🙂A single person spends $532 per month in Cairo vs $540 in Samarkand, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $856 per month in Cairo vs $884 in Samarkand, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,181 per month in Cairo vs $1,228 in Samarkand, rent included.
🙂Cairo is about 1% cheaper than Samarkand, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both Cairo and Samarkand are more affordable than the global median – Cairo60% lower, Samarkand60% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cairo
Samarkand
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.00E£207
$4.52UZS 54.5K
-11.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.64E£1,017
$17.65UZS 212.6K
11.27%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.87E£252
$4.30UZS 51.8K
13.26%
Cappuccino
$1.53E£79.3
$1.75UZS 21.1K
-12.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33E£17.30
$0.42UZS 5,078
-21.43%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.14E£7.32
$0.25UZS 3,001
-44.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.34E£69.5
$1.30UZS 15.6K
3.08%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73E£141
$2.01UZS 24.2K
35.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cairo
Samarkand
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.88E£45.76
$1.01UZS 12.1K
-12.87%
White Bread(500g)
$0.60E£30.86
$0.41UZS 4,926
46.34%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.70E£36.19
$1.58UZS 19.0K
-55.70%
Eggs
$1.46E£75.8
$1.32UZS 15.9K
10.61%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$3.44E£178
$7.65UZS 92.2K
-55.03%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.15E£215
$3.71UZS 44.7K
11.86%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.52E£441
$8.75UZS 105.4K
-2.63%
Apples(1kg)
$1.56E£80.9
$0.76UZS 9,206
105.26%
Banana(1kg)
$0.56E£29.23
$1.69UZS 20.4K
-66.86%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.48E£24.67
$1.62UZS 19.5K
-70.37%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.42E£21.50
$1.52UZS 18.4K
-72.37%
Potato(1kg)
$0.46E£24.02
$0.48UZS 5,794
-4.17%
Onion(1kg)
$0.43E£22.29
$0.16UZS 1,932
168.75%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.22E£11.32
$0.25UZS 3,029
-12.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.23E£11.84
$0.40UZS 4,837
-42.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.01E£104
$1.59UZS 19.2K
26.42%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.51E£389
$3.37UZS 40.6K
122.85%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.28E£66.2
$0.97UZS 11.7K
31.96%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70E£87.9
$1.99UZS 24.0K
-14.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Cairo
Samarkand
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.31E£16.24
$0.25UZS 3,016
24.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$5.94E£308
$3.18UZS 38.3K
86.79%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.39E£19.95
$0.38UZS 4,539
2.63%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.29E£14.85
$0.19UZS 2,317
52.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$0.95E£48.95
$2.34UZS 28.1K
-59.40%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.31E£15.89
$0.95UZS 11.5K
-67.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.4KE£1.9M
$20.1KUZS 241.9M
81.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.2KE£1.6M
$25.2KUZS 304.1M
19.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
Samarkand
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$25.81E£1,336
$38.86UZS 468.2K
-33.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.30E£430
$3.67UZS 44.3K
126.16%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$12.52E£648
$11.65UZS 140.4K
7.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
Samarkand
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$15.66E£811
$36.09UZS 434.9K
-56.61%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.71E£348
$6.13UZS 73.9K
9.46%
Cinema Ticket
$3.60E£186
$2.88UZS 34.7K
25.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cairo
Samarkand
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$91.7E£4,746
$117UZS 1.4M
-21.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,007E£103.9K
$4,734UZS 57.0M
-57.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
Samarkand
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$31.34E£1,622
$19.72UZS 237.6K
58.92%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.96E£2,276
$39.41UZS 474.8K
11.55%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$105E£5,422
$71.3UZS 858.7K
46.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.8E£3,095
$54.6UZS 658.2K
9.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cairo
Samarkand
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$202E£10.5K
$230UZS 2.8M
-12.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$129E£6,699
$129UZS 1.6M
0.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$412E£21.3K
$440UZS 5.3M
-6.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$251E£13.0K
$296UZS 3.6M
-15.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$845E£43.8K
$1,229UZS 14.8M
-31.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$470E£24.3K
$533UZS 6.4M
-11.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cairo
Samarkand
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$188E£9,758
$306UZS 3.7M
-38.47%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
16.67
22.07
-24.47%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cairo: June 9, 2026
Last update for Samarkand: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $202 in Cairo versus $230 in Samarkand. 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 63% higher in Samarkand, 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 $18.00 in Samarkand. Groceries tell a different story – $126 in Cairo vs $145 in Samarkand – 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 Samarkand: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Samarkand cheaper than Cairo?
Yes – Samarkand is pricier by about 1%, 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 $797 per month in Cairo and $809 in Samarkand. 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 Samarkand?
Groceries cost about 15% more in Samarkand, 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 Samarkand?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Cairo and $18.00 in Samarkand. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,000 enough for either Cairo or Samarkand?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $532 in Cairo and $540 in Samarkand, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Cairo or Samarkand 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 Samarkand?
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, Samarkand makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.