Cost of Living Comparison Between Cairo and Shibin Al Kawm Cost of Living Comparison Between Cairo and Shibin Al Kawm

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $523 per month in Cairo vs $476 in Shibin Al Kawm, rent included.

A couple spends around $843 per month in Cairo vs $755 in Shibin Al Kawm, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,163 per month in Cairo vs $1,033 in Shibin Al Kawm, rent included.

Cairo costs about 10% more than Shibin Al Kawm, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cairo and Shibin Al Kawm are more affordable than the global median – Cairo 61% lower, Shibin Al Kawm 64% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cairo
Shibin Al Kawm
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.03 E£209
$3.50 E£182
15.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.82 E£1,028
$16.08 E£835
23.26%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.88 E£254
$4.77 E£248
2.31%
Cappuccino
$1.50 E£77.7
$1.45 E£75.1
3.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 E£18.97
$0.31 E£16.28
19.35%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.13 E£6.89
$0.11 E£5.95
18.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.42 E£73.5
$1.22 E£63.3
16.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 E£146
$2.92 E£152
-3.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cairo
Shibin Al Kawm
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.93 E£48.26
$0.80 E£41.42
16.25%
White Bread (500g)
$0.59 E£30.52
$0.74 E£38.57
-20.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.74 E£38.59
$0.65 E£33.79
13.85%
Eggs
$1.54 E£80.1
$1.38 E£71.6
11.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.31 E£172
$3.83 E£199
-13.58%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.34 E£225
$4.41 E£229
-1.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.42 E£437
$9.39 E£487
-10.33%
Apples (1kg)
$1.56 E£81.1
$1.49 E£77.1
4.70%
Banana (1kg)
$0.56 E£29.09
$0.59 E£30.38
-5.08%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.47 E£24.26
$0.40 E£20.51
17.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.39 E£20.24
$0.39 E£20.40
-
Potato (1kg)
$0.46 E£24.00
$0.41 E£21.22
12.20%
Onion (1kg)
$0.40 E£20.96
$0.44 E£22.60
-9.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.22 E£11.35
$0.22 E£11.37
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.23 E£11.73
$0.20 E£10.19
15.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.02 E£105
$1.93 E£100
4.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.86 E£408
$5.71 E£296
37.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 E£65.5
$1.36 E£70.8
-7.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 E£91.8
$2.59 E£135
-31.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Cairo
Shibin Al Kawm
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 E£14.89
$0.17 E£8.78
70.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$5.97 E£310
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.38 E£19.84
$0.52 E£27.07
-26.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.29 E£14.96
$0.42 E£22.03
-30.95%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.02 E£52.8
$2.01 E£105
-49.25%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.31 E£15.84
$0.31 E£15.93
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.1K E£1.9M
$35.4K E£1.8M
1.79%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.7K E£1.6M
$33.5K E£1.7M
-8.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
Shibin Al Kawm
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$26.21 E£1,360
$11.49 E£596
128.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.42 E£437
$5.60 E£291
50.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$12.30 E£638
$10.19 E£529
20.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
Shibin Al Kawm
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$16.02 E£831
$22.57 E£1,172
-29.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.80 E£353
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.51 E£182
$3.02 E£157
16.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cairo
Shibin Al Kawm
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$91.9 E£4,770
$90.0 E£4,673
2.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,993 E£103.5K
$1,855 E£96.3K
7.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
Shibin Al Kawm
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$31.43 E£1,631
$27.26 E£1,415
15.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.87 E£2,329
$49.49 E£2,568
-9.34%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 E£5,562
$108 E£5,619
-1.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.5 E£2,986
$49.82 E£2,586
15.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cairo
Shibin Al Kawm
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$205 E£10.6K
$191 E£9,912
7.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$130 E£6,771
$101 E£5,216
29.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$424 E£22.0K
$303 E£15.7K
39.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$250 E£13.0K
$175 E£9,074
43.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$843 E£43.7K
$674 E£35.0K
25.07%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$483 E£25.1K
$410 E£21.3K
17.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cairo
Shibin Al Kawm
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$196 E£10.2K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
16.67
17
-1.94%

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

Last update for Cairo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Shibin Al Kawm: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $205 in Cairo versus $191 in Shibin Al Kawm. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Cairo versus $16.00 in Shibin Al Kawm. Groceries tell a different story – $128 in Cairo vs $128 in Shibin Al Kawm – 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 Shibin Al Kawm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Shibin Al Kawm cheaper than Cairo?
Yes – Cairo is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $784 per month in Cairo and $714 in Shibin Al Kawm. 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 Shibin Al Kawm, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Cairo vs Shibin Al Kawm?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $523 in Cairo and $476 in Shibin Al Kawm. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $91.9 per month in Cairo and $90.0 in Shibin Al Kawm. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $800 enough for either Cairo or Shibin Al Kawm?
$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $523 in Cairo and $476 in Shibin Al Kawm, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Cairo or Shibin Al Kawm more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Shibin Al Kawm – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Shibin Al Kawm. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cairo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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