.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 E£5,671

$107 E£5,537

2.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.0 E£2,648

$49.96 E£2,593

2.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$106 E£5,487

$89.7 E£4,653

17.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$65.6 E£3,406

$39.40 E£2,045

66.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$245 E£12.7K

$142 E£7,384

72.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$134 E£6,931

$88.5 E£4,591

50.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$698 E£36.2K

$485 E£25.2K

43.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$449 E£23.3K

$133 E£6,897

237.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$135 E£7,008

$107 E£5,570

25.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Alexandria: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ismailia: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $106 in Alexandria versus $89.7 in Ismailia. 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 26% higher in Alexandria, 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 $16.00 in Ismailia. Groceries tell a different story – $130 in Alexandria vs $111 in Ismailia – so Ismailia 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 Ismailia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alexandria costs about 26% more than Ismailia, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $516 in Ismailia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ismailia, 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 $86.9 in Ismailia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Alexandria, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $434 in Alexandria and $344 in Ismailia, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

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.

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