Cost of Living Comparison Between Eritrea and Egypt Cost of Living Comparison Between Eritrea and Egypt

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $728 in Eritrea versus $452 in Egypt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,075 in Eritrea versus $728 in Egypt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,422 in Eritrea versus $1,003 in Egypt.

Living in Eritrea is roughly 61% more expensive than Egypt on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Eritrea 46% lower, Egypt 66% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Eritrea: monthly costs span $0 to $1,455, compared to $316$689 in Egypt. City choice carries more weight in Eritrea.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Eritrea
Egypt
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.23 ERN 183
$3.88 E£201
215.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$30.10 ERN 452
$19.73 E£1,021
52.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.59 ERN 83.9
$4.85 E£251
15.26%
Cappuccino
$0.74 ERN 11.15
$1.45 E£74.9
-48.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79 ERN 26.83
$0.33 E£16.84
442.42%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.32 ERN 19.79
$0.12 E£6.34
1000.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.01 ERN 15.20
$1.41 E£72.9
-28.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 ERN 29.80
$3.02 E£156
-34.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Eritrea
Egypt
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.63 ERN 24.50
$0.89 E£45.86
83.15%
White Bread (500g)
$0.52 ERN 7.77
$0.57 E£29.57
-8.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.95 ERN 29.28
$0.66 E£34.23
195.45%
Eggs
$4.58 ERN 68.7
$1.49 E£77.0
207.38%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.08 ERN 46.27
$3.19 E£165
-3.45%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$26.44 ERN 397
$4.27 E£221
519.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.11 ERN 152
$8.80 E£455
14.89%
Apples (1kg)
$12.08 ERN 181
$1.47 E£76.0
721.77%
Banana (1kg)
$1.31 ERN 19.64
$0.59 E£30.69
122.03%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.93 ERN 28.92
$0.47 E£24.54
310.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.25 ERN 18.82
$0.38 E£19.53
228.95%
Potato (1kg)
$1.81 ERN 27.15
$0.44 E£22.97
311.36%
Onion (1kg)
$1.10 ERN 16.48
$0.44 E£22.96
150.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.70 ERN 10.54
$0.22 E£11.37
218.18%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.16 ERN 32.41
$0.18 E£9.13
1100.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.04 ERN 30.67
$1.88 E£97.3
8.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.84 ERN 178
$6.42 E£332
84.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.99 ERN 14.81
$1.32 E£68.2
-25.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.14 ERN 17.06
$1.96 E£101
-41.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Eritrea
Egypt
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.15 ERN 2.22
$0.27 E£13.95
-44.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$7.84 ERN 118
$6.18 E£320
26.86%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.68 ERN 10.27
$0.42 E£21.74
61.90%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 ERN 9.64
$0.29 E£14.79
120.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.49 ERN 127
$1.29 E£66.9
558.14%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.14 ERN 32.15
$0.34 E£17.35
529.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$67.4K ERN 1.0M
$34.7K E£1.8M
94.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$69.4K ERN 1.0M
$31.2K E£1.6M
122.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Eritrea
Egypt
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$27.68 ERN 415
$21.81 E£1,129
26.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$68.4 ERN 1,026
$7.24 E£375
844.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$201 ERN 3,020
$11.59 E£600
1636.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Eritrea
Egypt
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$26.54 ERN 398
$14.63 E£757
81.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.72 ERN 116
$6.91 E£358
11.72%
Cinema Ticket
$1.13 ERN 16.99
$2.93 E£152
-61.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Eritrea
Egypt
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$25.25 ERN 379
$85.8 E£4,443
-70.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,656 ERN 24.8K
$1,979 E£102.5K
-16.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Eritrea
Egypt
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$81.9 ERN 1,229
$25.95 E£1,344
215.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$74.7 ERN 1,121
$44.79 E£2,319
66.78%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$199 ERN 2,989
$108 E£5,598
84.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.6 ERN 1,434
$50.8 E£2,628
88.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Eritrea
Egypt
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$469 ERN 7,040
$167 E£8,629
181.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$398 ERN 5,965
$102 E£5,260
291.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$713 ERN 10.7K
$327 E£16.9K
118.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 ERN 9,820
$188 E£9,751
247.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,288 ERN 19.3K
$713 E£36.9K
80.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,870 ERN 28.0K
$441 E£22.8K
323.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Eritrea
Egypt
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$509 ERN 7,633
$135 E£6,966
278.17%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12
16.38
-26.74%

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

Last update for Eritrea: April 14, 2026

Last update for Egypt: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $236 in Eritrea, $183 in Egypt. Capital cities: $473 in Asmara vs $210 in Cairo.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 29% higher in Eritrea.

Public transport is 100% more expensive in Eritrea.

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
Eritrea vs Egypt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Egypt and Eritrea?
At $503 per month in Egypt and $728 in Eritrea, there's a 45% 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?
Egypt 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 Eritrea beats 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 Eritrea?
In Egypt, $1,000 covers most cities easily. In Eritrea, 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 Eritrea?
It depends on what you're after. Egypt wins on affordability; Eritrea may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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