Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Besancon and Cairo

For one person, living is cheaper in Cairo: $647 a month against $1,755 in Besancon, rent and utilities included – about $13,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Besancon
🇫🇷 France
$1,755
/mo nomad
Cairo
🇪🇬 Egypt
$647
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Besancon and in Cairo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Besancon and in Cairo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,755 in Besancon versus $647 in Cairo.

  • Besancon $1,755
  • Cairo $647

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,536 in Besancon versus $1,035 in Cairo.

  • Besancon $2,536
  • Cairo $1,035

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,318 in Besancon versus $1,423 in Cairo.

  • Besancon $3,318
  • Cairo $1,423

Living in Besancon is roughly 171% more expensive than in Cairo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Besancon is 30% above, Cairo is 52% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Besancon
Cairo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.88
$4.64 E£248
259.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.2 €49.17
$28.12 E£1,501
96.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.94 €9.76
$6.03 E£322
81.43%
Cappuccino
$3.03 €2.70
$1.72 E£92.1
76.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36 €2.10
$0.36 E£19.38
555.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.55 €1.38
$0.12 E£6.40
1191.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.58 €5.87
$1.51 E£80.4
335.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.56 €4.95
$2.32 E£124
139.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Besancon
Cairo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.28 €1.14
$0.92 E£48.90
39.13%
White Bread (500g)
$1.71 €1.52
$0.73 E£38.91
134.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.14 €1.91
$0.74 E£39.63
189.19%
Eggs
$4.41 €3.93
$1.19 E£63.7
270.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.97 €17.80
$4.33 E£231
361.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.95 €9.77
$5.03 E£269
117.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.89 €15.95
$9.28 E£495
92.78%
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 €2.36
$1.77 E£94.3
49.72%
Banana (1kg)
$2.26 €2.01
$0.73 E£39.01
209.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.72 €2.43
$0.55 E£29.50
394.55%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.46 €2.19
$0.50 E£26.90
392.00%
Potato (1kg)
$2.54 €2.27
$0.42 E£22.41
504.76%
Onion (1kg)
$2.42 €2.16
$0.41 E£21.81
490.24%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.43 €1.27
$0.33 E£17.51
333.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.17 €1.04
$0.21 E£11.20
457.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.78 €12.29
$1.98 E£106
595.96%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.39 €8.37
$7.81 E£417
20.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.85 €4.32
$1.59 E£84.6
205.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.25 €2.90
$2.09 E£112
55.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Besancon
Cairo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.68 €1.50
$0.35 E£18.83
380.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.17 €39.38
$8.69 E£464
408.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.04 €2.71
$0.39 E£21.02
679.49%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.12 €1.89
$0.22 E£11.56
863.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.05 €26.79
$1.51 E£80.4
1890.07%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.13 €1.90
$0.43 E£22.87
395.35%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K €30.7K
$32.7K E£1.7M
5.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.3K €30.6K
$27.2K E£1.5M
25.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Besancon
Cairo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$225 €200
$27.27 E£1,456
723.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.65 €13.06
$8.58 E£458
70.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.19 €30.49
$13.99 E£747
144.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Besancon
Cairo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$26.44 €23.57
$29.69 E£1,585
-10.95%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.68 €17.54
$7.25 E£387
171.45%
Cinema Ticket
$11.32 €10.10
$4.86 E£259
132.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Besancon
Cairo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$339 €302
$121 E£6,436
180.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,309 €6,517
$3,560 E£190.0K
105.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Besancon
Cairo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.0 €88.3
$40.28 E£2,150
145.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.58 €34.40
$49.53 E£2,644
-22.11%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.0 €82.9
$115 E£6,134
-19.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €110
$60.0 E£3,205
105.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Besancon
Cairo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$635 €566
$222 E£11.9K
185.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$590 €526
$195 E£10.4K
202.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$991 €884
$550 E£29.3K
80.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$803 €716
$346 E£18.5K
132.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,822 €2,516
$800 E£42.7K
252.89%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,245 €2,001
$525 E£28.0K
327.64%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Besancon
Cairo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,181 €1,945
$200 E£10.7K
991.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.62
16.21
-77.67%

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

Last update for Besancon: October 13, 2026

Last update for Cairo: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Besancon
$590
Cairo
$195 67% $395
Groceries & Markets
Besancon
$356
Cairo
$142 60.2% $214
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Besancon
$273
Cairo
$50 81.8% $224
Eating Out
Besancon
$262
Cairo
$90 65.7% $172
Clothing & Footwear
Besancon
$159
Cairo
$119 25.3% $40
Getting Around
Besancon
$65
Cairo
$12 82.1% $53
Sport & Entertainment
Besancon
$49
Cairo
$39 19.7% $9.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $635 in Besancon and $222 in Cairo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Besancon pays 992% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $55.0 in Besancon vs $28.00 in Cairo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $356 vs $142 per month, with Cairo cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Besancon
🇪🇬 Cairo
🕒 Local time
02:23 2:23 AM
03:23 3:23 AM
1 h ahead of Besancon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
119,198
9,120,350 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EGP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Egyptian Pound exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 53.38 EGP (100 EGP = 1.87 USD). 1 EUR = 59.84 EGP (100 EGP = 1.67 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Besancon Cairo 2,880 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Besancon
  • Cairo

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
Besancon vs Cairo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Besancon or Cairo?
Cairo wins on cost – living expenses run 171% lower than in Besancon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cairo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Besancon or in Cairo?
Average pay runs 992% higher in Besancon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Besancon compared to Cairo?
Rent for a central apartment: $635 in Besancon versus $222 in Cairo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Besancon compared to Cairo?
A monthly transit pass in Cairo runs roughly 408% less than in Besancon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Besancon and in Cairo?
Childcare runs $339 in Besancon versus $121 in Cairo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Besancon or in Cairo?
At $647 in Cairo versus $1,755 in Besancon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cairo but tight or insufficient in Besancon. The gap between the two cities makes Cairo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Besancon or Cairo?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
How safe is Besancon compared to Cairo?
Safety-wise, Besancon and Cairo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Cairo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 171% less than in Besancon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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