Cost of Living Comparison Between Cairo and Samarkand Cost of Living Comparison Between Cairo and Samarkand

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $518 per month in Cairo vs $539 in Samarkand, rent included.

A couple spends around $831 per month in Cairo vs $895 in Samarkand, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,144 per month in Cairo vs $1,251 in Samarkand, rent included.

Cairo is about 4% cheaper than Samarkand, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cairo and Samarkand are more affordable than the global median – Cairo 61% lower, Samarkand 60% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cairo
Samarkand
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.84 E£199
$4.72 UZS 57.1K
-18.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$20.05 E£1,042
$17.24 UZS 208.2K
16.30%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.92 E£256
$4.22 UZS 51.0K
16.59%
Cappuccino
$1.55 E£80.5
$1.80 UZS 21.8K
-13.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36 E£18.90
$0.43 UZS 5,144
-16.28%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.13 E£6.73
$0.25 UZS 3,000
-48.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.40 E£72.8
$1.28 UZS 15.4K
9.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 E£144
$2.00 UZS 24.2K
38.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cairo
Samarkand
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.93 E£48.29
$1.05 UZS 12.7K
-11.43%
White Bread (500g)
$0.64 E£33.06
$0.38 UZS 4,575
68.42%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.72 E£37.57
$1.58 UZS 19.1K
-54.43%
Eggs
$1.53 E£79.8
$1.26 UZS 15.2K
21.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.42 E£178
$7.87 UZS 95.1K
-56.54%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.34 E£225
$3.73 UZS 45.0K
16.35%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.81 E£458
$8.78 UZS 106.0K
0.34%
Apples (1kg)
$1.52 E£78.9
$0.83 UZS 10.0K
83.13%
Banana (1kg)
$0.60 E£31.41
$1.74 UZS 21.0K
-65.52%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.50 E£26.12
$1.63 UZS 19.6K
-69.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.38 E£19.90
$1.50 UZS 18.2K
-74.67%
Potato (1kg)
$0.50 E£25.97
$0.48 UZS 5,817
4.17%
Onion (1kg)
$0.43 E£22.57
$0.17 UZS 2,053
152.94%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.22 E£11.38
$0.25 UZS 3,035
-12.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.20 E£10.27
$0.38 UZS 4,570
-47.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.03 E£106
$1.61 UZS 19.4K
26.09%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.78 E£404
$3.22 UZS 38.9K
141.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.22 E£63.4
$0.96 UZS 11.6K
27.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 E£89.9
$2.02 UZS 24.4K
-14.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Cairo
Samarkand
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 E£15.04
$0.25 UZS 3,034
16.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$6.21 E£323
$3.08 UZS 37.3K
101.62%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.42 E£21.77
$0.38 UZS 4,586
10.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.29 E£14.95
$0.18 UZS 2,159
61.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$0.97 E£50.4
$2.33 UZS 28.1K
-58.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.31 E£15.87
$0.94 UZS 11.4K
-67.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.1K E£1.9M
$20.0K UZS 241.3M
80.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.0K E£1.6M
$24.8K UZS 299.2M
21.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
Samarkand
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$26.21 E£1,363
$38.84 UZS 469.1K
-32.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.03 E£418
$3.58 UZS 43.2K
124.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$12.43 E£646
$11.68 UZS 141.0K
6.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
Samarkand
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$16.01 E£833
$36.27 UZS 438.1K
-55.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.74 E£351
$6.40 UZS 77.3K
5.31%
Cinema Ticket
$3.65 E£190
$2.95 UZS 35.6K
23.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cairo
Samarkand
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$93.7 E£4,870
$118 UZS 1.4M
-20.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,976 E£102.8K
$4,645 UZS 56.1M
-57.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
Samarkand
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$31.27 E£1,626
$19.54 UZS 236.1K
60.03%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.03 E£2,289
$39.93 UZS 482.2K
10.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 E£5,542
$71.2 UZS 860.0K
49.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.5 E£3,096
$56.1 UZS 677.4K
6.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cairo
Samarkand
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$208 E£10.8K
$227 UZS 2.7M
-8.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$131 E£6,809
$129 UZS 1.6M
1.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$414 E£21.5K
$431 UZS 5.2M
-3.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$248 E£12.9K
$298 UZS 3.6M
-16.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$929 E£48.3K
$1,248 UZS 15.1M
-25.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$523 E£27.2K
$546 UZS 6.6M
-4.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cairo
Samarkand
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$173 E£8,980
$293 UZS 3.5M
-41.16%
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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Samarkand: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $208 in Cairo versus $227 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 70% 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 in Cairo versus $17 in Samarkand. Groceries tell a different story – $129 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 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 $778 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 13% 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 $17.00 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 $518 in Cairo and $539 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.

Cairo vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities