Cost of Living Comparison Between Cairo and El Mahalla El Kubra Cost of Living Comparison Between Cairo and El Mahalla El Kubra

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $523 per month in Cairo vs $438 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

A couple spends around $843 per month in Cairo vs $689 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,163 per month in Cairo vs $939 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

Cairo costs about 19% more than El Mahalla El Kubra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cairo and El Mahalla El Kubra are more affordable than the global median – Cairo 61% lower, El Mahalla El Kubra 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.03 E£209

$3.55 E£184

13.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.82 E£1,028

$13.58 E£705

45.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.88 E£254

$3.98 E£207

22.61%

Cappuccino

$1.50 E£77.7

$0.96 E£49.99

56.25%

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

$0.37 E£18.97

$0.31 E£16.31

19.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 E£6.89

$0.13 E£6.50

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.42 E£73.5

$1.16 E£60.2

22.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 E£146

$3.02 E£157

-6.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 E£48.26

$0.79 E£41.06

17.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 E£30.52

$0.29 E£15.03

103.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 E£38.59

$0.58 E£30.30

27.59%

Eggs

$1.54 E£80.1

$1.45 E£75.2

6.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.31 E£172

$2.50 E£130

32.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.34 E£225

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.42 E£437

$7.32 E£380

15.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 E£81.1

$1.29 E£67.1

20.93%

Banana (1kg)

$0.56 E£29.09

$0.58 E£29.98

-3.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.47 E£24.26

$0.42 E£21.84

11.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.39 E£20.24

$0.27 E£14.04

44.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 E£24.00

$0.35 E£18.34

31.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 E£20.96

$0.40 E£20.82

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.22 E£11.35

$0.22 E£11.38

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.23 E£11.73

$0.20 E£10.55

15.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.02 E£105

$1.90 E£98.7

6.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.86 E£408

$5.70 E£296

37.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 E£65.5

$1.41 E£73.2

-10.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 E£91.8

$2.57 E£133

-31.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 E£14.89

$0.19 E£9.74

52.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.97 E£310

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 E£19.84

$0.41 E£21.50

-7.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 E£14.96

$0.11 E£5.86

163.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 E£52.8

$0.95 E£49.37

7.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.31 E£15.84

$0.32 E£16.72

-3.13%

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

$36.1K E£1.9M

-0.23%

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

$30.7K E£1.6M

$32.5K E£1.7M

-5.72%

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

$26.21 E£1,360

$11.10 E£576

136.13%

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

$8.42 E£437

$5.58 E£290

50.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.30 E£638

$9.92 E£515

23.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.02 E£831

$22.42 E£1,164

-28.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.80 E£353

Cinema Ticket

$3.51 E£182

$2.90 E£151

21.03%

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

$91.9 E£4,770

$33.25 E£1,726

176.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,993 E£103.5K

$1,840 E£95.5K

8.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.43 E£1,631

$18.08 E£938

73.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.87 E£2,329

$43.33 E£2,249

3.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 E£5,562

$108 E£5,594

-0.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.5 E£2,986

$49.98 E£2,594

15.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$205 E£10.6K

$193 E£10.0K

5.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$130 E£6,771

$101 E£5,224

29.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 E£22.0K

$306 E£15.9K

38.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 E£13.0K

$180 E£9,349

38.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$843 E£43.7K

$785 E£40.7K

7.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$483 E£25.1K

$397 E£20.6K

21.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$196 E£10.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.67

-1.94%

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

Last update for Cairo: May 31, 2026

Last update for El Mahalla El Kubra: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $205 in Cairo versus $193 in El Mahalla El Kubra. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Cairo versus $14.00 in El Mahalla El Kubra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $128 vs $112 – making El Mahalla El Kubra 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 Mahalla El Kubra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cairo is pricier by about 19%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $784 per month in Cairo and $658 in El Mahalla El Kubra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $523 in Cairo and $438 in El Mahalla El Kubra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $91.9 per month in Cairo and $33.25 in El Mahalla El Kubra. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $523 in Cairo and $438 in El Mahalla El Kubra, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward El Mahalla El Kubra – 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 Mahalla El Kubra. 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.