Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cairo and Zagazig

For one person, living is cheaper in Zagazig: $359 a month against $635 in Cairo, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cairo, Egypt
Zagazig, Egypt
Cairo
🇪🇬 Egypt
$635
/mo nomad
Zagazig
🇪🇬 Egypt
$359
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cairo and in Zagazig

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

A single person spends $635 per month in Cairo vs $359 in Zagazig, rent included.

  • Cairo $635
  • Zagazig $359

A couple spends around $1,010 per month in Cairo vs $599 in Zagazig, rent included.

  • Cairo $1,010
  • Zagazig $599

A family of three spends $1,385 per month in Cairo vs $838 in Zagazig, rent included.

  • Cairo $1,385
  • Zagazig $838

Cairo costs about 77% more than Zagazig, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Cairo and Zagazig are more affordable than the global median – Cairo 53% lower, Zagazig 73% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cairo
Zagazig
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63 E£258
$3.65 E£203
26.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$27.66 E£1,542
$14.80 E£825
86.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.83 E£325
$4.96 E£277
17.54%
Cappuccino
$1.69 E£94.1
$0.93 E£51.6
81.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 E£19.62
$0.27 E£14.98
29.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.13 E£7.17
$0.14 E£7.87
-7.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.47 E£81.8
$1.46 E£81.4
0.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21 E£123
$2.21 E£123
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cairo
Zagazig
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.94 E£52.7
$0.75 E£41.57
25.33%
White Bread (500g)
$0.79 E£43.82
$0.29 E£16.18
172.41%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.70 E£39.07
$0.59 E£32.78
18.64%
Eggs
$1.12 E£62.2
$1.17 E£65.2
-4.27%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.08 E£227
$3.77 E£210
8.22%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.77 E£266
$3.96 E£221
20.45%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.81 E£491
$7.58 E£423
16.23%
Apples (1kg)
$1.68 E£93.7
$1.33 E£74.4
26.32%
Banana (1kg)
$0.71 E£39.76
$0.73 E£40.66
-2.74%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.59 E£32.70
$0.38 E£21.36
55.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.51 E£28.26
$0.23 E£12.60
121.74%
Potato (1kg)
$0.37 E£20.69
$0.38 E£21.19
-2.63%
Onion (1kg)
$0.44 E£24.51
$0.35 E£19.62
25.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.34 E£19.19
$0.08 E£4.30
325.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.21 E£11.66
$0.23 E£12.85
-8.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.99 E£111
$1.94 E£108
2.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.49 E£418
$7.51 E£419
-0.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.51 E£84.0
$1.55 E£86.4
-2.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.08 E£116
$2.03 E£113
2.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Cairo
Zagazig
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 E£19.10
$0.11 E£6.11
209.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.31 E£464
$5.41 E£302
53.60%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.40 E£22.43
$0.21 E£11.97
90.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.19 E£10.43
$0.18 E£9.87
5.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.50 E£83.6
$1.45 E£80.9
3.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.45 E£24.82
$0.41 E£22.83
9.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.1K E£1.8M
$33.7K E£1.9M
-1.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1K E£1.5M
$25.7K E£1.4M
1.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
Zagazig
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$27.62 E£1,541
$14.13 E£788
95.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.83 E£437
$4.84 E£270
61.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$14.39 E£803
$10.27 E£573
40.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
Zagazig
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$28.62 E£1,596
$9.84 E£549
190.85%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.47 E£417
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.56 E£254
$1.89 E£106
141.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cairo
Zagazig
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$120 E£6,701
$118 E£6,561
2.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,476 E£193.9K
$3,513 E£195.9K
-1.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
Zagazig
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$39.13 E£2,182
$18.90 E£1,054
107.04%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.04 E£2,735
$48.48 E£2,704
1.16%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 E£6,198
$111 E£6,198
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.0 E£3,178
$16.86 E£940
237.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cairo
Zagazig
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$215 E£12.0K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$196 E£10.9K
$36.54 E£2,038
436.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$542 E£30.2K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$338 E£18.8K
$93.5 E£5,213
261.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$830 E£46.3K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$512 E£28.5K
$283 E£15.8K
80.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cairo
Zagazig
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$195 E£10.9K
$153 E£8,526
27.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
16.21
10
62.10%

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

Last update for Cairo: October 18, 2026

Last update for Zagazig: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cairo
$196
Zagazig
$37 81.3% $159
Groceries & Markets
Cairo
$137
Zagazig
$117 14.9% $20
Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
$115
Zagazig
$88 23.8% $27
Eating Out
Cairo
$88
Zagazig
$69 22.5% $20
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
$50
Zagazig
$29 41.3% $21
Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
$38
Zagazig
$14 63.9% $24
Getting Around
Cairo
$11
Zagazig
$7 36.9% $4.1

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 27% higher in Cairo, 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 in Cairo versus $15 in Zagazig. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $137 vs $117 – making Zagazig the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇪🇬 Cairo
🇪🇬 Zagazig
🕒 Local time
08:59 8:59 AM
08:59 8:59 AM
Same time as Cairo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,120,350 Capital
285,097
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to EGP – Egyptian Pound Converter

Egyptian Pound exchange rates as of October 26, 2026: 1 USD = 55.77 EGP (100 EGP = 1.79 USD). 1 EUR = 62.57 EGP (100 EGP = 1.6 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cairo Zagazig 65 km
From you
  • Cairo
  • Zagazig

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 Zagazig: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Zagazig cheaper than Cairo?
Yes – Cairo is pricier by about 77%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $953 per month in Cairo and $539 in Zagazig. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do food prices compare in Cairo and in Zagazig?
Groceries cost about 18% more in Cairo, 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 Zagazig?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $28 in Cairo and $15 in Zagazig. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $800 enough for either Cairo or Zagazig?
$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $635 in Cairo and $359 in Zagazig, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Cairo or in Zagazig?
It depends on your priorities. Cairo has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $359 in Zagazig to $635 in Cairo. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Zagazig. 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.

Cairo vs other spots: cost of living compared

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