For one person, living is cheaper in Egypt: $449 a month against $904 in Mali, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most 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 Egypt and in Mali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $449 in Egypt versus $904 in Mali.
Egypt $449
Mali $904
Estimated couple costs with rent: $733 in Egypt versus $1,481 in Mali.
Egypt $733
Mali $1,481
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,017 in Egypt versus $2,058 in Mali.
Egypt $1,017
Mali $2,058
📏
Internal cost variation is higher in Mali: monthly costs span $86 to $894, compared to $295–$677 in Egypt. City choice carries more weight in Mali.
🌍
Living in Egypt costs about 50% less than in Mali on average.
📊
Both countries sit below the global median: Egypt 67% lower, Mali 34% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Egypt
Mali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.46E£191
$8.47F CFA 4,958
-59.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$17.81E£985
$36.49F CFA 21.4K
-51.19%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.51E£249
$8.25F CFA 4,831
-45.33%
Cappuccino
$1.38E£76.5
$1.71F CFA 1,003
-19.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34E£18.55
$0.89F CFA 520
-61.80%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.14E£7.57
$0.71F CFA 416
-80.28%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.37E£75.6
$2.34F CFA 1,370
-41.45%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.70E£149
$21.20F CFA 12.4K
-87.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Egypt
Mali
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.79E£43.61
$1.94F CFA 1,139
-59.28%
White Bread(500g)
$0.68E£37.63
$3.80F CFA 2,226
-82.11%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.60E£32.95
-
-
Eggs
$1.18E£65.0
$6.05F CFA 3,544
-80.50%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$3.18E£176
$17.84F CFA 10.4K
-82.17%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.91E£216
$17.36F CFA 10.2K
-77.48%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.74E£428
$13.30F CFA 7,787
-41.80%
Apples(1kg)
$1.45E£80.2
$3.11F CFA 1,822
-53.38%
Banana(1kg)
$0.67E£36.79
$1.46F CFA 854
-54.11%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.49E£26.94
$2.90F CFA 1,699
-83.10%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.35E£19.61
$2.32F CFA 1,357
-84.91%
Potato(1kg)
$0.36E£19.98
$1.67F CFA 976
-78.44%
Onion(1kg)
$0.35E£19.51
$1.58F CFA 924
-77.85%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.28E£15.55
$0.11F CFA 62.7
154.55%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.19E£10.28
$2.90F CFA 1,698
-93.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.83E£101
$1.01F CFA 593
81.19%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.19E£343
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.30E£71.6
$1.46F CFA 854
-10.96%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.87E£104
$1.30F CFA 763
43.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Egypt
Mali
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.28E£15.50
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$7.24E£401
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.37E£20.60
-
-
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.26E£14.35
$1.22F CFA 715
-78.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.82E£101
-
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.40E£22.02
$1.09F CFA 636
-63.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.9KE£1.7M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0KE£1.3M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Egypt
Mali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$20.40E£1,128
$147F CFA 86.3K
-86.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.78E£375
-
-
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$12.41E£686
$65.0F CFA 38.1K
-80.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Egypt
Mali
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$17.00E£940
$70.1F CFA 41.0K
-75.74%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.36E£352
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$2.93E£162
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Egypt
Mali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$94.2E£5,208
$76.9F CFA 45.0K
22.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,362E£130.6K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Egypt
Mali
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.33E£1,401
-
-
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.23E£2,280
-
-
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$105E£5,805
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$47.95E£2,652
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Egypt
Mali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$140E£7,733
$172F CFA 100.4K
-18.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$88.9E£4,915
$79.5F CFA 46.5K
11.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$282E£15.6K
$506F CFA 296.3K
-44.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$179E£9,902
$297F CFA 173.6K
-39.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$683E£37.8K
$10.1KF CFA 5.9M
-93.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$432E£23.9K
$843F CFA 493.8K
-48.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Egypt
Mali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$141E£7,806
$257F CFA 150.3K
-45.01%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
17.11
0
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Egypt: October 25, 2026
Last update for Mali: October 25, 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.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Egypt
$117 26%
Mali
–
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Egypt
$99 22%
Mali
–
🏠Accommodation & Living
Egypt
$89 19.8%
Mali
–
🍽Eating Out
Egypt
$72 16%
Mali
–
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Egypt
$40 8.8%
Mali
–
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Egypt
$23 5.1%
Mali
–
🚌Getting Around
Egypt
$10 2.2%
Mali
–
🛒Groceries & Markets
Egypt
$268 26.3%
Mali
–
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Egypt
$219 21.6%
Mali
–
🏠Accommodation & Living
Egypt
$179 17.6%
Mali
–
🍽Eating Out
Egypt
$232 22.8%
Mali
–
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Egypt
$46 4.6%
Mali
–
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Egypt
$52 5.1%
Mali
–
🚌Getting Around
Egypt
$21 2%
Mali
–
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $136 in Egypt, $176 in Mali. Capital cities: $203 in Cairo vs $176 in Bamako.
💰National salary averages: $129 in Egypt, $264 in Mali. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
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
Egypt vs Mali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Egypt and Mali?
At $449 per month in Egypt and $904 in Mali, Egypt comes out about 50% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $176 in Mali and $136 in Egypt. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
Should I move to Egypt or to Mali?
It depends on what you’re after: Egypt wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.