Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cairo and San Gwann

For one person, living is cheaper in Cairo: $647 a month against $2,049 in San Gwann, rent and utilities included – about $16,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cairo
🇪🇬 Egypt
$647
/mo nomad
San Gwann
🇲🇹 Malta
$2,049
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cairo and in San Gwann

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cairo and in San Gwann actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $647 per month in Cairo vs $2,049 in San Gwann, rent included.

  • Cairo $647
  • San Gwann $2,049

A couple spends around $1,035 per month in Cairo vs $3,115 in San Gwann, rent included.

  • Cairo $1,035
  • San Gwann $3,115

A family of three spends $1,423 per month in Cairo vs $4,180 in San Gwann, rent included.

  • Cairo $1,423
  • San Gwann $4,180

Cairo is about 68% cheaper than San Gwann, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Cairo sits 52% below the global median, while San Gwann is 52% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cairo
San Gwann
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.64 E£248
$21.52 €19.14
-78.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.12 E£1,501
$67.9 €60.4
-58.58%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.03 E£322
$13.47 €11.99
-55.23%
Cappuccino
$1.72 E£92.1
$2.89 €2.57
-40.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36 E£19.38
$2.14 €1.90
-83.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.12 E£6.41
$1.07 €0.95
-88.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.51 E£80.4
$4.51 €4.01
-66.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.32 E£124
$4.37 €3.88
-46.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cairo
San Gwann
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.92 E£48.92
$1.35 €1.20
-31.85%
White Bread (500g)
$0.73 E£38.92
$1.41 €1.25
-48.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.74 E£39.64
$3.47 €3.08
-78.67%
Eggs
$1.19 E£63.7
$4.30 €3.83
-72.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.33 E£231
$10.35 €9.20
-58.16%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.03 E£269
$11.78 €10.48
-57.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.28 E£496
$17.77 €15.80
-47.78%
Apples (1kg)
$1.77 E£94.4
$3.84 €3.41
-53.91%
Banana (1kg)
$0.73 E£39.03
$2.76 €2.46
-73.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.55 E£29.51
$3.86 €3.43
-85.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.50 E£26.91
$3.81 €3.39
-86.88%
Potato (1kg)
$0.42 E£22.42
$1.87 €1.67
-77.54%
Onion (1kg)
$0.41 E£21.81
$2.29 €2.03
-82.10%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.33 E£17.51
$2.18 €1.94
-84.86%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.21 E£11.20
$1.55 €1.37
-86.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.98 E£106
$6.12 €5.44
-67.65%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.81 E£417
$5.51 €4.90
41.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 E£84.7
$2.42 €2.15
-34.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09 E£112
$2.33 €2.07
-10.30%
🚌 Getting Around
Cairo
San Gwann
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.35 E£18.83
$2.26 €2.01
-84.51%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.69 E£464
$14.55 €12.94
-40.27%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.39 E£21.02
$3.87 €3.44
-89.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.22 E£11.57
$1.82 €1.62
-87.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.51 E£80.5
$32.51 €28.92
-95.36%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.43 E£22.88
$1.52 €1.35
-71.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.7K E£1.7M
$27.9K €24.8K
17.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2K E£1.5M
$34.1K €30.3K
-20.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
San Gwann
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$27.27 E£1,456
$113 €100
-75.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.58 E£458
$31.71 €28.20
-72.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.99 E£747
$34.81 €30.96
-59.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
San Gwann
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.69 E£1,585
$56.6 €50.3
-47.53%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.25 E£387
$18.93 €16.84
-61.70%
Cinema Ticket
$4.86 E£260
$10.09 €8.98
-51.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cairo
San Gwann
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$121 E£6,438
$272 €242
-55.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,560 E£190.1K
$11.2K €9,933
-68.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
San Gwann
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.28 E£2,151
$54.9 €48.85
-26.66%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.53 E£2,645
$60.5 €53.8
-18.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 E£6,137
$82.4 €73.3
39.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$60.0 E£3,206
$128 €114
-53.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cairo
San Gwann
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$222 E£11.9K
$1,197 €1,065
-81.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$195 E£10.4K
$981 €873
-80.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$550 E£29.3K
$2,281 €2,029
-75.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$346 E£18.5K
$1,663 €1,479
-79.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$800 E£42.7K
$5,627 €5,005
-85.79%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$525 E£28.0K
$2,776 €2,469
-81.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cairo
San Gwann
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$200 E£10.7K
$1,741 €1,548
-88.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
16.21
4.05
300.25%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Cairo: October 11, 2026

Last update for San Gwann: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cairo
$195
San Gwann
$981 403% $786
Groceries & Markets
Cairo
$142
San Gwann
$337 138% $196
Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
$119
San Gwann
$147 23.1% $28
Eating Out
Cairo
$90
San Gwann
$291 224% $201
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
$50
San Gwann
$179 260% $129
Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
$39
San Gwann
$77 94.8% $37
Getting Around
Cairo
$12
San Gwann
$37 216% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $222 in Cairo versus $1,197 in San Gwann. 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 771% higher in San Gwann, 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 $28.00 in Cairo versus $68.0 in San Gwann. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $142 vs $337 – making Cairo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇪🇬 Cairo
🇲🇹 San Gwann
🕒 Local time
17:43 5:43 PM
16:43 4:43 PM
1 h behind Cairo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,120,350 Capital
12,523
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to EGP – Egyptian Pound Converter

Egyptian Pound exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 53.4 EGP (100 EGP = 1.87 USD). 1 EUR = 60.04 EGP (100 EGP = 1.67 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cairo San Gwann 1,690 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Cairo
  • San Gwann

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 San Gwann: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is San Gwann cheaper than Cairo?
Yes – San Gwann is pricier by about 217%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $970 per month in Cairo and $3,074 in San Gwann. 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 San Gwann?
Groceries cost about 138% more in San Gwann, 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 San Gwann?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Cairo and $68.0 in San Gwann. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Cairo or in San Gwann?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cairo, where all-in costs run around $647, than in San Gwann at $2,049. In Cairo it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Gwann it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Cairo or San Gwann 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 San Gwann?
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, San Gwann makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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