For one person, living is cheaper in Cairo: $647 a month against $1,381 in Brest, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 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 Brest and in Cairo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,381 in Brest versus $647 in Cairo.
Brest $1,381
Cairo $647
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,157 in Brest versus $1,035 in Cairo.
Brest $2,157
Cairo $1,035
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,933 in Brest versus $1,423 in Cairo.
Brest $2,933
Cairo $1,423
🌍
Living in Brest is roughly 114% more expensive than in Cairo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Brest is 2% above, Cairo is 52% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Brest
Cairo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.39€13.69
$4.64E£248
231.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.10€40.11
$28.12E£1,501
60.38%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.33€10.07
$6.03E£322
87.89%
Cappuccino
$2.97€2.64
$1.72E£92.1
72.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.02€2.69
$0.36E£19.38
738.89%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04€1.82
$0.12E£6.41
1600.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.48€5.76
$1.51E£80.4
329.14%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.41€4.81
$2.32E£124
133.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brest
Cairo
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.11€0.99
$0.92E£48.92
20.65%
White Bread(500g)
$1.52€1.35
$0.73E£38.92
108.22%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.57€2.29
$0.74E£39.64
247.30%
Eggs
$3.50€3.11
$1.19E£63.7
194.12%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$18.71€16.64
$4.33E£231
332.10%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.12€9.00
$5.03E£269
101.19%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.34€12.75
$9.28E£496
54.53%
Apples(1kg)
$2.94€2.61
$1.77E£94.4
66.10%
Banana(1kg)
$1.90€1.69
$0.73E£39.03
160.27%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.62€2.33
$0.55E£29.51
376.36%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.89€2.57
$0.50E£26.91
478.00%
Potato(1kg)
$1.70€1.51
$0.42E£22.42
304.76%
Onion(1kg)
$2.02€1.80
$0.41E£21.81
392.68%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.39€1.24
$0.33E£17.51
321.21%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.34€0.30
$0.21E£11.20
61.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$13.40€11.92
$1.98E£106
576.77%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.89€6.13
$7.81E£417
-11.78%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.62€2.33
$1.59E£84.7
64.78%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81€2.50
$2.09E£112
34.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Brest
Cairo
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.88€1.67
$0.35E£18.83
437.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$39.58€35.21
$8.69E£464
355.47%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$8.32€7.40
$0.39E£21.02
2033.33%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.95€2.63
$0.22E£11.57
1240.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$30.97€27.54
$1.51E£80.5
1950.99%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.02€1.79
$0.43E£22.88
369.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.8K€32.7K
$32.7KE£1.7M
12.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.3K€30.6K
$27.2KE£1.5M
26.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brest
Cairo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$141€126
$27.27E£1,456
418.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.20€24.20
$8.58E£458
217.02%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.11€27.67
$13.99E£747
122.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brest
Cairo
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$35.05€31.18
$29.69E£1,585
18.05%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.12€13.45
$7.25E£387
108.55%
Cinema Ticket
$13.74€12.22
$4.86E£260
182.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brest
Cairo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$223€198
$121E£6,438
84.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.4K€10.1K
$3,560E£190.1K
219.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brest
Cairo
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.1€61.4
$40.28E£2,151
71.45%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.43€27.07
$49.53E£2,645
-38.56%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$76.7€68.2
$115E£6,137
-33.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.5€61.8
$60.0E£3,206
15.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brest
Cairo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$512€456
$222E£11.9K
130.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$380€338
$195E£10.4K
94.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$882€784
$550E£29.3K
60.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$733€652
$346E£18.5K
111.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,804€2,494
$800E£42.7K
250.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,503€2,226
$525E£28.0K
376.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brest
Cairo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,642€2,350
$200E£10.7K
1222.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.82
16.21
-76.43%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Brest: October 11, 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.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Brest
$380 27.5%
Cairo
$195 30.2% ↓ 48.6%$185
🛒Groceries & Markets
Brest
$303 21.9%
Cairo
$142 21.9% ↓ 53.2%$161
🍽Eating Out
Brest
$256 18.5%
Cairo
$90 13.9% ↓ 64.8%$166
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brest
$200 14.5%
Cairo
$50 7.7% ↓ 75%$150
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Brest
$111 8%
Cairo
$119 18.4% ↑ 7.8%$8.6
🚌Getting Around
Brest
$70 5.1%
Cairo
$12 1.8% ↓ 83.5%$59
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Brest
$63 4.5%
Cairo
$39 6.1% ↓ 37%$23
🏠Accommodation & Living
Brest
$733 25%
Cairo
$346 24.3% ↓ 52.8%$387
🛒Groceries & Markets
Brest
$709 24.2%
Cairo
$324 22.8% ↓ 54.3%$385
🍽Eating Out
Brest
$734 25%
Cairo
$320 22.5% ↓ 56.4%$414
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brest
$227 7.7%
Cairo
$58 4.1% ↓ 74.2%$168
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Brest
$246 8.4%
Cairo
$265 18.6% ↑ 7.8%$19
🚌Getting Around
Brest
$144 4.9%
Cairo
$24 1.7% ↓ 83.4%$120
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Brest
$140 4.8%
Cairo
$86 6.1% ↓ 38.6%$54
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $512 in Brest and $222 in Cairo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Brest pays 1223% 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: $45.00 in Brest vs $28.00 in Cairo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $303 vs $142 per month, with Cairo cheaper across the board.
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
Brest vs Cairo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Brest or Cairo?
Cairo wins on cost – living expenses run 114% lower than in Brest. 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 Brest or in Cairo?
Average pay runs 1223% higher in Brest, 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 Brest compared to Cairo?
Rent for a central apartment: $512 in Brest versus $222 in Cairo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Brest and in Cairo?
Dining out is cheaper in Cairo – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $45.00 in Brest. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Brest compared to Cairo?
All in, you'll spend $1,381 per month in Brest versus $647 in Cairo – a 114% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Brest or in Cairo?
At $647 in Cairo versus $1,381 in Brest, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cairo but tight or insufficient in Brest. The gap between the two cities makes Cairo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Brest 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 Brest compared to Cairo?
Safety-wise, Brest 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 114% less than in Brest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.