For one person, living is cheaper in Cairo: $647 a month against $1,305 in Vac, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.
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 Vac actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $647 per month in Cairo vs $1,305 in Vac, rent included.
Cairo $647
Vac $1,305
A couple spends around $1,035 per month in Cairo vs $2,214 in Vac, rent included.
Cairo $1,035
Vac $2,214
A family of three spends $1,423 per month in Cairo vs $3,123 in Vac, rent included.
Cairo $1,423
Vac $3,123
🙂
Cairo is about 50% cheaper than Vac, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
Both Cairo and Vac are more affordable than the global median – Cairo52% lower, Vac3% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cairo
Vac
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.64E£248
$19.39Ft 6,266
-76.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.12E£1,501
$110Ft 35.5K
-74.41%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.03E£322
$9.14Ft 2,952
-34.03%
Cappuccino
$1.72E£92.1
$2.41Ft 780
-28.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36E£19.38
$1.51Ft 488
-76.16%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.12E£6.41
$1.21Ft 392
-90.08%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.51E£80.4
$2.23Ft 719
-32.29%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.32E£124
$2.27Ft 732
2.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cairo
Vac
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.92E£48.92
$1.31Ft 425
-29.77%
White Bread(500g)
$0.73E£38.92
$1.49Ft 480
-51.01%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.74E£39.64
$2.25Ft 727
-67.11%
Eggs
$1.19E£63.7
$3.15Ft 1,016
-62.22%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.33E£231
$8.68Ft 2,805
-50.12%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.03E£269
$6.01Ft 1,942
-16.31%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.28E£496
$16.06Ft 5,188
-42.22%
Apples(1kg)
$1.77E£94.4
$1.79Ft 579
-1.12%
Banana(1kg)
$0.73E£39.03
$2.08Ft 673
-64.90%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.55E£29.51
$2.05Ft 663
-73.17%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.50E£26.91
$2.40Ft 776
-79.17%
Potato(1kg)
$0.42E£22.42
$1.59Ft 513
-73.58%
Onion(1kg)
$0.41E£21.81
$1.10Ft 355
-62.73%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.33E£17.51
$1.37Ft 444
-75.91%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.21E£11.20
$0.45Ft 144
-53.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.98E£106
$7.64Ft 2,468
-74.08%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.81E£417
$4.96Ft 1,603
57.46%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59E£84.7
$0.89Ft 289
78.65%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09E£112
$2.14Ft 691
-2.34%
🚌 Getting Around
Cairo
Vac
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.35E£18.83
$1.07Ft 346
-67.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$8.69E£464
$25.11Ft 8,114
-65.39%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.39E£21.02
$3.38Ft 1,092
-88.46%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.22E£11.57
$1.40Ft 453
-84.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.51E£80.5
$17.86Ft 5,772
-91.55%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.43E£22.88
$1.92Ft 620
-77.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.7KE£1.7M
$27.9KFt 9.0M
17.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2KE£1.5M
$33.9KFt 11.0M
-19.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
Vac
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$27.27E£1,456
$152Ft 49.1K
-82.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.58E£458
$23.32Ft 7,535
-63.21%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.99E£747
$20.92Ft 6,759
-33.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
Vac
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$29.69E£1,585
$49.14Ft 15.9K
-39.58%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.25E£387
$19.67Ft 6,354
-63.14%
Cinema Ticket
$4.86E£260
$8.90Ft 2,874
-45.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cairo
Vac
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$121E£6,438
$251Ft 81.1K
-51.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,560E£190.1K
$7,896Ft 2.6M
-54.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
Vac
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.28E£2,151
$90.3Ft 29.2K
-55.40%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.53E£2,645
$31.40Ft 10.1K
57.74%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115E£6,137
$85.7Ft 27.7K
34.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$60.0E£3,206
$102Ft 33.0K
-41.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cairo
Vac
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$222E£11.9K
$519Ft 167.8K
-57.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$195E£10.4K
$393Ft 126.8K
-50.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$550E£29.3K
$824Ft 266.1K
-33.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$346E£18.5K
$760Ft 245.6K
-54.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$800E£42.7K
$3,105Ft 1.0M
-74.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$525E£28.0K
$2,588Ft 836.1K
-79.72%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cairo
Vac
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$200E£10.7K
$1,418Ft 458.0K
-85.91%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
16.21
6.67
143.03%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cairo: October 11, 2026
Last update for Vac: October 10, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cairo
$195 30.2%
Vac
$393 30.1% ↑ 101%$198
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cairo
$142 21.9%
Vac
$232 17.8% ↑ 63.7%$90
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
$119 18.4%
Vac
$139 10.7% ↑ 16.9%$20
🍽Eating Out
Cairo
$90 13.9%
Vac
$238 18.2% ↑ 164%$148
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
$50 7.7%
Vac
$196 15% ↑ 294%$146
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
$39 6.1%
Vac
$67 5.1% ↑ 69.8%$28
🚌Getting Around
Cairo
$12 1.8%
Vac
$40 3.1% ↑ 244%$28
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cairo
$346 24.3%
Vac
$760 24.3% ↑ 120%$414
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cairo
$324 22.8%
Vac
$553 17.7% ↑ 71%$230
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
$265 18.6%
Vac
$310 9.9% ↑ 16.9%$45
🍽Eating Out
Cairo
$320 22.5%
Vac
$1K 33.5% ↑ 227%$725
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
$58 4.1%
Vac
$219 7% ↑ 276%$161
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
$86 6.1%
Vac
$154 4.9% ↑ 78.4%$67
🚌Getting Around
Cairo
$24 1.7%
Vac
$82 2.6% ↑ 243%$58
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $222 in Cairo versus $519 in Vac. 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 610% higher in Vac, 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 $110 in Vac. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $142 vs $232 – making Cairo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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 Vac: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Vac cheaper than Cairo?
Yes – Vac is pricier by about 102%, 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 $1,957 in Vac. 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 Vac?
Groceries cost about 64% more in Vac, 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 Vac?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Cairo and $110 in Vac. 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 Vac?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cairo, where all-in costs run around $647, than in Vac at $1,305. In Cairo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vac it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Cairo or Vac 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 Vac?
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, Vac makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.