For one person, living is cheaper in Cairo: $647 a month against $1,406 in Mlava, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
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 Mlava actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $647 per month in Cairo vs $1,406 in Mlava, rent included.
Cairo $647
Mlava $1,406
A couple spends around $1,035 per month in Cairo vs $1,992 in Mlava, rent included.
Cairo $1,035
Mlava $1,992
A family of three spends $1,423 per month in Cairo vs $2,577 in Mlava, rent included.
Cairo $1,423
Mlava $2,577
🙂
Cairo is about 54% cheaper than Mlava, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Cairo sits 52% below the global median, while Mlava is 4% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cairo
Mlava
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.64E£248
$10.13zł 39.35
-54.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.12E£1,501
$25.39zł 98.7
10.75%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.03E£322
$7.60zł 29.51
-20.66%
Cappuccino
$1.72E£92.1
$2.50zł 9.70
-31.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36E£19.38
$1.86zł 7.24
-80.65%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.12E£6.41
$1.61zł 6.25
-92.55%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.51E£80.4
$2.47zł 9.58
-38.87%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.32E£124
$3.78zł 14.69
-38.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cairo
Mlava
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.92E£48.92
$1.04zł 4.04
-11.54%
White Bread(500g)
$0.73E£38.92
$1.66zł 6.46
-56.02%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.74E£39.64
$0.96zł 3.74
-22.92%
Eggs
$1.19E£63.7
$3.64zł 14.13
-67.31%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.33E£231
$8.72zł 33.87
-50.34%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.03E£269
$6.86zł 26.65
-26.68%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.28E£496
$11.68zł 45.38
-20.55%
Apples(1kg)
$1.77E£94.4
$1.36zł 5.27
30.15%
Banana(1kg)
$0.73E£39.03
$1.73zł 6.71
-57.80%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.55E£29.51
$1.56zł 6.05
-64.74%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.50E£26.91
$3.23zł 12.55
-84.52%
Potato(1kg)
$0.42E£22.42
$0.98zł 3.81
-57.14%
Onion(1kg)
$0.41E£21.81
$1.31zł 5.11
-68.70%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.33E£17.51
$1.10zł 4.27
-70.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.21E£11.20
$0.69zł 2.68
-69.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.98E£106
$4.58zł 17.79
-56.77%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.81E£417
$6.42zł 24.94
21.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59E£84.7
$1.06zł 4.12
50.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09E£112
$1.39zł 5.41
50.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Cairo
Mlava
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.35E£18.83
$0.96zł 3.71
-63.54%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$8.69E£464
$32.25zł 125
-73.05%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.39E£21.02
$2.10zł 8.14
-81.43%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.22E£11.57
$0.83zł 3.21
-73.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.51E£80.5
$9.71zł 37.71
-84.45%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.43E£22.88
$1.57zł 6.10
-72.61%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.7KE£1.7M
$30.7Kzł 119.1K
6.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2KE£1.5M
$27.4Kzł 106.6K
-0.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
Mlava
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$27.27E£1,456
$283zł 1,099
-90.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.58E£458
$6.26zł 24.33
37.06%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.99E£747
$7.61zł 29.55
83.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
Mlava
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$29.69E£1,585
$37.86zł 147
-21.58%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.25E£387
$22.41zł 87.1
-67.65%
Cinema Ticket
$4.86E£260
$5.21zł 20.24
-6.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cairo
Mlava
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$121E£6,438
$329zł 1,279
-63.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,560E£190.1K
$5,139zł 20.0K
-30.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
Mlava
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.28E£2,151
$80.3zł 312
-49.83%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.53E£2,645
$37.28zł 145
32.86%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115E£6,137
$87.5zł 340
31.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$60.0E£3,206
$76.1zł 296
-21.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cairo
Mlava
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$222E£11.9K
$608zł 2,363
-63.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$195E£10.4K
$505zł 1,962
-61.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$550E£29.3K
$979zł 3,802
-43.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$346E£18.5K
$805zł 3,129
-57.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$800E£42.7K
$2,881zł 11.2K
-72.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$525E£28.0K
$2,203zł 8,560
-76.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cairo
Mlava
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$200E£10.7K
$1,013zł 3,935
-80.28%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
16.21
6.89
135.27%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cairo: October 11, 2026
Last update for Mlava: October 11, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cairo
$195 30.2%
Mlava
$505 35.9% ↑ 159%$310
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cairo
$142 21.9%
Mlava
$220 15.6% ↑ 54.9%$78
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
$119 18.4%
Mlava
$127 9% ↑ 6.2%$7.4
🍽Eating Out
Cairo
$90 13.9%
Mlava
$168 11.9% ↑ 86.1%$78
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
$50 7.7%
Mlava
$297 21.1% ↑ 496%$247
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
$39 6.1%
Mlava
$48 3.4% ↑ 22.5%$8.9
🚌Getting Around
Cairo
$12 1.8%
Mlava
$42 3% ↑ 265%$31
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cairo
$346 24.3%
Mlava
$805 31.2% ↑ 133%$459
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cairo
$324 22.8%
Mlava
$519 20.2% ↑ 60.5%$196
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
$265 18.6%
Mlava
$281 10.9% ↑ 6.2%$16
🍽Eating Out
Cairo
$320 22.5%
Mlava
$463 18% ↑ 44.7%$143
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
$58 4.1%
Mlava
$303 11.8% ↑ 419%$245
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
$86 6.1%
Mlava
$119 4.6% ↑ 38.2%$33
🚌Getting Around
Cairo
$24 1.7%
Mlava
$87 3.4% ↑ 263%$63
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $222 in Cairo versus $608 in Mlava. 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 407% higher in Mlava, 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 $25.00 in Mlava. Groceries tell a different story – $142 in Cairo vs $220 in Mlava – so Cairo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
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 Mlava: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mlava cheaper than Cairo?
Yes – Mlava is pricier by about 117%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $970 per month in Cairo and $2,109 in Mlava. 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 Mlava?
Groceries cost about 55% more in Mlava, 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 Mlava?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Cairo and $25.00 in Mlava. 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 Mlava?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cairo, where all-in costs run around $647, than in Mlava at $1,406. In Cairo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mlava it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Cairo or Mlava 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 safer, Cairo or Mlava?
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.
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, Mlava makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.