For one person, living is cheaper in Cairo: $647 a month against $1,773 in Luqa, rent and utilities included – about $13,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Luqa and in Cairo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $1,773 per month in Luqa vs $647 in Cairo, rent included.
Luqa $1,773
Cairo $647
A couple spends around $2,738 per month in Luqa vs $1,035 in Cairo, rent included.
Luqa $2,738
Cairo $1,035
A family of three spends $3,703 per month in Luqa vs $1,423 in Cairo, rent included.
Luqa $3,703
Cairo $1,423
😐
Luqa costs about 174% more than Cairo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
Luqa sits 31% above the global median, while Cairo is 52% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Luqa
Cairo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.40€17.26
$4.64E£248
318.10%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$85.5€76.1
$28.12E£1,501
204.05%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.99€9.77
$6.03E£322
82.26%
Cappuccino
$2.74€2.44
$1.72E£92.1
59.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09€2.75
$0.36E£19.38
758.33%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25€2.00
$0.12E£6.41
1775.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.43€3.94
$1.51E£80.4
193.38%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.29€3.82
$2.32E£124
84.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Luqa
Cairo
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.19€1.06
$0.92E£48.92
29.35%
White Bread(500g)
$1.15€1.02
$0.73E£38.92
57.53%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.54€3.15
$0.74E£39.64
378.38%
Eggs
$3.97€3.53
$1.19E£63.7
233.61%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.42€7.49
$4.33E£231
94.46%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.15€9.03
$5.03E£269
101.79%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.66€13.93
$9.28E£496
68.75%
Apples(1kg)
$2.82€2.51
$1.77E£94.4
59.32%
Banana(1kg)
$2.03€1.81
$0.73E£39.03
178.08%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.04€2.70
$0.55E£29.51
452.73%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.41€3.03
$0.50E£26.91
582.00%
Potato(1kg)
$1.78€1.58
$0.42E£22.42
323.81%
Onion(1kg)
$1.97€1.75
$0.41E£21.81
380.49%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.30€2.04
$0.33E£17.51
596.97%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88€0.78
$0.21E£11.20
319.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.91€6.15
$1.98E£106
248.99%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.88€7.01
$7.81E£417
0.90%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.53€1.36
$1.59E£84.7
-3.77%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21€1.97
$2.09E£112
5.74%
🚌 Getting Around
Luqa
Cairo
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.22€1.97
$0.35E£18.83
534.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$14.31€12.73
$8.69E£464
64.67%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.44€4.84
$0.39E£21.02
1294.87%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.17€1.93
$0.22E£11.57
886.36%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$26.71€23.76
$1.51E£80.5
1668.87%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49€1.32
$0.43E£22.88
246.51%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.7K€22.0K
$32.7KE£1.7M
-24.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.2K€34.9K
$27.2KE£1.5M
44.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Luqa
Cairo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$101€89.8
$27.27E£1,456
270.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.06€22.29
$8.58E£458
192.07%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.93€30.18
$13.99E£747
142.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Luqa
Cairo
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$54.5€48.47
$29.69E£1,585
83.53%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$56.0€49.76
$7.25E£387
671.72%
Cinema Ticket
$9.84€8.75
$4.86E£260
102.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Luqa
Cairo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$371€330
$121E£6,438
207.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.1K€9,912
$3,560E£190.1K
213.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Luqa
Cairo
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.0€76.5
$40.28E£2,151
113.48%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.53€36.05
$49.53E£2,645
-18.17%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$82.1€73.0
$115E£6,137
-28.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.7€70.0
$60.0E£3,206
31.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Luqa
Cairo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$801€712
$222E£11.9K
260.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$808€719
$195E£10.4K
314.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,313€1,168
$550E£29.3K
138.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,284€1,142
$346E£18.5K
270.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,858€2,542
$800E£42.7K
257.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,139€2,792
$525E£28.0K
498.02%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Luqa
Cairo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,418€1,261
$200E£10.7K
609.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
2.9
16.21
-82.11%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Luqa: October 12, 2026
Last update for Cairo: October 11, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Luqa
$808 45.6%
Cairo
$195 30.2% ↓ 75.9%$613
🛒Groceries & Markets
Luqa
$289 16.3%
Cairo
$142 21.9% ↓ 50.9%$147
🍽Eating Out
Luqa
$273 15.4%
Cairo
$90 13.9% ↓ 67%$183
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Luqa
$160 9%
Cairo
$50 7.7% ↓ 68.8%$110
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Luqa
$129 7.3%
Cairo
$119 18.4% ↓ 7.8%$10
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Luqa
$74 4.2%
Cairo
$39 6.1% ↓ 46.9%$35
🚌Getting Around
Luqa
$40 2.2%
Cairo
$12 1.8% ↓ 70.7%$28
🏠Accommodation & Living
Luqa
$1.3K 34.7%
Cairo
$346 24.3% ↓ 73%$938
🛒Groceries & Markets
Luqa
$677 18.3%
Cairo
$324 22.8% ↓ 52.2%$354
🍽Eating Out
Luqa
$982 26.5%
Cairo
$320 22.5% ↓ 67.4%$662
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Luqa
$185 5%
Cairo
$58 4.1% ↓ 68.4%$127
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Luqa
$287 7.8%
Cairo
$265 18.6% ↓ 7.8%$23
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Luqa
$204 5.5%
Cairo
$86 6.1% ↓ 57.9%$118
🚌Getting Around
Luqa
$83 2.3%
Cairo
$24 1.7% ↓ 71.4%$60
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $801 in Luqa versus $222 in Cairo. 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 610% higher in Luqa, 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 $85.0 in Luqa versus $28.00 in Cairo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $142 – making Cairo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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
Luqa vs Cairo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cairo cheaper than Luqa?
Yes – Luqa is pricier by about 174%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,659 per month in Luqa and $970 in Cairo. 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 Cairo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Luqa and in Cairo?
Groceries cost about 104% more in Luqa, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Luqa or in Cairo?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $85.0 in Luqa and $28.00 in Cairo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Luqa or in Cairo?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cairo, where all-in costs run around $647, than in Luqa at $1,773. In Cairo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Luqa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Luqa or Cairo more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Cairo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Luqa or Cairo?
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 Cairo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Luqa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.