For one person, living is cheaper in Cairo: $647 a month against $1,271 in Pila, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 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 Pila actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $647 per month in Cairo vs $1,271 in Pila, rent included.
Cairo $647
Pila $1,271
A couple spends around $1,035 per month in Cairo vs $1,776 in Pila, rent included.
Cairo $1,035
Pila $1,776
A family of three spends $1,423 per month in Cairo vs $2,281 in Pila, rent included.
Cairo $1,423
Pila $2,281
🙂
Cairo is about 49% cheaper than Pila, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
Both Cairo and Pila are more affordable than the global median – Cairo52% lower, Pila6% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cairo
Pila
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.64E£248
$8.89zł 34.55
-47.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.12E£1,501
$18.07zł 70.2
55.62%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.03E£322
$8.23zł 31.97
-26.73%
Cappuccino
$1.72E£92.1
$2.34zł 9.09
-26.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36E£19.38
$0.74zł 2.88
-51.35%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.12E£6.41
$1.44zł 5.60
-91.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.51E£80.4
$2.97zł 11.53
-49.16%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.32E£124
$3.13zł 12.17
-25.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cairo
Pila
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.92E£48.92
$0.90zł 3.50
2.22%
White Bread(500g)
$0.73E£38.92
$0.61zł 2.39
19.67%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.74E£39.64
$1.09zł 4.24
-32.11%
Eggs
$1.19E£63.7
$2.42zł 9.41
-50.83%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.33E£231
$6.21zł 24.13
-30.27%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.03E£269
$6.01zł 23.33
-16.31%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.28E£496
$4.89zł 18.98
89.78%
Apples(1kg)
$1.77E£94.4
$0.90zł 3.50
96.67%
Banana(1kg)
$0.73E£39.03
$1.61zł 6.25
-54.66%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.55E£29.51
$1.60zł 6.23
-65.63%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.50E£26.91
$1.76zł 6.85
-71.59%
Potato(1kg)
$0.42E£22.42
$0.83zł 3.23
-49.40%
Onion(1kg)
$0.41E£21.81
$1.03zł 4.01
-60.19%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.33E£17.51
$1.00zł 3.89
-67.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.21E£11.20
$0.53zł 2.04
-60.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.98E£106
$4.71zł 18.28
-57.96%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.81E£417
$6.54zł 25.40
19.42%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59E£84.7
$0.99zł 3.85
60.61%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09E£112
$1.26zł 4.89
65.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Cairo
Pila
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.35E£18.83
$1.10zł 4.29
-68.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$8.69E£464
$29.77zł 116
-70.81%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.39E£21.02
$2.01zł 7.80
-80.60%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.22E£11.57
$0.86zł 3.33
-74.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.51E£80.5
$12.49zł 48.53
-87.91%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.43E£22.88
$1.57zł 6.11
-72.61%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.7KE£1.7M
$29.8Kzł 115.9K
9.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2KE£1.5M
$25.9Kzł 100.8K
4.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
Pila
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$27.27E£1,456
$233zł 907
-88.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.58E£458
$12.10zł 47.01
-29.09%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.99E£747
$10.79zł 41.90
29.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
Pila
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$29.69E£1,585
$37.73zł 147
-21.31%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.25E£387
$22.25zł 86.4
-67.42%
Cinema Ticket
$4.86E£260
$5.01zł 19.47
-2.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cairo
Pila
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$121E£6,438
$337zł 1,309
-64.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,560E£190.1K
$7,779zł 30.2K
-54.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
Pila
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.28E£2,151
$69.7zł 271
-42.18%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.53E£2,645
$31.67zł 123
56.39%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115E£6,137
$57.5zł 223
100.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$60.0E£3,206
$62.7zł 244
-4.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cairo
Pila
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$222E£11.9K
$610zł 2,369
-63.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$195E£10.4K
$516zł 2,003
-62.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$550E£29.3K
$996zł 3,870
-44.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$346E£18.5K
$829zł 3,220
-58.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$800E£42.7K
$2,879zł 11.2K
-72.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$525E£28.0K
$2,270zł 8,819
-76.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cairo
Pila
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$200E£10.7K
$1,079zł 4,193
-81.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
16.21
6.82
137.68%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cairo: October 11, 2026
Last update for Pila: October 13, 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%
Pila
$516 40.6% ↑ 164%$321
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cairo
$142 21.9%
Pila
$157 12.4% ↑ 11%$16
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
$119 18.4%
Pila
$100 7.8% ↓ 16.3%$19
🍽Eating Out
Cairo
$90 13.9%
Pila
$154 12.1% ↑ 70.8%$64
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
$50 7.7%
Pila
$256 20.2% ↑ 414%$206
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
$39 6.1%
Pila
$48 3.8% ↑ 21.2%$8.3
🚌Getting Around
Cairo
$12 1.8%
Pila
$40 3.2% ↑ 250%$29
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cairo
$346 24.3%
Pila
$829 36.3% ↑ 139%$483
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cairo
$324 22.8%
Pila
$364 16% ↑ 12.5%$41
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
$265 18.6%
Pila
$222 9.7% ↓ 16.3%$43
🍽Eating Out
Cairo
$320 22.5%
Pila
$397 17.4% ↑ 24.1%$77
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
$58 4.1%
Pila
$268 11.8% ↑ 359%$210
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
$86 6.1%
Pila
$118 5.2% ↑ 36.8%$32
🚌Getting Around
Cairo
$24 1.7%
Pila
$83 3.7% ↑ 249%$59
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $222 in Cairo versus $610 in Pila. 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 440% higher in Pila, 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 $18.00 in Pila. Groceries tell a different story – $142 in Cairo vs $157 in Pila – 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 Pila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pila cheaper than Cairo?
Yes – Pila is pricier by about 96%, 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 $970 per month in Cairo and $1,906 in Pila. 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 Pila?
Groceries cost about 11% more in Pila, 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 Pila?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Cairo and $18.00 in Pila. 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 Pila?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cairo, where all-in costs run around $647, than in Pila at $1,271. In Cairo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pila it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Cairo or Pila 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 Pila?
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, Pila makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.