Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cairo and Catania

For one person, living is cheaper in Cairo: $643 a month against $1,512 in Catania, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Cairo
🇪🇬 Egypt
$643
/mo nomad
Catania
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,512
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cairo and in Catania

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 Catania actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $643 per month in Cairo vs $1,512 in Catania, rent included.

  • Cairo $643
  • Catania $1,512

A couple spends around $1,037 per month in Cairo vs $2,354 in Catania, rent included.

  • Cairo $1,037
  • Catania $2,354

A family of three spends $1,431 per month in Cairo vs $3,197 in Catania, rent included.

  • Cairo $1,431
  • Catania $3,197

Cairo is about 57% cheaper than Catania, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Cairo sits 52% below the global median, while Catania is 13% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cairo
Catania
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.69 E£245
$16.57 €14.79
-71.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.49 E£1,491
$56.1 €50.0
-49.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.03 E£315
$11.02 €9.84
-45.28%
Cappuccino
$1.81 E£94.7
$2.21 €1.97
-18.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 E£18.18
$2.93 €2.62
-88.05%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.15 E£7.95
$1.90 €1.70
-92.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.45 E£76.0
$6.91 €6.17
-79.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 E£117
$4.32 €3.85
-48.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cairo
Catania
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.97 E£50.7
$1.22 €1.09
-20.49%
White Bread (500g)
$0.73 E£37.96
$1.67 €1.49
-56.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.77 E£40.24
$2.64 €2.36
-70.83%
Eggs
$1.17 E£61.2
$3.58 €3.20
-67.32%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.32 E£226
$11.18 €9.98
-61.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.07 E£265
$11.75 €10.49
-56.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.92 E£467
$15.53 €13.86
-42.56%
Apples (1kg)
$1.83 E£95.8
$2.02 €1.80
-9.41%
Banana (1kg)
$0.75 E£39.07
$1.74 €1.56
-56.90%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.57 E£29.78
$1.56 €1.39
-63.46%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.51 E£26.62
$3.00 €2.68
-83.00%
Potato (1kg)
$0.38 E£20.05
$1.76 €1.57
-78.41%
Onion (1kg)
$0.42 E£21.88
$1.30 €1.16
-67.69%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.35 E£18.43
$1.24 €1.11
-71.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.24 E£12.57
$0.47 €0.42
-48.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.99 E£104
$6.55 €5.85
-69.62%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.48 E£391
$7.87 €7.03
-4.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.52 E£79.4
$1.76 €1.57
-13.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13 E£112
$1.60 €1.43
33.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Cairo
Catania
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.33 E£17.10
$1.60 €1.43
-79.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.66 E£453
$36.34 €32.43
-76.17%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.37 E£19.27
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.20 E£10.65
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.49 E£77.8
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.46 E£23.94
$2.16 €1.93
-78.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.6K E£1.7M
$36.1K €32.2K
-9.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.4K E£1.5M
$36.0K €32.1K
-21.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
Catania
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$27.54 E£1,441
$312 €279
-91.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.27 E£432
$10.27 €9.16
-19.47%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$14.05 E£735
$35.53 €31.71
-60.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
Catania
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$28.27 E£1,479
$61.1 €54.6
-53.75%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.70 E£350
$14.21 €12.68
-52.85%
Cinema Ticket
$4.40 E£230
$9.56 €8.53
-53.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cairo
Catania
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$121 E£6,356
$444 €396
-72.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,619 E£189.3K
$6,653 €5,937
-45.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
Catania
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.16 E£2,101
$85.5 €76.3
-53.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.61 E£2,596
$33.16 €29.59
49.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 E£6,033
$86.2 €77.0
33.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$60.6 E£3,170
$126 €113
-51.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cairo
Catania
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$220 E£11.5K
$609 €543
-63.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$194 E£10.2K
$370 €330
-47.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$514 E£26.9K
$1,083 €966
-52.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$334 E£17.5K
$755 €674
-55.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$806 E£42.2K
$2,302 €2,054
-64.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$513 E£26.9K
$1,503 €1,341
-65.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cairo
Catania
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$200 E£10.5K
$1,772 €1,582
-88.70%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
16.21
3.55
356.62%

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

Last update for Cairo: October 3, 2026

Last update for Catania: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cairo
$194
Catania
$370 90.6% $176
Groceries & Markets
Cairo
$141
Catania
$281 98.7% $139
Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
$120
Catania
$149 24.6% $29
Eating Out
Cairo
$91
Catania
$255 180% $164
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
$50
Catania
$358 618% $308
Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
$37
Catania
$80 117% $43
Getting Around
Cairo
$11
Catania
$43 * 277% $31

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $220 in Cairo versus $609 in Catania. 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 785% higher in Catania, 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 $56.0 in Catania. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $141 vs $281 – making Cairo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇪🇬 Cairo
🇮🇹 Catania
🕒 Local time
09:12 9:12 AM
08:12 8:12 AM
1 h behind Cairo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,120,350 Capital
298,037
💱 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 Catania 1,700 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Cairo
  • Catania

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 Catania: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Catania cheaper than Cairo?
Yes – Catania is pricier by about 135%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $965 per month in Cairo and $2,268 in Catania. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
How do food prices compare in Cairo and in Catania?
Groceries cost about 99% more in Catania, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Cairo or in Catania?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Cairo and $56.0 in Catania. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Cairo or in Catania?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cairo, where all-in costs run around $643, than in Catania at $1,512. In Cairo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Catania it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Cairo or Catania more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Cairo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Catania makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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