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 $434 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

A couple spends around $845 per month in Cairo vs $691 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,167 per month in Cairo vs $948 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

Cairo costs about 20% 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 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.03 E£206

$3.52 E£180

14.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.77 E£1,010

$14.01 E£715

41.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 E£254

$3.94 E£201

26.14%

Cappuccino

$1.48 E£75.5

$0.95 E£48.75

55.79%

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

$0.36 E£18.58

$0.29 E£14.73

24.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 E£6.55

$0.11 E£5.74

18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 E£69.6

$1.18 E£60.1

15.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 E£144

$2.90 E£148

-2.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 E£44.59

$0.81 E£41.35

7.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 E£30.47

$0.29 E£14.55

106.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 E£35.28

$0.53 E£27.22

30.19%

Eggs

$1.54 E£78.7

$1.40 E£71.5

10.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.26 E£166

$2.43 E£124

34.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 E£219

$4.27 E£218

0.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.47 E£433

$7.36 E£375

15.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 E£77.7

$1.29 E£65.7

17.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.56 E£28.61

$0.54 E£27.59

3.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.48 E£24.35

$0.43 E£21.92

11.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.42 E£21.28

$0.27 E£13.86

55.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 E£23.84

$0.32 E£16.54

46.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 E£20.62

$0.41 E£20.92

-2.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 E£12.26

$0.24 E£12.28

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.17 E£8.78

$0.17 E£8.69

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.02 E£103

$1.98 E£101

2.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.81 E£399

$5.90 E£301

32.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 E£62.2

$1.40 E£71.5

-12.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 E£89.5

$2.59 E£132

-32.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 E£15.83

$0.19 E£9.81

63.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.94 E£303

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 E£21.26

$0.39 E£19.88

7.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 E£16.00

$0.11 E£5.55

181.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 E£51.2

$1.01 E£51.3

-0.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.31 E£15.64

$0.32 E£16.58

-3.13%

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

$35.5K E£1.8M

$36.1K E£1.8M

-1.55%

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

$30.4K E£1.6M

$33.3K E£1.7M

-8.62%

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

$25.86 E£1,320

$11.53 E£589

124.28%

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

$8.32 E£425

$5.73 E£293

45.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.53 E£640

$9.84 E£502

27.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.83 E£808

$21.96 E£1,121

-27.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.94 E£354

Cinema Ticket

$3.50 E£179

$2.94 E£150

19.05%

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

$92.9 E£4,741

$33.28 E£1,699

179.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,997 E£101.9K

$1,818 E£92.8K

9.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.12 E£1,588

$18.04 E£921

72.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.95 E£2,295

$43.55 E£2,223

3.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 E£5,468

$109 E£5,561

-1.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.6 E£3,043

$49.70 E£2,537

19.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$207 E£10.6K

$191 E£9,775

8.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$131 E£6,691

$100 E£5,106

31.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$420 E£21.5K

$310 E£15.8K

35.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 E£13.0K

$178 E£9,107

42.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$877 E£44.8K

$900 E£46.0K

-2.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$496 E£25.3K

$447 E£22.8K

10.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$214 E£10.9K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for El Mahalla El Kubra: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $207 in Cairo versus $191 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: $126 vs $111 – 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 20%, 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 $785 per month in Cairo and $651 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 $434 in El Mahalla El Kubra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $92.9 per month in Cairo and $33.28 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 $434 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.