Cost of Living Comparison Between Egypt and Western Sahara Cost of Living Comparison Between Egypt and Western Sahara

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $455 in Egypt versus $636 in Western Sahara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $730 in Egypt versus $1,031 in Western Sahara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,004 in Egypt versus $1,425 in Western Sahara.

Living in Egypt costs about 28% less than in Western Sahara on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Egypt 66% lower, Western Sahara 52% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Egypt: monthly costs span $317 to $705, compared to $636$636 in Western Sahara. City choice carries more weight in Egypt.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Egypt
Western Sahara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.89 E£199
$3.96 MAD 36.97
-1.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.99 E£1,021
$28.80 MAD 269
-30.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.89 E£250
$4.55 MAD 42.40
7.47%
Cappuccino
$1.42 E£72.4
$1.62 MAD 15.09
-12.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 E£16.74
$0.49 MAD 4.55
-32.65%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.14 E£6.94
$0.35 MAD 3.22
-60.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.37 E£69.9
$3.40 MAD 31.71
-59.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99 E£153
$4.73 MAD 44.07
-36.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Egypt
Western Sahara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.85 E£43.41
$0.83 MAD 7.73
2.41%
White Bread (500g)
$0.63 E£32.05
$0.56 MAD 5.25
12.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.66 E£33.80
$1.83 MAD 17.10
-63.93%
Eggs
$1.45 E£74.2
$1.42 MAD 13.24
2.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.15 E£161
$11.36 MAD 106
-72.27%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.33 E£221
$3.50 MAD 32.67
23.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.42 E£430
$9.38 MAD 87.4
-10.23%
Apples (1kg)
$1.45 E£74.0
$1.54 MAD 14.41
-5.84%
Banana (1kg)
$0.57 E£29.10
$1.17 MAD 10.93
-51.28%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.48 E£24.41
$0.66 MAD 6.16
-27.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.41 E£20.76
$0.56 MAD 5.25
-26.79%
Potato (1kg)
$0.48 E£24.56
$0.48 MAD 4.45
-
Onion (1kg)
$0.44 E£22.72
$0.37 MAD 3.41
18.92%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.24 E£12.26
$0.98 MAD 9.09
-75.51%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.19 E£9.76
$0.60 MAD 5.62
-68.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.99 E£101
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$6.79 E£347
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.30 E£66.4
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.87 E£95.4
$3.46 MAD 32.22
-45.95%
🚌 Getting Around
Egypt
Western Sahara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 E£14.99
$0.56 MAD 5.22
-48.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$6.17 E£315
$11.59 MAD 108
-46.76%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.39 E£19.74
$0.71 MAD 6.58
-45.07%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.31 E£15.91
$0.66 MAD 6.11
-53.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.25 E£63.9
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.31 E£15.75
$1.22 MAD 11.40
-74.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.3K E£1.8M
$40.0K MAD 373.1K
-14.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.9K E£1.6M
$27.0K MAD 251.8K
14.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Egypt
Western Sahara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$21.05 E£1,075
$32.15 MAD 300
-34.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.02 E£358
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.61 E£593
$21.90 MAD 204
-46.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Egypt
Western Sahara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$14.78 E£755
$23.58 MAD 220
-37.32%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.97 E£356
$34.79 MAD 324
-79.97%
Cinema Ticket
$2.89 E£147
$3.44 MAD 32.11
-15.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Egypt
Western Sahara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$86.0 E£4,393
$293 MAD 2,730
-70.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,931 E£98.6K
$3,424 MAD 31.9K
-43.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Egypt
Western Sahara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$26.03 E£1,329
$34.90 MAD 325
-25.42%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.67 E£2,230
$57.7 MAD 538
-24.34%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 E£5,478
$75.0 MAD 699
43.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$51.4 E£2,623
$80.4 MAD 750
-36.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Egypt
Western Sahara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$163 E£8,301
$352 MAD 3,287
-53.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$102 E£5,196
$171 MAD 1,594
-40.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$319 E£16.3K
$696 MAD 6,487
-54.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$189 E£9,641
$291 MAD 2,713
-35.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$773 E£39.5K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$449 E£22.9K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Egypt
Western Sahara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$155 E£7,901
-
-
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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Western Sahara: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $183 in Egypt, $347 in Western Sahara. Capital cities: $207 in Cairo vs $347 in Laayoune.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 90% higher in Western Sahara.

Dining out costs 81% more in Western Sahara.

Public transport is 500% more expensive in Western Sahara.

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 Western Sahara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Egypt and Western Sahara?
At $511 per month in Egypt and $636 in Western Sahara, there's a 24% 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 Western Sahara 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 Western Sahara?
In Egypt, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Western Sahara 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 Western Sahara?
It depends on what you're after: Egypt wins on affordability; Western Sahara may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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