Cost of Living Comparison Between Cairo and Ismailia Cost of Living Comparison Between Cairo and Ismailia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $523 per month in Cairo vs $348 in Ismailia, rent included.

A couple spends around $845 per month in Cairo vs $598 in Ismailia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,167 per month in Cairo vs $847 in Ismailia, rent included.

Cairo costs about 50% more than Ismailia, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cairo and Ismailia are more affordable than the global median – Cairo 61% lower, Ismailia 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.03 E£206

$3.50 E£179

15.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.77 E£1,010

$15.57 E£795

26.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 E£254

$4.49 E£229

10.69%

Cappuccino

$1.48 E£75.5

$1.01 E£51.6

46.53%

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

$0.36 E£18.58

$0.29 E£14.81

24.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 E£6.55

$0.09 E£4.83

44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 E£69.6

$1.20 E£61.5

13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 E£144

$1.99 E£102

41.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 E£44.59

$0.82 E£41.71

6.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 E£30.47

$0.39 E£19.89

53.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 E£35.28

$0.61 E£31.35

13.11%

Eggs

$1.54 E£78.7

$1.40 E£71.6

10.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.26 E£166

$3.00 E£153

8.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 E£219

$3.61 E£184

18.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.47 E£433

$8.14 E£415

4.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 E£77.7

$1.43 E£73.0

6.29%

Banana (1kg)

$0.56 E£28.61

$0.58 E£29.74

-3.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.48 E£24.35

$0.39 E£19.80

23.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.42 E£21.28

$0.29 E£14.68

44.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 E£23.84

$0.38 E£19.36

23.68%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 E£20.62

$0.39 E£19.88

2.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 E£12.26

$0.21 E£10.78

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.17 E£8.78

$0.17 E£8.84

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.02 E£103

$1.64 E£83.7

23.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.81 E£399

$6.01 E£307

29.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 E£62.2

$1.02 E£51.9

19.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 E£89.5

$2.02 E£103

-13.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 E£15.83

$0.27 E£13.81

14.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.94 E£303

$4.01 E£205

48.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 E£21.26

$0.31 E£15.63

35.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 E£16.00

$0.43 E£21.92

-27.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 E£51.2

$2.02 E£103

-50.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.31 E£15.64

$0.33 E£17.03

-6.06%

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

$35.5K E£1.8M

$30.0K E£1.5M

18.47%

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

$30.4K E£1.6M

$16.0K E£815.9K

90.20%

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

$25.86 E£1,320

$11.32 E£578

128.45%

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

$8.32 E£425

$5.73 E£292

45.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.53 E£640

$7.68 E£392

63.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.83 E£808

$12.00 E£613

31.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.94 E£354

$19.86 E£1,014

-65.06%

Cinema Ticket

$3.50 E£179

$2.01 E£103

74.13%

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

$92.9 E£4,741

$89.2 E£4,553

4.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,997 E£101.9K

$1,243 E£63.5K

60.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.12 E£1,588

$12.72 E£649

144.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.95 E£2,295

$9.69 E£495

363.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 E£5,468

$107 E£5,451

0.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.6 E£3,043

$50.6 E£2,581

17.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$207 E£10.6K

$89.2 E£4,553

131.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$131 E£6,691

$40.26 E£2,055

225.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$420 E£21.5K

$146 E£7,430

188.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 E£13.0K

$87.8 E£4,480

189.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$877 E£44.8K

$505 E£25.8K

73.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$496 E£25.3K

$138 E£7,034

259.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$214 E£10.9K

$109 E£5,567

96.06%

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 Ismailia: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $207 in Cairo versus $89.2 in Ismailia. 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 96% 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 $20.00 in Cairo versus $16.00 in Ismailia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $126 vs $111 – making Ismailia 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 Ismailia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cairo is pricier by about 50%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $522 in Ismailia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 13% 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 $20.00 in Cairo and $16.00 in Ismailia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $523 in Cairo and $348 in Ismailia, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Ismailia – 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 Ismailia. 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.