Cost of Living Comparison Between Cairo and El Faiyum Cost of Living Comparison Between Cairo and El Faiyum

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $658 per month in Cairo vs $451 in El Faiyum, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,056 per month in Cairo vs $759 in El Faiyum, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,453 per month in Cairo vs $1,067 in El Faiyum, rent included.

Cairo costs about 46% more than El Faiyum, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cairo and El Faiyum are more affordable than the global median – Cairo 52% lower, El Faiyum 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.83 E£246

$2.43 E£124

98.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.14 E£1,483

$13.87 E£706

110.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.73 E£292

$4.95 E£252

15.76%

Cappuccino

$1.79 E£90.9

$1.26 E£64.1

42.06%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 E£19.38

$0.34 E£17.35

11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 E£7.26

$0.12 E£6.33

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 E£74.5

$1.40 E£71.3

4.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 E£118

$2.99 E£152

-22.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 E£49.66

$0.72 E£36.73

36.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 E£41.73

$0.76 E£38.78

7.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 E£38.87

$0.66 E£33.83

15.15%

Eggs

$1.28 E£65.4

$1.21 E£61.7

5.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.10 E£208

$2.99 E£152

37.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.91 E£250

$4.40 E£224

11.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.12 E£464

$8.09 E£412

12.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 E£97.7

$1.57 E£80.1

22.29%

Banana (1kg)

$0.77 E£39.24

$0.68 E£34.59

13.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.62 E£31.31

$0.58 E£29.43

6.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 E£29.47

$0.35 E£18.05

65.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.43 E£21.74

$0.25 E£12.69

72.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.41 E£20.93

$0.34 E£17.05

20.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 E£18.40

$0.27 E£13.73

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.22 E£11.14

$0.20 E£10.15

10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 E£108

$2.01 E£102

5.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.83 E£398

$5.92 E£301

32.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 E£79.2

$1.31 E£66.7

19.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 E£110

$2.27 E£116

-4.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 E£17.24

$0.07 E£3.48

385.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.88 E£401

$5.77 E£293

36.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.40 E£20.42

$0.46 E£23.37

-13.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 E£10.49

$0.31 E£15.81

-32.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 E£81.7

$1.01 E£51.6

59.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.44 E£22.23

$0.39 E£19.97

12.82%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.0K E£1.8M

$32.7K E£1.7M

6.96%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$29.6K E£1.5M

$28.7K E£1.5M

3.18%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$26.99 E£1,373

$14.37 E£731

87.82%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$8.74 E£445

$7.43 E£378

17.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.95 E£710

$13.93 E£709

0.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.83 E£1,314

$24.75 E£1,259

4.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 E£344

$25.10 E£1,277

-73.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.03 E£205

$2.39 E£121

68.62%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$110 E£5,613

$26.07 E£1,327

323.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,434 E£174.7K

$896 E£45.6K

283.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.83 E£2,230

$33.13 E£1,686

32.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.37 E£2,410

$45.20 E£2,300

4.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 E£5,979

$125 E£6,339

-5.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.2 E£3,213

$46.90 E£2,386

34.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$213 E£10.9K

$185 E£9,388

15.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$199 E£10.1K

$84.6 E£4,305

135.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$522 E£26.5K

$334 E£17.0K

56.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 E£17.8K

$180 E£9,164

94.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$813 E£41.4K

$419 E£21.3K

94.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$520 E£26.4K

$210 E£10.7K

147.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$203 E£10.3K

$71.2 E£3,621

185.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.21

170.17%

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

Last update for Cairo: August 31, 2026

Last update for El Faiyum: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $213 in Cairo versus $185 in El Faiyum. 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 186% higher in Cairo, 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 $29.00 in Cairo versus $14.00 in El Faiyum. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $144 vs $121 – making El Faiyum the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 El Faiyum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cairo is pricier by about 46%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $988 per month in Cairo and $676 in El Faiyum. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in El Faiyum, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Cairo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Cairo and $14.00 in El Faiyum. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $658 in Cairo and $451 in El Faiyum, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward El Faiyum – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with El Faiyum. 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.