Cost of Living Comparison Between Egypt and Mali Cost of Living Comparison Between Egypt and Mali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $453 in Egypt versus $245 in Mali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $729 in Egypt versus $406 in Mali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,005 in Egypt versus $566 in Mali.

Living in Egypt is roughly 85% more expensive than Mali on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Egypt 66% lower, Mali 82% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Egypt
Mali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.98 E£206
$6.86 F CFA 3,898
-41.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.48 E£1,007
$37.86 F CFA 21.5K
-48.55%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.03 E£260
$6.39 F CFA 3,632
-21.28%
Cappuccino
$1.41 E£72.8
$1.88 F CFA 1,067
-25.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 E£18.17
$0.80 F CFA 454
-56.25%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.13 E£6.66
$0.57 F CFA 322
-77.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.41 E£72.6
$2.36 F CFA 1,341
-40.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 E£155
$21.13 F CFA 12.0K
-85.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Egypt
Mali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.83 E£42.73
$2.37 F CFA 1,346
-64.98%
White Bread (500g)
$0.58 E£30.17
$3.48 F CFA 1,976
-83.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.67 E£34.53
-
-
Eggs
$1.51 E£77.8
$4.53 F CFA 2,573
-66.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.28 E£170
$17.54 F CFA 9,966
-81.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.26 E£220
$17.16 F CFA 9,748
-75.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.56 E£442
$13.31 F CFA 7,560
-35.69%
Apples (1kg)
$1.47 E£75.9
$3.02 F CFA 1,717
-51.32%
Banana (1kg)
$0.61 E£31.42
$1.48 F CFA 839
-58.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.47 E£24.50
$2.84 F CFA 1,616
-83.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.37 E£19.27
$2.38 F CFA 1,355
-84.45%
Potato (1kg)
$0.48 E£24.91
$1.65 F CFA 937
-70.91%
Onion (1kg)
$0.41 E£21.32
$1.76 F CFA 998
-76.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.24 E£12.43
$0.09 F CFA 53.5
166.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.20 E£10.48
$2.30 F CFA 1,305
-91.30%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.89 E£97.9
$0.95 F CFA 538
98.95%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.66 E£344
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 E£65.2
$1.53 F CFA 867
-17.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93 E£100.0
$1.30 F CFA 740
48.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Egypt
Mali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 E£13.75
$4.58 F CFA 2,601
-94.10%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$6.04 E£312
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.42 E£21.66
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.29 E£14.82
$1.22 F CFA 690
-76.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.31 E£67.8
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.30 E£15.73
$1.16 F CFA 659
-74.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K E£1.8M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.5K E£1.6M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Egypt
Mali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$21.12 E£1,091
$148 F CFA 84.3K
-85.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.02 E£363
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.83 E£611
$58.4 F CFA 33.2K
-79.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Egypt
Mali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$14.85 E£767
$68.5 F CFA 38.9K
-78.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.60 E£341
$4.17 F CFA 2,370
58.27%
Cinema Ticket
$2.98 E£154
$5.78 F CFA 3,282
-48.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Egypt
Mali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$86.2 E£4,454
$79.7 F CFA 45.3K
8.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,943 E£100.4K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Egypt
Mali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$26.24 E£1,356
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.69 E£2,257
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$109 E£5,637
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$51.3 E£2,650
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Egypt
Mali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$168 E£8,656
$175 F CFA 99.6K
-4.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$102 E£5,284
$79.4 F CFA 45.1K
28.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$325 E£16.8K
$413 F CFA 234.9K
-21.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$192 E£9,936
$305 F CFA 173.4K
-36.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$745 E£38.5K
$10.3K F CFA 5.9M
-92.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$446 E£23.0K
$851 F CFA 483.7K
-47.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Egypt
Mali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$146 E£7,562
$264 F CFA 150.2K
-44.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
16.38
0
-

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

Last update for Egypt: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mali: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $184 in Egypt, $43.00 in Mali. Capital cities: $202 in Cairo vs $173 in Bamako.

National salary averages: $136 in Egypt, $260 in Mali. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 328% higher in Egypt.

Dining out costs 60% more in Egypt.

Salaries are 91% higher in Mali, giving Mali stronger purchasing power.

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 $507 per month in Egypt and $446 in Mali, there's a 14% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Mali is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Egypt beats Mali across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,200 a realistic budget in Egypt or Mali?
In Mali, $1,200 covers most cities easily. In Egypt, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Egypt or Mali?
It depends on what you're after. Mali wins on affordability; Egypt may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Egypt vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar countries