Cost of Living Comparison Between Cairo and QenaCost of Living Comparison Between Cairo and Qena
Monthly Cost of Living
😐A single person spends $523 per month in Cairo vs $501 in Qena, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $843 per month in Cairo vs $777 in Qena, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $1,163 per month in Cairo vs $1,053 in Qena, rent included.
😐Cairo costs about 4% more than Qena, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both Cairo and Qena are more affordable than the global median – Cairo61% lower, Qena63% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cairo
Qena
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.03E£209
$3.84E£199
4.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.82E£1,026
$15.66E£811
26.56%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.88E£253
$5.90E£305
-17.29%
Cappuccino
$1.50E£77.5
$1.64E£84.9
-8.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37E£18.92
$0.35E£18.05
5.71%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.13E£6.87
$0.15E£7.63
-13.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.42E£73.3
$2.02E£105
-29.70%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82E£146
$2.63E£136
7.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cairo
Qena
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.93E£48.14
$0.96E£49.65
-3.12%
White Bread(500g)
$0.59E£30.44
$0.61E£31.57
-3.28%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.74E£38.49
$0.66E£34.11
12.12%
Eggs
$1.54E£79.9
$2.09E£108
-26.32%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$3.31E£171
$3.44E£178
-3.78%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.34E£225
$6.60E£342
-34.24%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.42E£436
$10.00E£518
-15.80%
Apples(1kg)
$1.56E£80.9
$1.39E£71.8
12.23%
Banana(1kg)
$0.56E£29.02
$0.43E£22.18
30.23%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.47E£24.20
$0.43E£22.02
9.30%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.39E£20.19
$0.57E£29.35
-31.58%
Potato(1kg)
$0.46E£23.94
$0.46E£24.04
-
Onion(1kg)
$0.40E£20.91
$0.54E£27.83
-25.93%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.22E£11.32
$0.30E£15.62
-26.67%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.23E£11.70
$0.21E£10.96
9.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.02E£105
$1.96E£102
3.06%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.86E£407
$7.53E£390
4.38%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.26E£65.3
$1.27E£65.5
-0.79%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77E£91.6
$1.78E£92.1
-0.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Cairo
Qena
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.29E£14.85
$0.19E£10.03
52.63%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$5.97E£309
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.38E£19.79
$0.41E£21.41
-7.32%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.29E£14.93
$0.14E£7.10
107.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.02E£52.6
$2.01E£104
-49.25%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.31E£15.80
$0.35E£18.22
-11.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.1KE£1.9M
$17.5KE£905.4K
106.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.7KE£1.6M
$32.7KE£1.7M
-6.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
Qena
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$26.21E£1,357
$25.95E£1,344
1.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.42E£436
$6.50E£337
29.54%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$12.30E£637
$12.64E£655
-2.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
Qena
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$16.02E£829
$21.80E£1,129
-26.51%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.80E£352
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.51E£182
$3.53E£183
-0.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cairo
Qena
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$91.9E£4,758
$98.2E£5,082
-6.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,993E£103.2K
$582E£30.1K
242.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
Qena
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$31.43E£1,627
$11.28E£584
178.63%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.87E£2,323
$19.43E£1,006
130.93%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$107E£5,548
$108E£5,612
-1.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.5E£2,978
$50.1E£2,593
14.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cairo
Qena
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$205E£10.6K
$187E£9,681
9.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$130E£6,754
$98.1E£5,081
32.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$424E£21.9K
$306E£15.9K
38.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$250E£12.9K
$175E£9,039
43.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$843E£43.6K
$855E£44.3K
-1.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$483E£25.0K
$417E£21.6K
15.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cairo
Qena
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$196E£10.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
16.67
10
66.70%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cairo: May 31, 2026
Last update for Qena: May 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $205 in Cairo versus $187 in Qena. 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 $16.00 in Qena. Groceries tell a different story – $128 in Cairo vs $145 in Qena – so Cairo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
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 Qena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Qena cheaper than Cairo?
Yes – Cairo is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $784 per month in Cairo and $752 in Qena. 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 Qena, 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 vs Qena?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $523 in Cairo and $501 in Qena. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $91.9 per month in Cairo and $98.2 in Qena. 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 Qena?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $523 in Cairo and $501 in Qena, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Cairo or Qena more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Qena – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Qena. 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.