For one person, living is cheaper in Cairo: $643 a month against $1,604 in Budva, rent and utilities included – about $11,500 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 Budva actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $643 per month in Cairo vs $1,604 in Budva, rent included.
Cairo $643
Budva $1,604
A couple spends around $1,037 per month in Cairo vs $2,553 in Budva, rent included.
Cairo $1,037
Budva $2,553
A family of three spends $1,431 per month in Cairo vs $3,501 in Budva, rent included.
Cairo $1,431
Budva $3,501
🙂
Cairo is about 60% cheaper than Budva, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
Cairo sits 52% below the global median, while Budva is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cairo
Budva
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.69E£245
$14.84€13.24
-68.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.49E£1,491
$68.4€61.0
-58.33%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.03E£315
$13.49€12.04
-55.30%
Cappuccino
$1.81E£94.7
$3.42€3.05
-47.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35E£18.18
$2.25€2.01
-84.44%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.15E£7.95
$1.54€1.37
-90.26%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.45E£76.0
$4.80€4.28
-69.79%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24E£117
$4.30€3.84
-47.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cairo
Budva
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.97E£50.7
$1.21€1.08
-19.83%
White Bread(500g)
$0.73E£37.96
$1.09€0.98
-33.03%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.77E£40.24
$2.21€1.97
-65.16%
Eggs
$1.17E£61.2
$2.99€2.67
-60.87%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.32E£226
$8.74€7.80
-50.57%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.07E£265
$9.23€8.24
-45.07%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.92E£467
$12.51€11.16
-28.70%
Apples(1kg)
$1.83E£95.8
$1.28€1.14
42.97%
Banana(1kg)
$0.75E£39.07
$1.67€1.49
-55.09%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.57E£29.78
$1.48€1.32
-61.49%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.51E£26.62
$2.83€2.53
-81.98%
Potato(1kg)
$0.38E£20.05
$0.94€0.84
-59.57%
Onion(1kg)
$0.42E£21.88
$1.06€0.95
-60.38%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.35E£18.43
$1.64€1.47
-78.66%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.24E£12.57
$0.91€0.81
-73.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.99E£104
$4.36€3.89
-54.36%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.48E£391
$7.68€6.85
-2.60%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.52E£79.4
$1.12€1.00
35.71%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13E£112
$1.69€1.50
26.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Cairo
Budva
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.33E£17.10
$2.84€2.54
-88.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$8.66E£453
$40.03€35.73
-78.37%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.37E£19.27
$1.13€1.01
-67.26%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.20E£10.65
$1.15€1.02
-82.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.49E£77.8
$16.90€15.08
-91.18%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.46E£23.94
$1.72€1.53
-73.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.6KE£1.7M
$29.6K€26.4K
10.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.4KE£1.5M
$26.2K€23.3K
8.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
Budva
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$27.54E£1,441
$163€145
-83.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.27E£432
$14.79€13.20
-44.08%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$14.05E£735
$33.37€29.78
-57.90%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
Budva
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$28.27E£1,479
$58.8€52.5
-51.91%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.70E£350
$21.72€19.39
-69.15%
Cinema Ticket
$4.40E£230
$6.19€5.52
-28.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cairo
Budva
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$121E£6,356
$395€352
-69.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,619E£189.3K
$9,585€8,553
-62.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
Budva
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.16E£2,101
$104€92.7
-61.35%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.61E£2,596
$44.73€39.91
10.91%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115E£6,033
$97.7€87.2
17.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$60.6E£3,170
$177€158
-65.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cairo
Budva
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$220E£11.5K
$823€735
-73.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$194E£10.2K
$592€528
-67.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$514E£26.9K
$1,484€1,324
-65.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$334E£17.5K
$1,168€1,042
-71.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$806E£42.2K
$4,175€3,726
-80.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$513E£26.9K
$2,981€2,660
-82.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cairo
Budva
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$200E£10.5K
$1,031€920
-80.59%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
16.21
5.95
172.44%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cairo: October 3, 2026
Last update for Budva: October 5, 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
$194 30.1%
Budva
$592 36.8% ↑ 205%$398
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cairo
$141 21.9%
Budva
$237 14.7% ↑ 67.7%$96
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
$120 18.6%
Budva
$190 11.8% ↑ 59.2%$71
🍽Eating Out
Cairo
$91 14.1%
Budva
$248 15.4% ↑ 172%$157
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
$50 7.7%
Budva
$211 13.1% ↑ 323%$161
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
$37 5.8%
Budva
$71 4.4% ↑ 91.9%$34
🚌Getting Around
Cairo
$11 1.8%
Budva
$58 3.6% ↑ 413%$47
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cairo
$334 23.7%
Budva
$1.2K 33.5% ↑ 250%$834
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cairo
$323 22.9%
Budva
$552 15.8% ↑ 70.8%$229
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
$266 18.9%
Budva
$423 12.1% ↑ 59.2%$157
🍽Eating Out
Cairo
$324 23%
Budva
$837 24% ↑ 158%$513
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
$58 4.1%
Budva
$226 6.5% ↑ 288%$168
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
$81 5.7%
Budva
$164 4.7% ↑ 103%$83
🚌Getting Around
Cairo
$23 1.7%
Budva
$122 3.5% ↑ 423%$99
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $220 in Cairo versus $823 in Budva. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 415% higher in Budva, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Cairo versus $68.0 in Budva. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $141 vs $237 – making Cairo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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 Budva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Cairo and in Budva compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $643 in Cairo, $1,604 in Budva – roughly 149% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Cairo compared to Budva?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $965 per month in Cairo and $2,406 in Budva. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Cairo and Budva?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Cairo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Cairo or Budva?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $643 in Cairo and $1,604 in Budva. That's a gap of about 149%.
How do commuting costs compare in Cairo and in Budva?
Public transport costs about 362% less in Cairo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cairo, where all-in costs run around $643, than in Budva at $1,604. In Cairo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budva it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Cairo or Budva?
Families tend to lean toward Cairo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Cairo or Budva safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Cairo and Budva?
If budget matters most, go with Cairo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Budva makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.