Cost of Living Comparison Between Cairo and Al-hawamidiyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Cairo and Al-hawamidiyah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $518 per month in Cairo vs $465 in Al-hawamidiyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $831 per month in Cairo vs $755 in Al-hawamidiyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,144 per month in Cairo vs $1,045 in Al-hawamidiyah, rent included.

Cairo costs about 11% more than Al-hawamidiyah, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Cairo and Al-hawamidiyah are more affordable than the global median – Cairo 61% lower, Al-hawamidiyah 65% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cairo
Al-hawamidiyah
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.84 E£202
$3.62 E£190
6.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$20.05 E£1,055
$15.74 E£828
27.38%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.92 E£259
$4.70 E£247
4.68%
Cappuccino
$1.55 E£81.4
$1.48 E£78.1
4.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36 E£19.12
$0.29 E£15.00
24.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.13 E£6.81
$0.12 E£6.36
8.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.40 E£73.6
$1.22 E£64.3
14.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 E£146
$2.97 E£156
-6.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cairo
Al-hawamidiyah
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.93 E£48.85
$0.86 E£45.36
8.14%
White Bread (500g)
$0.64 E£33.45
$0.73 E£38.17
-12.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.72 E£38.01
$0.65 E£34.09
10.77%
Eggs
$1.53 E£80.7
$1.45 E£76.4
5.52%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.42 E£180
$3.95 E£208
-13.42%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.34 E£228
$4.46 E£235
-2.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.81 E£464
$9.80 E£516
-10.10%
Apples (1kg)
$1.52 E£79.8
$1.43 E£75.3
6.29%
Banana (1kg)
$0.60 E£31.78
$0.55 E£28.84
9.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.50 E£26.42
$0.42 E£22.27
19.05%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.38 E£20.13
$0.37 E£19.31
2.70%
Potato (1kg)
$0.50 E£26.28
$0.38 E£19.98
31.58%
Onion (1kg)
$0.43 E£22.83
$0.43 E£22.88
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.22 E£11.51
$0.24 E£12.68
-8.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.20 E£10.39
$0.22 E£11.33
-9.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.03 E£107
$2.02 E£106
0.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.78 E£409
$4.97 E£262
56.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.22 E£64.1
$1.42 E£74.5
-14.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 E£91.0
$2.69 E£141
-35.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Cairo
Al-hawamidiyah
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 E£15.22
$0.19 E£10.10
52.63%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$6.21 E£327
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.42 E£22.03
$0.56 E£29.56
-25.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.29 E£15.12
$0.46 E£24.07
-36.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$0.97 E£51.0
$2.01 E£106
-51.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.31 E£16.06
$0.31 E£16.15
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.1K E£1.9M
$35.0K E£1.8M
3.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.0K E£1.6M
$33.8K E£1.8M
-11.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
Al-hawamidiyah
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$26.21 E£1,379
$11.50 E£605
127.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.03 E£423
$5.66 E£298
41.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$12.43 E£654
$10.09 E£531
23.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
Al-hawamidiyah
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$16.01 E£842
$22.05 E£1,160
-27.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.74 E£355
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.65 E£192
$3.03 E£160
20.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cairo
Al-hawamidiyah
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$93.7 E£4,927
$88.1 E£4,635
6.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,976 E£104.0K
$1,870 E£98.4K
5.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
Al-hawamidiyah
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$31.27 E£1,645
$28.03 E£1,475
11.56%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.03 E£2,316
$48.65 E£2,560
-9.50%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 E£5,607
$106 E£5,601
0.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.5 E£3,132
$51.0 E£2,685
16.63%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cairo
Al-hawamidiyah
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$208 E£10.9K
$188 E£9,884
10.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$131 E£6,889
$100 E£5,278
30.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$414 E£21.8K
$312 E£16.4K
32.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$248 E£13.0K
$176 E£9,264
40.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$929 E£48.9K
$764 E£40.2K
21.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$523 E£27.5K
$434 E£22.9K
20.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cairo
Al-hawamidiyah
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$173 E£9,086
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
16.67
17
-1.94%

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

Last update for Cairo: April 21, 2026

Last update for Al-hawamidiyah: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $208 in Cairo versus $188 in Al-hawamidiyah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20 in Cairo versus $16 in Al-hawamidiyah. Groceries tell a different story – $129 in Cairo vs $130 in Al-hawamidiyah – 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
Cairo vs Al-hawamidiyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Cairo or Al-hawamidiyah?
Cairo costs about 11% more than Al-hawamidiyah, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Cairo vs Al-hawamidiyah?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $778 per month in Cairo and $698 in Al-hawamidiyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Cairo or Al-hawamidiyah?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Al-hawamidiyah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Cairo vs Al-hawamidiyah?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Cairo and $16.00 in Al-hawamidiyah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Cairo or Al-hawamidiyah?
Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Cairo – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Can you live on $800/month in Cairo or Al-hawamidiyah?
$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $518 in Cairo and $465 in Al-hawamidiyah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Al-hawamidiyah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Cairo compared to Al-hawamidiyah?
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.
Should I move to Cairo or Al-hawamidiyah?
If budget matters most, go with Al-hawamidiyah. 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.

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