Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maastricht and Cairo

For one person, living is cheaper in Cairo: $643 a month against $2,528 in Maastricht, rent and utilities included – about $22,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Maastricht
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,528
/mo nomad
Cairo
🇪🇬 Egypt
$643
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Maastricht and in Cairo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Maastricht and in Cairo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,528 per month in Maastricht vs $643 in Cairo, rent included.

  • Maastricht $2,528
  • Cairo $643

A couple spends around $3,646 per month in Maastricht vs $1,037 in Cairo, rent included.

  • Maastricht $3,646
  • Cairo $1,037

A family of three spends $4,764 per month in Maastricht vs $1,431 in Cairo, rent included.

  • Maastricht $4,764
  • Cairo $1,431

Maastricht costs about 293% more than Cairo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Maastricht sits 89% above the global median, while Cairo is 52% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Maastricht
Cairo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.54 €18.33
$4.69 E£245
337.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$89.9 €80.3
$28.49 E£1,491
215.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.20 €10.89
$6.03 E£315
102.32%
Cappuccino
$4.44 €3.96
$1.81 E£94.7
145.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.88 €3.47
$0.35 E£18.18
1008.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.14 €2.80
$0.15 E£7.95
1993.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.64 €7.71
$1.45 E£76.0
495.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 €5.13
$2.24 E£117
156.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Maastricht
Cairo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 €1.11
$0.97 E£50.7
28.87%
White Bread (500g)
$2.51 €2.24
$0.73 E£37.96
243.84%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.73 €2.44
$0.77 E£40.24
254.55%
Eggs
$4.67 €4.17
$1.17 E£61.2
299.15%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.86 €13.26
$4.32 E£226
243.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.86 €12.37
$5.07 E£265
173.37%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.76 €14.06
$8.92 E£467
76.68%
Apples (1kg)
$2.68 €2.39
$1.83 E£95.8
46.45%
Banana (1kg)
$2.43 €2.17
$0.75 E£39.07
224.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.89 €1.69
$0.57 E£29.78
231.58%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.33 €3.86
$0.51 E£26.62
749.02%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 €1.74
$0.38 E£20.05
410.53%
Onion (1kg)
$2.40 €2.14
$0.42 E£21.88
471.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.33 €1.19
$0.35 E£18.43
280.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 €0.75
$0.24 E£12.57
250.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.91 €12.41
$1.99 E£104
598.99%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.82 €6.09
$7.48 E£391
-8.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.47 €1.31
$1.52 E£79.4
-3.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65 €2.37
$2.13 E£112
24.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Maastricht
Cairo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.10 €2.77
$0.33 E£17.10
839.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$89.3 €79.7
$8.66 E£453
931.18%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$11.17 €9.96
$0.37 E£19.27
2918.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.21 €2.87
$0.20 E£10.65
1505.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$28.07 €25.05
$1.49 E£77.8
1783.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.42 €2.16
$0.46 E£23.94
426.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$41.1K €36.7K
$32.6K E£1.7M
25.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.0K €35.7K
$28.4K E£1.5M
40.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maastricht
Cairo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$295 €263
$27.54 E£1,441
971.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.39 €15.52
$8.27 E£432
110.28%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.97 €43.70
$14.05 E£735
248.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Maastricht
Cairo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.12 €41.16
$28.27 E£1,479
63.14%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.45 €25.39
$6.70 E£350
324.63%
Cinema Ticket
$15.59 €13.91
$4.40 E£230
254.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Maastricht
Cairo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,245 €1,111
$121 E£6,356
924.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.2K €10.0K
$3,619 E£189.3K
210.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Maastricht
Cairo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$81.5 €72.7
$40.16 E£2,101
102.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.19 €34.08
$49.61 E£2,596
-23.02%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 €101
$115 E£6,033
-2.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$129 €115
$60.6 E£3,170
113.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Maastricht
Cairo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,284 €1,145
$220 E£11.5K
483.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,138 €1,016
$194 E£10.2K
486.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,112 €1,885
$514 E£26.9K
310.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,677 €1,496
$334 E£17.5K
402.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,385 €4,805
$806 E£42.2K
567.88%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,551 €3,169
$513 E£26.9K
591.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Maastricht
Cairo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,251 €2,901
$200 E£10.5K
1523.96%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.42
16.21
-72.73%

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

Last update for Maastricht: October 4, 2026

Last update for Cairo: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Maastricht
$1.1K
Cairo
$194 82.9% $944
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maastricht
$361
Cairo
$50 86.2% $312
Groceries & Markets
Maastricht
$338
Cairo
$141 58.2% $197
Eating Out
Maastricht
$337
Cairo
$91 73% $246
Clothing & Footwear
Maastricht
$163
Cairo
$120 26.6% $43
Getting Around
Maastricht
$129
Cairo
$11 91.2% $118
Sport & Entertainment
Maastricht
$77
Cairo
$37 52% $40

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,284 in Maastricht versus $220 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 1524% higher in Maastricht, 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 $90.0 in Maastricht versus $28.00 in Cairo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $338 vs $141 – making Cairo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇳🇱 Maastricht
🇪🇬 Cairo
🕒 Local time
08:19 8:19 AM
09:19 9:19 AM
1 h ahead of Maastricht
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
120,105
9,120,350 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EGP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Egyptian Pound exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 52.32 EGP (100 EGP = 1.91 USD). 1 EUR = 58.68 EGP (100 EGP = 1.7 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Maastricht Cairo 3,130 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Maastricht
  • Cairo

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
Maastricht vs Cairo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cairo cheaper than Maastricht?
Yes – Maastricht is pricier by about 293%, 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 $3,791 per month in Maastricht and $965 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 Maastricht and in Cairo?
Groceries cost about 139% more in Maastricht, 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 Maastricht or in Cairo?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Maastricht 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 Maastricht or in Cairo?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cairo, where all-in costs run around $643, than in Maastricht at $2,528. In Cairo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Maastricht it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Maastricht 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, Maastricht 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, Maastricht makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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