Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cairo and Stip

For one person, living is cheaper in Cairo: $647 a month against $806 in Stip, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Cairo
🇪🇬 Egypt
$647
/mo nomad
Stip
🇲🇰 North Macedonia
$806
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cairo and in Stip

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 Stip actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $647 per month in Cairo vs $806 in Stip, rent included.

  • Cairo $647
  • Stip $806

A couple spends around $1,035 per month in Cairo vs $1,205 in Stip, rent included.

  • Cairo $1,035
  • Stip $1,205

A family of three spends $1,423 per month in Cairo vs $1,605 in Stip, rent included.

  • Cairo $1,423
  • Stip $1,605

Cairo is about 20% cheaper than Stip, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Cairo and Stip are more affordable than the global median – Cairo 52% lower, Stip 40% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cairo
Stip
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.64 E£248
$7.33 MKD 400
-36.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.12 E£1,501
$23.62 MKD 1,288
19.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.03 E£322
$6.30 MKD 344
-4.29%
Cappuccino
$1.72 E£92.1
$1.80 MKD 98.1
-4.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36 E£19.38
$1.48 MKD 80.6
-75.68%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.12 E£6.41
$1.07 MKD 58.2
-88.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.51 E£80.4
$1.77 MKD 96.8
-14.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.32 E£124
$2.79 MKD 152
-16.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cairo
Stip
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.92 E£48.92
$1.23 MKD 67.2
-25.20%
White Bread (500g)
$0.73 E£38.92
$0.75 MKD 40.86
-2.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.74 E£39.64
$1.07 MKD 58.1
-30.84%
Eggs
$1.19 E£63.7
$2.42 MKD 132
-50.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.33 E£231
$8.12 MKD 443
-46.67%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.03 E£269
$7.25 MKD 395
-30.62%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.28 E£496
$7.46 MKD 407
24.40%
Apples (1kg)
$1.77 E£94.4
$0.87 MKD 47.22
103.45%
Banana (1kg)
$0.73 E£39.03
$1.44 MKD 78.7
-49.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.55 E£29.51
$1.32 MKD 72.0
-58.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.50 E£26.91
$1.66 MKD 90.8
-69.88%
Potato (1kg)
$0.42 E£22.42
$0.87 MKD 47.63
-51.72%
Onion (1kg)
$0.41 E£21.81
$0.78 MKD 42.51
-47.44%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.33 E£17.51
$0.53 MKD 29.07
-37.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.21 E£11.20
$0.40 MKD 21.66
-47.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.98 E£106
$3.26 MKD 178
-39.26%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.81 E£417
$7.26 MKD 396
7.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 E£84.7
$1.07 MKD 58.4
48.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09 E£112
$1.42 MKD 77.4
47.18%
🚌 Getting Around
Cairo
Stip
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.35 E£18.83
$0.63 MKD 34.29
-44.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.69 E£464
$23.20 MKD 1,266
-62.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.39 E£21.02
$1.12 MKD 60.9
-65.18%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.22 E£11.57
$0.62 MKD 33.63
-64.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.51 E£80.5
$5.60 MKD 306
-73.04%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.43 E£22.88
$1.52 MKD 82.7
-71.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.7K E£1.7M
$36.0K MKD 2.0M
-9.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2K E£1.5M
$27.9K MKD 1.5M
-2.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
Stip
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$27.27 E£1,456
$157 MKD 8,562
-82.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.58 E£458
$9.01 MKD 492
-4.77%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.99 E£747
$16.56 MKD 903
-15.52%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
Stip
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.69 E£1,585
$27.61 MKD 1,506
7.53%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.25 E£387
$17.17 MKD 937
-57.78%
Cinema Ticket
$4.86 E£260
$6.19 MKD 338
-21.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cairo
Stip
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$121 E£6,438
$350 MKD 19.1K
-65.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,560 E£190.1K
$5,765 MKD 314.5K
-38.25%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
Stip
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.28 E£2,151
$35.68 MKD 1,946
12.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.53 E£2,645
$30.62 MKD 1,670
61.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 E£6,137
$101 MKD 5,487
14.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$60.0 E£3,206
$114 MKD 6,196
-47.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cairo
Stip
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$222 E£11.9K
$201 MKD 11.0K
10.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$195 E£10.4K
$126 MKD 6,876
54.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$550 E£29.3K
$327 MKD 17.9K
67.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$346 E£18.5K
$197 MKD 10.7K
75.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$800 E£42.7K
$1,214 MKD 66.2K
-34.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$525 E£28.0K
$958 MKD 52.3K
-45.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cairo
Stip
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$200 E£10.7K
$462 MKD 25.2K
-56.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
16.21
4.23
283.22%

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

Last update for Cairo: October 11, 2026

Last update for Stip: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cairo
$195
Stip
$126 35.4% $69
Groceries & Markets
Cairo
$142
Stip
$177 24.9% $35
Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
$119
Stip
$126 5.9% $7
Eating Out
Cairo
$90
Stip
$124 37.5% $34
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
$50
Stip
$183 266% $133
Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
$39
Stip
$40 1.5% $0.6
Getting Around
Cairo
$12
Stip
$30 158% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $222 in Cairo versus $201 in Stip. 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 132% higher in Stip, 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 $24.00 in Stip. Groceries tell a different story – $142 in Cairo vs $177 in Stip – so Cairo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇪🇬 Cairo
🇲🇰 Stip
🕒 Local time
04:32 4:32 AM
03:32 3:32 AM
1 h behind Cairo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,120,350 Capital
65,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MKD, USD, EUR to EGP – Egyptian Pound Converter

Egyptian Pound exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 53.4 EGP (100 EGP = 1.87 USD). 1 EUR = 60.03 EGP (100 EGP = 1.67 EUR).

North Macedonian Denar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 54.55 MKD (100 MKD = 1.83 USD). 1 EUR = 61.33 MKD (100 MKD = 1.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cairo Stip 1,530 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Cairo
  • Stip

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 Stip: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Stip cheaper than Cairo?
Yes – Stip is pricier by about 25%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $970 per month in Cairo and $1,208 in Stip. 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 Stip?
Groceries cost about 25% more in Stip, 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 Stip?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Cairo and $24.00 in Stip. 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 Stip?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $647 in Cairo and $806 in Stip, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Cairo or Stip 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 Stip?
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, Stip makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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