Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cairo and Nis

For one person, living is cheaper in Cairo: $643 a month against $1,033 in Nis, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cairo
🇪🇬 Egypt
$643
/mo nomad
Nis
🇷🇸 Serbia
$1,033
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cairo and in Nis

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 Nis actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $643 per month in Cairo vs $1,033 in Nis, rent included.

  • Cairo $643
  • Nis $1,033

A couple spends around $1,037 per month in Cairo vs $1,512 in Nis, rent included.

  • Cairo $1,037
  • Nis $1,512

A family of three spends $1,431 per month in Cairo vs $1,991 in Nis, rent included.

  • Cairo $1,431
  • Nis $1,991

Cairo is about 38% cheaper than Nis, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Cairo and Nis are more affordable than the global median – Cairo 52% lower, Nis 23% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cairo
Nis
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.69 E£245
$8.78 RSD 915
-46.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.49 E£1,491
$33.92 RSD 3,533
-16.01%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.03 E£315
$9.57 RSD 997
-36.99%
Cappuccino
$1.81 E£94.7
$1.97 RSD 206
-8.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 E£18.18
$2.31 RSD 241
-84.85%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.15 E£7.95
$1.74 RSD 181
-91.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.45 E£76.0
$3.61 RSD 377
-59.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 E£117
$4.49 RSD 468
-50.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cairo
Nis
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.97 E£50.7
$1.14 RSD 119
-14.91%
White Bread (500g)
$0.73 E£37.96
$0.70 RSD 73.0
4.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.77 E£40.24
$1.76 RSD 183
-56.25%
Eggs
$1.17 E£61.2
$2.35 RSD 245
-50.21%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.32 E£226
$7.65 RSD 797
-43.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.07 E£265
$5.72 RSD 596
-11.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.92 E£467
$10.59 RSD 1,103
-15.77%
Apples (1kg)
$1.83 E£95.8
$1.11 RSD 116
64.86%
Banana (1kg)
$0.75 E£39.07
$1.68 RSD 175
-55.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.57 E£29.78
$1.50 RSD 157
-62.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.51 E£26.62
$2.17 RSD 226
-76.50%
Potato (1kg)
$0.38 E£20.05
$0.78 RSD 81.6
-51.28%
Onion (1kg)
$0.42 E£21.88
$0.72 RSD 74.5
-41.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.35 E£18.43
$0.64 RSD 66.4
-45.31%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.24 E£12.57
$0.58 RSD 60.4
-58.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.99 E£104
$4.42 RSD 460
-54.98%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.48 E£391
$5.78 RSD 602
29.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.52 E£79.4
$0.72 RSD 75.1
111.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13 E£112
$1.29 RSD 134
65.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Cairo
Nis
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.33 E£17.10
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.66 E£453
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.37 E£19.27
$1.84 RSD 192
-79.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.20 E£10.65
$0.66 RSD 68.6
-69.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.49 E£77.8
$8.29 RSD 864
-82.03%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.46 E£23.94
$1.89 RSD 197
-75.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.6K E£1.7M
$30.7K RSD 3.2M
6.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.4K E£1.5M
$24.0K RSD 2.5M
18.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
Nis
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$27.54 E£1,441
$160 RSD 16.7K
-82.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.27 E£432
$19.03 RSD 1,982
-56.54%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$14.05 E£735
$22.20 RSD 2,312
-36.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
Nis
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$28.27 E£1,479
$30.54 RSD 3,181
-7.43%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.70 E£350
$15.65 RSD 1,630
-57.19%
Cinema Ticket
$4.40 E£230
$4.68 RSD 488
-5.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cairo
Nis
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$121 E£6,356
$252 RSD 26.3K
-51.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,619 E£189.3K
$4,989 RSD 519.7K
-27.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
Nis
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.16 E£2,101
$88.4 RSD 9,213
-54.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.61 E£2,596
$37.42 RSD 3,898
32.58%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 E£6,033
$99.3 RSD 10.3K
16.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$60.6 E£3,170
$112 RSD 11.6K
-45.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cairo
Nis
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$220 E£11.5K
$398 RSD 41.4K
-44.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$194 E£10.2K
$277 RSD 28.9K
-29.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$514 E£26.9K
$591 RSD 61.6K
-13.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$334 E£17.5K
$397 RSD 41.4K
-16.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$806 E£42.2K
$2,531 RSD 263.6K
-68.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$513 E£26.9K
$1,884 RSD 196.3K
-72.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cairo
Nis
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$200 E£10.5K
$901 RSD 93.8K
-77.78%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
16.21
5.12
216.60%

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

Last update for Cairo: October 3, 2026

Last update for Nis: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cairo
$194
Nis
$277 42.7% $83
Groceries & Markets
Cairo
$141
Nis
$182 28.6% $40
Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
$120
Nis
$152 26.8% $32
Eating Out
Cairo
$91
Nis
$166 82.2% $75
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
$50
Nis
$202 305% $152
Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
$37
Nis
$40 7.6% $2.8
Getting Around
Cairo
$11
Nis
$5.1 * 54.7% $6.2

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $220 in Cairo versus $398 in Nis. 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 350% higher in Nis, 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 $34.00 in Nis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $141 vs $182 – making Cairo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇪🇬 Cairo
🇷🇸 Nis
🕒 Local time
08:23 8:23 AM
07:23 7:23 AM
1 h behind Cairo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,120,350 Capital
78,470
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

RSD, USD, EUR to EGP – Egyptian Pound Converter

Egyptian Pound exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 52.32 EGP (100 EGP = 1.91 USD). 1 EUR = 58.68 EGP (100 EGP = 1.7 EUR).

Serbian Dinar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 104 RSD (1,000 RSD = 9.6 USD). 1 EUR = 117 RSD (1,000 RSD = 8.56 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cairo Nis 1,690 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Cairo
  • Nis

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 Nis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nis cheaper than Cairo?
Yes – Nis is pricier by about 61%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $965 per month in Cairo and $1,549 in Nis. 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.
What are total monthly expenses in Cairo and in Nis?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $643 in Cairo and $1,033 in Nis. That's a gap of about 61%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $121 per month in Cairo and $252 in Nis. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 enough for either Cairo or Nis?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $643 in Cairo and $1,033 in Nis, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Cairo or Nis 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 Nis?
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, Nis makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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