Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Egypt and Mali

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.

Egypt
Mali
🇪🇬 Egypt
$449
/mo nomad
🇲🇱 Mali
$904
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Egypt and in Mali

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
🍽 Eating Out
Egypt
Mali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.46 E£191
$8.47 F CFA 4,958
-59.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$17.81 E£985
$36.49 F CFA 21.4K
-51.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.51 E£249
$8.25 F CFA 4,831
-45.33%
Cappuccino
$1.38 E£76.5
$1.71 F CFA 1,003
-19.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34 E£18.55
$0.89 F CFA 520
-61.80%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.14 E£7.57
$0.71 F CFA 416
-80.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.37 E£75.6
$2.34 F CFA 1,370
-41.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.70 E£149
$21.20 F CFA 12.4K
-87.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Egypt
Mali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.79 E£43.61
$1.94 F CFA 1,139
-59.28%
White Bread (500g)
$0.68 E£37.63
$3.80 F CFA 2,226
-82.11%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.60 E£32.95
-
-
Eggs
$1.18 E£65.0
$6.05 F CFA 3,544
-80.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.18 E£176
$17.84 F CFA 10.4K
-82.17%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.91 E£216
$17.36 F CFA 10.2K
-77.48%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.74 E£428
$13.30 F CFA 7,787
-41.80%
Apples (1kg)
$1.45 E£80.2
$3.11 F CFA 1,822
-53.38%
Banana (1kg)
$0.67 E£36.79
$1.46 F CFA 854
-54.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.49 E£26.94
$2.90 F CFA 1,699
-83.10%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.35 E£19.61
$2.32 F CFA 1,357
-84.91%
Potato (1kg)
$0.36 E£19.98
$1.67 F CFA 976
-78.44%
Onion (1kg)
$0.35 E£19.51
$1.58 F CFA 924
-77.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.28 E£15.55
$0.11 F CFA 62.7
154.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.19 E£10.28
$2.90 F CFA 1,698
-93.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.83 E£101
$1.01 F CFA 593
81.19%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.19 E£343
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.30 E£71.6
$1.46 F CFA 854
-10.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.87 E£104
$1.30 F CFA 763
43.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Egypt
Mali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.28 E£15.50
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$7.24 E£401
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.37 E£20.60
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.26 E£14.35
$1.22 F CFA 715
-78.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.82 E£101
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.40 E£22.02
$1.09 F CFA 636
-63.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.9K E£1.7M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0K E£1.3M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Egypt
Mali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$20.40 E£1,128
$147 F CFA 86.3K
-86.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.78 E£375
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$12.41 E£686
$65.0 F CFA 38.1K
-80.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Egypt
Mali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$17.00 E£940
$70.1 F CFA 41.0K
-75.74%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.36 E£352
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$2.93 E£162
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Egypt
Mali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$94.2 E£5,208
$76.9 F CFA 45.0K
22.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,362 E£130.6K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Egypt
Mali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.33 E£1,401
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.23 E£2,280
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 E£5,805
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$47.95 E£2,652
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Egypt
Mali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$140 E£7,733
$172 F CFA 100.4K
-18.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$88.9 E£4,915
$79.5 F CFA 46.5K
11.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$282 E£15.6K
$506 F CFA 296.3K
-44.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$179 E£9,902
$297 F CFA 173.6K
-39.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$683 E£37.8K
$10.1K F CFA 5.9M
-93.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$432 E£23.9K
$843 F CFA 493.8K
-48.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Egypt
Mali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$141 E£7,806
$257 F 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.
Groceries & Markets
Egypt
$117
Mali
–
Clothing & Footwear
Egypt
$99
Mali
–
Accommodation & Living
Egypt
$89
Mali
–
Eating Out
Egypt
$72
Mali
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Egypt
$40
Mali
–
Sport & Entertainment
Egypt
$23
Mali
–
Getting Around
Egypt
$10
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.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 29% higher in Mali.

Dining out costs 125% more in Mali.

Salaries are about 2 times higher in Mali.

Good to know
🇪🇬 Egypt
🇲🇱 Mali
🕒 Local time
02:01 2:01 AM
00:01 12:01 AM
2 h behind Egypt
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
114,535,772
20,250,833
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

XOF, USD, EUR to EGP – Egyptian Pound Converter

Egyptian Pound exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 55.3 EGP (100 EGP = 1.81 USD). 1 EUR = 61.98 EGP (100 EGP = 1.61 EUR).

West African CFA Franc exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 586 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.52 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Egypt Mali 4,470 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Egypt
  • Mali

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.

Egypt vs other spots: cost of living compared

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