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

Monthly Cost of Living

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 – Cairo 60% lower, Samarkand 59% lower.

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

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