Cost of Living Comparison Between Egypt and United States Cost of Living Comparison Between Egypt and United States

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $452 in Egypt versus $2,622 in United States.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $733 in Egypt versus $3,830 in United States.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,013 in Egypt versus $5,038 in United States.

Living in Egypt costs about 83% less than in United States on average.

Egypt (67% below) and United States (91% above) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in United States: monthly costs span $983 to $5,177, compared to $323$754 in Egypt. City choice carries more weight in United States.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Egypt
United States
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.83 E£195
$19.78 $19.78
-80.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.84 E£1,012
$81.4 $81.4
-75.61%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.02 E£256
$12.11 $12.11
-58.55%
Cappuccino
$1.47 E£75.1
$5.44 $5.44
-72.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34 E£17.46
$2.67 $2.67
-87.27%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.14 E£7.00
$2.08 $2.08
-93.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.47 E£74.9
$6.06 $6.06
-75.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 E£155
$8.14 $8.14
-62.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Egypt
United States
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.92 E£46.70
$1.05 $1.05
-12.38%
White Bread (500g)
$0.69 E£35.18
$3.65 $3.65
-81.10%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.66 E£33.80
$4.45 $4.45
-85.17%
Eggs
$1.37 E£69.6
$4.35 $4.35
-68.51%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.30 E£168
$12.73 $12.73
-74.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.39 E£224
$12.46 $12.46
-64.77%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.86 E£452
$16.95 $16.95
-47.73%
Apples (1kg)
$1.57 E£80.1
$5.30 $5.30
-70.38%
Banana (1kg)
$0.71 E£36.37
$1.70 $1.70
-58.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.54 E£27.55
$4.40 $4.40
-87.73%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.44 E£22.67
$5.01 $5.01
-91.22%
Potato (1kg)
$0.40 E£20.61
$2.87 $2.87
-86.06%
Onion (1kg)
$0.42 E£21.19
$3.13 $3.13
-86.58%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.31 E£15.87
$2.32 $2.32
-86.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.20 E£10.18
$2.34 $2.34
-91.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.96 E£99.8
$10.55 $10.55
-81.42%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.06 E£360
$14.94 $14.94
-52.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.45 E£74.1
$2.12 $2.12
-31.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.15 E£110
$3.69 $3.69
-41.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Egypt
United States
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 E£14.76
$2.37 $2.37
-87.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.26 E£421
$65.1 $65.1
-87.30%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.41 E£20.73
$3.42 $3.42
-88.01%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.31 E£16.01
$1.89 $1.89
-83.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.74 E£88.8
$30.16 $30.16
-94.23%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.46 E£23.35
$0.98 $0.98
-53.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.1K E£1.7M
$35.9K $35.9K
-7.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.7K E£1.4M
$25.9K $25.9K
6.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Egypt
United States
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$22.19 E£1,132
$218 $218
-89.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.25 E£370
$61.0 $61.0
-88.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.63 E£695
$74.8 $74.8
-81.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Egypt
United States
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$18.10 E£923
$44.42 $44.42
-59.25%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.89 E£351
$22.53 $22.53
-69.42%
Cinema Ticket
$2.98 E£152
$14.80 $14.80
-79.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Egypt
United States
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$96.4 E£4,914
$1,476 $1,476
-93.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,547 E£129.9K
$25.9K $25.9K
-90.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Egypt
United States
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$27.80 E£1,418
$54.4 $54.4
-48.85%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.35 E£2,262
$43.59 $43.59
1.74%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 E£5,619
$92.9 $92.9
18.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$50.3 E£2,564
$114 $114
-55.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Egypt
United States
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$158 E£8,077
$1,639 $1,639
-90.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$94.5 E£4,821
$1,358 $1,358
-93.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$306 E£15.6K
$2,699 $2,699
-88.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$196 E£10.0K
$2,199 $2,199
-91.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$763 E£38.9K
$3,269 $3,269
-76.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$454 E£23.1K
$2,589 $2,589
-82.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Egypt
United States
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$155 E£7,919
$4,357 $4,357
-96.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
16.46
6.21
165.06%

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

Last update for Egypt: August 31, 2026

Last update for United States: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $146 in Egypt, $1,606 in United States. Capital cities: $213 in Cairo vs $1,373 in Columbia, TN.

National salary averages: $140 in Egypt, $4,519 in United States. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1000% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 341% more in United States.

Public transport is 800% more expensive in United States.

Salaries are 3128% higher in United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in United States.

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 United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Egypt and United States?
At $539 per month in Egypt and $3,080 in United States, there's a 472% 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?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Egypt: 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 United States is consistently higher than in Egypt across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in Egypt or in United States?
In Egypt, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in United States it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Egypt or to United States?
It depends on what you're after: Egypt wins on affordability; United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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