🙂A single person spends $532 per month in Cairo vs $552 in Samarkand, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $843 per month in Cairo vs $900 in Samarkand, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,154 per month in Cairo vs $1,247 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 – Cairo60% lower, Samarkand59% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cairo
Samarkand
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.91E£200
$4.71UZS 56.5K
-16.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.87E£1,018
$17.70UZS 211.9K
12.26%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.97E£255
$4.45UZS 53.3K
11.69%
Cappuccino
$1.50E£76.7
$1.75UZS 21.0K
-14.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33E£17.16
$0.42UZS 5,036
-21.43%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.15E£7.45
$0.25UZS 2,990
-40.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.41E£72.1
$1.24UZS 14.8K
13.71%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.70E£139
$1.93UZS 23.1K
39.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cairo
Samarkand
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.95E£48.71
$1.01UZS 12.1K
-5.94%
White Bread(500g)
$0.59E£29.99
$0.40UZS 4,847
47.50%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.70E£35.78
$1.57UZS 18.9K
-55.41%
Eggs
$1.46E£75.0
$1.25UZS 15.0K
16.80%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$3.25E£167
$7.80UZS 93.4K
-58.33%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.19E£215
$3.71UZS 44.4K
12.94%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.36E£428
$8.34UZS 99.9K
0.24%
Apples(1kg)
$1.50E£76.9
$0.81UZS 9,746
85.19%
Banana(1kg)
$0.56E£28.91
$1.74UZS 20.9K
-67.82%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.47E£24.30
$1.54UZS 18.5K
-69.48%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.39E£19.78
$1.47UZS 17.5K
-73.47%
Potato(1kg)
$0.46E£23.75
$0.46UZS 5,486
-
Onion(1kg)
$0.41E£20.88
$0.18UZS 2,108
127.78%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.24E£12.34
$0.23UZS 2,735
4.35%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.21E£10.54
$0.41UZS 4,897
-48.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.03E£104
$1.57UZS 18.8K
29.30%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.66E£393
$3.36UZS 40.2K
127.98%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.26E£64.7
$0.99UZS 11.8K
27.27%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79E£91.7
$1.99UZS 23.9K
-10.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Cairo
Samarkand
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.31E£15.94
$0.23UZS 2,739
34.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$6.17E£316
$3.13UZS 37.5K
97.12%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.39E£19.93
$0.38UZS 4,534
2.63%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.31E£16.12
$0.17UZS 2,024
82.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.02E£52.2
$2.40UZS 28.8K
-57.50%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.31E£15.78
$0.97UZS 11.7K
-68.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.2KE£1.9M
$20.1KUZS 241.2M
79.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.5KE£1.6M
$24.9KUZS 297.9M
22.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
Samarkand
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$25.55E£1,310
$39.92UZS 478.0K
-36.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.31E£426
$3.50UZS 41.9K
137.43%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$12.36E£634
$11.96UZS 143.2K
3.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
Samarkand
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$15.70E£805
$36.43UZS 436.2K
-56.90%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.87E£352
$6.40UZS 76.6K
7.34%
Cinema Ticket
$3.66E£188
$2.87UZS 34.4K
27.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cairo
Samarkand
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$91.0E£4,666
$119UZS 1.4M
-23.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,019E£103.5K
$4,691UZS 56.2M
-56.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
Samarkand
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$31.88E£1,634
$19.78UZS 236.9K
61.17%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.17E£2,316
$39.17UZS 469.0K
15.32%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$106E£5,428
$70.6UZS 845.9K
49.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.8E£2,962
$54.5UZS 652.5K
6.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cairo
Samarkand
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$204E£10.5K
$230UZS 2.8M
-11.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$132E£6,746
$130UZS 1.6M
1.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$424E£21.7K
$433UZS 5.2M
-1.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$248E£12.7K
$300UZS 3.6M
-17.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$852E£43.7K
$1,231UZS 14.7M
-30.74%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$489E£25.0K
$532UZS 6.4M
-8.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cairo
Samarkand
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$209E£10.7K
$299UZS 3.6M
-30.12%
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: July 21, 2026
Last update for Samarkand: July 22, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $204 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 43% 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 – $125 in Cairo vs $144 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 $798 per month in Cairo and $828 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 in 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 in 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 $552 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.