Cost of Living Comparison Between Hurghada and Ismailia Cost of Living Comparison Between Hurghada and Ismailia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $479 per month in Hurghada vs $353 in Ismailia, rent included.

A couple spends around $987 per month in Hurghada vs $591 in Ismailia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,494 per month in Hurghada vs $830 in Ismailia, rent included.

Hurghada costs about 36% more than Ismailia, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Hurghada and Ismailia are more affordable than the global median – Hurghada 65% lower, Ismailia 74% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hurghada
Ismailia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.94 E£200
$3.46 E£176
13.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.46 E£2,005
$16.03 E£815
146.16%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.05 E£308
$3.92 E£199
54.34%
Cappuccino
$1.89 E£95.9
$1.09 E£55.5
73.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.54 E£27.21
$0.31 E£15.96
74.19%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.15 E£7.61
$0.13 E£6.57
15.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.18 E£111
$1.36 E£69.0
60.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.11 E£158
$2.02 E£103
53.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hurghada
Ismailia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.99 E£50.5
$0.89 E£45.09
11.24%
White Bread (500g)
$0.61 E£31.08
$0.41 E£20.62
48.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.67 E£33.84
$0.65 E£32.78
3.08%
Eggs
$1.97 E£100
$1.22 E£62.0
61.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$2.95 E£150
$3.84 E£195
-23.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.82 E£296
$4.31 E£219
35.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.96 E£506
$7.67 E£390
29.86%
Apples (1kg)
$1.53 E£77.7
$1.57 E£79.9
-2.55%
Banana (1kg)
$0.53 E£26.88
$0.54 E£27.37
-1.85%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.43 E£21.73
$0.45 E£22.71
-4.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.44 E£22.32
$0.37 E£18.66
18.92%
Potato (1kg)
$0.38 E£19.40
$0.27 E£13.80
40.74%
Onion (1kg)
$0.41 E£21.04
$0.33 E£16.97
24.24%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.30 E£15.42
$0.25 E£12.72
20.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.19 E£9.57
$0.18 E£9.23
5.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.33 E£118
$2.03 E£103
14.78%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.62 E£387
$5.80 E£295
31.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 E£64.1
$1.11 E£56.4
13.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.76 E£89.7
$2.02 E£103
-12.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Hurghada
Ismailia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.20 E£10.03
$0.27 E£13.76
-25.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$6.03 E£306
$3.91 E£199
54.22%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.96 E£48.67
$0.41 E£20.65
134.15%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.21 E£10.49
$0.45 E£22.94
-53.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.92 E£97.8
$2.01 E£102
-4.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.43 E£21.89
$0.43 E£21.86
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.1K E£1.7M
$29.0K E£1.5M
14.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.8K E£1.2M
$16.0K E£813.8K
42.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hurghada
Ismailia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$25.53 E£1,297
$14.02 E£713
82.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.03 E£408
$7.41 E£376
8.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.68 E£492
$8.09 E£411
19.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hurghada
Ismailia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$27.71 E£1,408
$10.40 E£529
166.44%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.31 E£321
$19.59 E£996
-67.79%
Cinema Ticket
$3.58 E£182
$2.03 E£103
76.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hurghada
Ismailia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$100 E£5,091
$69.5 E£3,532
44.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$609 E£30.9K
$1,253 E£63.7K
-51.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hurghada
Ismailia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$20.79 E£1,057
$14.00 E£711
48.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.97 E£1,726
$9.70 E£493
250.21%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$124 E£6,309
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$29.68 E£1,508
$29.02 E£1,475
2.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hurghada
Ismailia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$225 E£11.5K
$81.0 E£4,115
178.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$121 E£6,164
$33.04 E£1,679
267.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$246 E£12.5K
$127 E£6,460
93.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$575 E£29.2K
$78.0 E£3,965
636.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$567 E£28.8K
$491 E£25.0K
15.43%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$627 E£31.8K
$139 E£7,052
351.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hurghada
Ismailia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$155 E£7,895
$107 E£5,424
45.58%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
21.33
-

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

Last update for Hurghada: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ismailia: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $225 in Hurghada versus $81.0 in Ismailia. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 46% higher in Hurghada, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Hurghada versus $16.00 in Ismailia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $140 vs $117 – making Ismailia the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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
Hurghada vs Ismailia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ismailia cheaper than Hurghada?
Yes – Hurghada is pricier by about 36%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $718 per month in Hurghada and $529 in Ismailia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ismailia, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Hurghada and in Ismailia?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $479 in Hurghada and $353 in Ismailia. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 54% less in Ismailia. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $800 enough for either Hurghada or Ismailia?
$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $479 in Hurghada and $353 in Ismailia, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Hurghada or Ismailia more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Ismailia – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Hurghada or Ismailia?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Ismailia. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hurghada makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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