For one person, living is cheaper in Cairo: $647 a month against $1,237 in Bar, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half 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 Cairo and in Bar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $647 in Cairo versus $1,237 in Bar.
Cairo $647
Bar $1,237
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,035 in Cairo versus $1,945 in Bar.
Cairo $1,035
Bar $1,945
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,423 in Cairo versus $2,653 in Bar.
Cairo $1,423
Bar $2,653
🌍
Living in Cairo costs roughly 48% less than in Bar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Cairo52% lower, Bar8% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cairo
Bar
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.64E£248
$11.31€10.06
-58.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.12E£1,501
$47.39€42.16
-40.66%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.03E£322
$10.22€9.09
-41.00%
Cappuccino
$1.72E£92.1
$2.76€2.45
-37.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36E£19.38
$2.15€1.91
-83.26%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.12E£6.41
$1.91€1.70
-93.72%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.51E£80.4
$2.81€2.50
-46.26%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.32E£124
$3.00€2.67
-22.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cairo
Bar
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.92E£48.92
$1.17€1.04
-21.37%
White Bread(500g)
$0.73E£38.92
$1.35€1.20
-45.93%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.74E£39.64
$2.57€2.29
-71.21%
Eggs
$1.19E£63.7
$3.14€2.80
-62.10%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.33E£231
$8.28€7.36
-47.71%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.03E£269
$8.08€7.18
-37.75%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.28E£496
$11.46€10.20
-19.02%
Apples(1kg)
$1.77E£94.4
$1.42€1.26
24.65%
Banana(1kg)
$0.73E£39.03
$2.01€1.79
-63.68%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.55E£29.51
$1.55€1.38
-64.52%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.50E£26.91
$2.67€2.38
-81.27%
Potato(1kg)
$0.42E£22.42
$0.98€0.87
-57.14%
Onion(1kg)
$0.41E£21.81
$1.05€0.93
-60.95%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.33E£17.51
$2.11€1.88
-84.36%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.21E£11.20
$0.93€0.82
-77.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.98E£106
$4.44€3.95
-55.41%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.81E£417
$8.29€7.37
-5.79%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59E£84.7
$0.94€0.84
69.15%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09E£112
$1.37€1.22
52.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Cairo
Bar
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.35E£18.83
$2.17€1.93
-83.87%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$8.69E£464
$21.90€19.48
-60.32%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.39E£21.02
$2.21€1.96
-82.35%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.22E£11.57
$1.14€1.01
-80.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.51E£80.5
$13.89€12.35
-89.13%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.43E£22.88
$1.67€1.48
-74.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.7KE£1.7M
$31.3K€27.9K
4.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2KE£1.5M
$28.9K€25.7K
-5.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
Bar
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$27.27E£1,456
$108€95.8
-74.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.58E£458
$16.37€14.56
-47.59%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.99E£747
$29.15€25.93
-52.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
Bar
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$29.69E£1,585
$42.71€37.99
-30.48%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.25E£387
$14.84€13.20
-51.15%
Cinema Ticket
$4.86E£260
$4.47€3.98
8.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cairo
Bar
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$121E£6,438
$310€275
-61.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,560E£190.1K
$6,915€6,151
-48.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
Bar
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.28E£2,151
$62.2€55.3
-35.19%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.53E£2,645
$29.36€26.12
68.70%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115E£6,137
$96.4€85.7
19.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$60.0E£3,206
$112€99.5
-46.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cairo
Bar
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$222E£11.9K
$625€556
-64.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$195E£10.4K
$434€386
-55.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$550E£29.3K
$1,131€1,006
-51.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$346E£18.5K
$823€732
-57.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$800E£42.7K
$2,982€2,652
-73.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$525E£28.0K
$2,094€1,862
-74.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cairo
Bar
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$200E£10.7K
$965€858
-79.29%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
16.21
5
224.20%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cairo: October 11, 2026
Last update for Bar: 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
Cairo
$195 30.2%
Bar
$434 35.1% ↑ 122%$239
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cairo
$142 21.9%
Bar
$235 19% ↑ 65.7%$93
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
$119 18.4%
Bar
$135 10.9% ↑ 13.2%$16
🍽Eating Out
Cairo
$90 13.9%
Bar
$190 15.4% ↑ 112%$100
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
$50 7.7%
Bar
$153 12.4% ↑ 208%$103
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
$39 6.1%
Bar
$52 4.2% ↑ 31.1%$12
🚌Getting Around
Cairo
$12 1.8%
Bar
$38 3.1% ↑ 232%$27
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cairo
$346 24.3%
Bar
$823 31% ↑ 138%$477
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cairo
$324 22.8%
Bar
$545 20.5% ↑ 68.3%$221
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
$265 18.6%
Bar
$300 11.3% ↑ 13.2%$35
🍽Eating Out
Cairo
$320 22.5%
Bar
$617 23.2% ↑ 92.7%$297
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
$58 4.1%
Bar
$170 6.4% ↑ 190%$111
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
$86 6.1%
Bar
$118 4.5% ↑ 37.3%$32
🚌Getting Around
Cairo
$24 1.7%
Bar
$81 3.1% ↑ 241%$57
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $222 in Cairo and $625 in Bar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Bar pays 383% 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 $47.00 in Bar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $142 vs $235 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
Cairo vs Bar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Cairo or Bar?
Cairo wins on cost – living expenses run 91% lower than in Bar. 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 Cairo or in Bar?
On paper, salaries run 383% lower in Bar. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Cairo compared to Bar?
Rent for a central apartment: $222 in Cairo versus $625 in Bar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Cairo and in Bar?
Childcare runs $121 in Cairo versus $310 in Bar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Cairo or in Bar?
Supermarket bills run roughly 66% higher in Bar. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Cairo or in Bar?
At $647 in Cairo versus $1,237 in Bar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cairo but tight or insufficient in Bar. The gap between the two cities makes Cairo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Cairo or Bar?
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 Cairo compared to Bar?
Safety-wise, Cairo and Bar 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 91% less than in Bar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.