Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cairo and Arnhem

For one person, living is cheaper in Cairo: $643 a month against $2,578 in Arnhem, rent and utilities included – about $23,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cairo
🇪🇬 Egypt
$643
/mo nomad
Arnhem
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,578
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cairo and in Arnhem

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $643 in Cairo versus $2,578 in Arnhem.

  • Cairo $643
  • Arnhem $2,578

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,037 in Cairo versus $3,771 in Arnhem.

  • Cairo $1,037
  • Arnhem $3,771

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,431 in Cairo versus $4,963 in Arnhem.

  • Cairo $1,431
  • Arnhem $4,963

Living in Cairo costs roughly 75% less than in Arnhem, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cairo is 52% below, Arnhem is 92% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cairo
Arnhem
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.69 E£245
$22.70 €20.26
-79.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.49 E£1,491
$87.4 €78.0
-67.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.03 E£315
$13.44 €11.99
-55.13%
Cappuccino
$1.81 E£94.7
$4.16 €3.71
-56.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 E£18.18
$3.29 €2.93
-89.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.15 E£7.95
$2.85 €2.54
-94.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.45 E£76.0
$5.65 €5.04
-74.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 E£117
$5.74 €5.12
-60.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cairo
Arnhem
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.97 E£50.7
$1.43 €1.27
-32.17%
White Bread (500g)
$0.73 E£37.96
$2.07 €1.85
-64.73%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.77 E£40.24
$2.33 €2.08
-66.95%
Eggs
$1.17 E£61.2
$5.39 €4.81
-78.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.32 E£226
$12.96 €11.57
-66.67%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.07 E£265
$14.57 €13.01
-65.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.92 E£467
$15.70 €14.01
-43.18%
Apples (1kg)
$1.83 E£95.8
$2.74 €2.44
-33.21%
Banana (1kg)
$0.75 E£39.07
$2.51 €2.24
-70.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.57 E£29.78
$1.83 €1.64
-68.85%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.51 E£26.62
$5.56 €4.96
-90.83%
Potato (1kg)
$0.38 E£20.05
$1.89 €1.68
-79.89%
Onion (1kg)
$0.42 E£21.88
$2.36 €2.11
-82.20%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.35 E£18.43
$1.28 €1.14
-72.66%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.24 E£12.57
$0.72 €0.64
-66.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.99 E£104
$14.29 €12.75
-86.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.48 E£391
$7.01 €6.26
6.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.52 E£79.4
$1.45 €1.30
4.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13 E£112
$2.65 €2.37
-19.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Cairo
Arnhem
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.33 E£17.10
$4.50 €4.02
-92.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.66 E£453
$110 €98.5
-92.16%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.37 E£19.27
$4.05 €3.62
-90.86%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.20 E£10.65
$2.38 €2.12
-91.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.49 E£77.8
$33.37 €29.78
-95.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.46 E£23.94
$2.49 €2.22
-81.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.6K E£1.7M
$40.7K €36.3K
-19.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.4K E£1.5M
$38.8K €34.7K
-26.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
Arnhem
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$27.54 E£1,441
$283 €253
-90.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.27 E£432
$23.28 €20.78
-64.48%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$14.05 E£735
$42.42 €37.86
-66.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
Arnhem
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$28.27 E£1,479
$41.76 €37.27
-32.30%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.70 E£350
$11.05 €9.86
-39.37%
Cinema Ticket
$4.40 E£230
$14.48 €12.92
-69.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cairo
Arnhem
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$121 E£6,356
$1,233 €1,100
-90.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,619 E£189.3K
$5,877 €5,245
-38.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
Arnhem
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.16 E£2,101
$97.6 €87.1
-58.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.61 E£2,596
$29.21 €26.06
69.84%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 E£6,033
$105 €93.7
9.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$60.6 E£3,170
$154 €138
-60.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cairo
Arnhem
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$220 E£11.5K
$1,431 €1,277
-84.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$194 E£10.2K
$1,181 €1,054
-83.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$514 E£26.9K
$2,217 €1,979
-76.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$334 E£17.5K
$1,793 €1,600
-81.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$806 E£42.2K
$5,196 €4,637
-84.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$513 E£26.9K
$4,230 €3,775
-87.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cairo
Arnhem
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$200 E£10.5K
$3,648 €3,255
-94.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
16.21
3.95
310.38%

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

Last update for Cairo: October 3, 2026

Last update for Arnhem: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cairo
$194
Arnhem
$1.2K 508% $987
Groceries & Markets
Cairo
$141
Arnhem
$339 140% $198
Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
$120
Arnhem
$174 45.4% $54
Eating Out
Cairo
$91
Arnhem
$336 269% $245
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
$50
Arnhem
$349 600% $299
Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
$37
Arnhem
$71 90.8% $34
Getting Around
Cairo
$11
Arnhem
$144 1172% $133

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $220 in Cairo and $1,431 in Arnhem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arnhem pays 1722% 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: $28.00 in Cairo vs $87.0 in Arnhem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $141 vs $339 per month, with Cairo cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇪🇬 Cairo
🇳🇱 Arnhem
🕒 Local time
06:48 6:48 AM
05:48 5:48 AM
1 h behind Cairo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,120,350 Capital
165,770
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to EGP – Egyptian Pound Converter

Egyptian Pound exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 52.32 EGP (100 EGP = 1.91 USD). 1 EUR = 58.68 EGP (100 EGP = 1.7 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cairo Arnhem 3,200 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Cairo
  • Arnhem

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
Cairo vs Arnhem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Cairo and in Arnhem?
Cairo and Arnhem differ by about 301% in total monthly costs ($643 vs $2,578 including rent). Cairo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 1722% lower in Arnhem. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Cairo and in Arnhem?
Rent for a central apartment: $220 in Cairo versus $1,431 in Arnhem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 140% higher in Arnhem. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Cairo – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $87.0 in Arnhem. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $643 in Cairo versus $2,578 in Arnhem, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cairo but tight or insufficient in Arnhem. The gap between the two cities makes Cairo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Cairo and Arnhem?
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.
Is Cairo or Arnhem safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Cairo and Arnhem are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Cairo or Arnhem?
Expats usually find Cairo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 301% less than in Arnhem. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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