Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cairo and Warsaw

For one person, living is cheaper in Cairo: $643 a month against $2,045 in Warsaw, rent and utilities included – about $16,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cairo
🇪🇬 Egypt
$643
/mo nomad
Warsaw
🇵🇱 Poland
$2,045
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cairo and in Warsaw

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

A single person spends $643 per month in Cairo vs $2,045 in Warsaw, rent included.

  • Cairo $643
  • Warsaw $2,045

A couple spends around $1,037 per month in Cairo vs $2,944 in Warsaw, rent included.

  • Cairo $1,037
  • Warsaw $2,944

A family of three spends $1,431 per month in Cairo vs $3,843 in Warsaw, rent included.

  • Cairo $1,431
  • Warsaw $3,843

Cairo is about 69% cheaper than Warsaw, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Cairo sits 52% below the global median, while Warsaw is 53% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cairo
Warsaw
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.69 E£245
$11.46 zł 44.74
-59.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.49 E£1,491
$61.2 zł 239
-53.48%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.03 E£316
$10.40 zł 40.58
-42.02%
Cappuccino
$1.81 E£94.8
$4.36 zł 17.03
-58.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 E£18.18
$2.22 zł 8.65
-84.23%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.15 E£7.95
$2.24 zł 8.73
-93.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.45 E£76.0
$4.67 zł 18.24
-68.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 E£117
$5.20 zł 20.28
-56.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cairo
Warsaw
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.97 E£50.7
$1.05 zł 4.11
-7.62%
White Bread (500g)
$0.73 E£37.97
$1.54 zł 6.00
-52.60%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.77 E£40.25
$1.58 zł 6.15
-51.27%
Eggs
$1.17 E£61.2
$3.81 zł 14.88
-69.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.32 E£226
$8.71 zł 34.00
-50.40%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.07 E£265
$6.49 zł 25.34
-21.88%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.92 E£467
$14.86 zł 58.0
-39.97%
Apples (1kg)
$1.83 E£95.8
$1.20 zł 4.70
52.50%
Banana (1kg)
$0.75 E£39.08
$1.67 zł 6.51
-55.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.57 E£29.78
$1.64 zł 6.38
-65.24%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.51 E£26.63
$4.25 zł 16.58
-88.00%
Potato (1kg)
$0.38 E£20.06
$0.92 zł 3.60
-58.70%
Onion (1kg)
$0.42 E£21.89
$0.87 zł 3.40
-51.72%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.35 E£18.43
$1.48 zł 5.77
-76.35%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.24 E£12.57
$0.64 zł 2.51
-62.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.99 E£104
$6.37 zł 24.86
-68.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.48 E£391
$6.37 zł 24.84
17.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.52 E£79.4
$1.09 zł 4.25
39.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13 E£112
$1.63 zł 6.37
30.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Cairo
Warsaw
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.33 E£17.10
$1.12 zł 4.35
-70.54%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.66 E£453
$28.30 zł 110
-69.40%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.37 E£19.27
$2.63 zł 10.24
-85.93%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.20 E£10.65
$1.26 zł 4.93
-84.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.49 E£77.8
$12.86 zł 50.2
-88.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.46 E£23.95
$1.70 zł 6.64
-72.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.6K E£1.7M
$30.2K zł 118.0K
7.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.4K E£1.5M
$29.7K zł 116.1K
-4.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
Warsaw
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$27.54 E£1,441
$352 zł 1,375
-92.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.27 E£433
$9.15 zł 35.71
-9.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$14.05 E£735
$16.14 zł 63.0
-12.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
Warsaw
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$28.27 E£1,480
$45.94 zł 179
-38.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.70 E£350
$28.38 zł 111
-76.39%
Cinema Ticket
$4.40 E£230
$8.95 zł 34.93
-50.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cairo
Warsaw
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$121 E£6,357
$600 zł 2,339
-79.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,619 E£189.4K
$14.3K zł 55.7K
-74.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
Warsaw
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.16 E£2,102
$112 zł 436
-64.09%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.61 E£2,596
$41.03 zł 160
20.91%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 E£6,034
$107 zł 418
7.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$60.6 E£3,170
$110 zł 431
-45.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cairo
Warsaw
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$220 E£11.5K
$1,177 zł 4,594
-81.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$194 E£10.2K
$977 zł 3,812
-80.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$514 E£26.9K
$2,096 zł 8,181
-75.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$334 E£17.5K
$1,580 zł 6,166
-78.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$806 E£42.2K
$5,960 zł 23.3K
-86.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$513 E£26.9K
$3,860 zł 15.1K
-86.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cairo
Warsaw
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$200 E£10.5K
$2,096 zł 8,178
-90.45%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
16.21
6.62
144.86%

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

Last update for Cairo: October 3, 2026

Last update for Warsaw: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cairo
$194
Warsaw
$977 403% $783
Groceries & Markets
Cairo
$141
Warsaw
$234 65.7% $93
Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
$120
Warsaw
$167 39.5% $47
Eating Out
Cairo
$91
Warsaw
$227 149% $136
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
$50
Warsaw
$378 657% $328
Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
$37
Warsaw
$64 72.2% $27
Getting Around
Cairo
$11
Warsaw
$42 267% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $220 in Cairo versus $1,177 in Warsaw. 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 947% higher in Warsaw, 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 $61.0 in Warsaw. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $141 vs $234 – making Cairo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇪🇬 Cairo
🇵🇱 Warsaw
🕒 Local time
12:04 12:04 PM
11:04 11:04 AM
1 h behind Cairo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,120,350 Capital
1,861,599 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, USD, EUR to EGP – Egyptian Pound Converter

Egyptian Pound exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 52.33 EGP (100 EGP = 1.91 USD). 1 EUR = 58.69 EGP (100 EGP = 1.7 EUR).

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.9 PLN (1 PLN = 0.256 USD). 1 EUR = 4.38 PLN (1 PLN = 0.228 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cairo Warsaw 2,610 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Cairo
  • Warsaw

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 Warsaw: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Warsaw cheaper than Cairo?
Yes – Warsaw is pricier by about 218%, 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 $965 per month in Cairo and $3,067 in Warsaw. 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 Warsaw?
Groceries cost about 66% more in Warsaw, 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 Warsaw?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Cairo and $61.0 in Warsaw. 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 Warsaw?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cairo, where all-in costs run around $643, than in Warsaw at $2,045. In Cairo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Warsaw it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Cairo or Warsaw 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 Warsaw?
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, Warsaw makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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