Cost of Living Comparison Between Mali and Egypt Cost of Living Comparison Between Mali and Egypt

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $251 in Mali versus $453 in Egypt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $416 in Mali versus $727 in Egypt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $580 in Mali versus $1,001 in Egypt.

Living in Mali costs about 45% less than in Egypt on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Mali 81% lower, Egypt 66% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mali
Egypt
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.79 F CFA 3,881
$4.07 E£206
66.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.48 F CFA 21.4K
$19.87 E£1,006
88.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.57 F CFA 3,755
$5.03 E£255
30.62%
Cappuccino
$1.92 F CFA 1,097
$1.46 E£74.0
31.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.80 F CFA 457
$0.35 E£17.77
128.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 F CFA 338
$0.14 E£7.16
321.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.42 F CFA 1,381
$1.35 E£68.2
79.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$20.70 F CFA 11.8K
$2.98 E£151
594.63%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mali
Egypt
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.38 F CFA 1,358
$0.85 E£43.13
180.00%
White Bread (500g)
$3.34 F CFA 1,907
$0.58 E£29.56
475.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
-
$0.71 E£35.92
-
Eggs
$4.49 F CFA 2,564
$1.49 E£75.3
201.34%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.53 F CFA 10.0K
$3.18 E£161
451.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$17.25 F CFA 9,861
$4.34 E£219
297.47%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.14 F CFA 7,509
$8.59 E£435
52.97%
Apples (1kg)
$3.14 F CFA 1,793
$1.52 E£77.1
106.58%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 F CFA 835
$0.57 E£28.62
156.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.77 F CFA 1,586
$0.44 E£22.24
529.55%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.27 F CFA 1,299
$0.41 E£20.51
453.66%
Potato (1kg)
$1.57 F CFA 898
$0.48 E£24.42
227.08%
Onion (1kg)
$1.86 F CFA 1,063
$0.44 E£22.47
322.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.09 F CFA 51.5
$0.24 E£12.15
-62.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.24 F CFA 1,282
$0.22 E£11.12
918.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$0.95 F CFA 543
$1.91 E£96.9
-50.26%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$6.78 E£343
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.51 F CFA 864
$1.26 E£63.6
19.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29 F CFA 736
$1.94 E£98.4
-33.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Mali
Egypt
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.61 F CFA 2,632
$0.29 E£14.75
1489.66%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$6.09 E£308
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$0.38 E£19.29
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.25 F CFA 717
$0.29 E£14.66
331.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$1.25 E£63.1
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.14 F CFA 650
$0.31 E£15.69
267.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$34.2K E£1.7M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$31.0K E£1.6M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mali
Egypt
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$151 F CFA 86.3K
$21.00 E£1,063
618.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$6.90 E£349
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$56.5 F CFA 32.3K
$11.85 E£600
377.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mali
Egypt
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$66.5 F CFA 38.0K
$14.44 E£731
360.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.04 F CFA 2,308
$6.93 E£351
-41.70%
Cinema Ticket
$5.62 F CFA 3,212
$2.88 E£146
95.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mali
Egypt
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$79.9 F CFA 45.7K
$86.4 E£4,372
-7.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$1,970 E£99.7K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mali
Egypt
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$25.66 E£1,299
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$44.56 E£2,256
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$109 E£5,533
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$50.5 E£2,555
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mali
Egypt
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$178 F CFA 101.7K
$163 E£8,244
9.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$79.8 F CFA 45.6K
$102 E£5,180
-22.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$410 F CFA 234.2K
$324 E£16.4K
26.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$304 F CFA 173.9K
$188 E£9,510
61.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.0K F CFA 5.7M
$742 E£37.6K
1252.19%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$850 F CFA 485.6K
$450 E£22.8K
88.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mali
Egypt
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$257 F CFA 147.1K
$152 E£7,701
69.15%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
16.38
-

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

Last update for Mali: July 26, 2026

Last update for Egypt: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $43.00 in Mali, $183 in Egypt. Capital cities: $173 in Bamako vs $206 in Cairo.

National salary averages: $261 in Mali, $140 in Egypt. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 326% higher in Egypt.

Dining out costs 78% more in Egypt.

Salaries are 86% higher in Mali, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Mali.

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
Mali vs Egypt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Egypt and Mali?
At $503 per month in Egypt and $459 in Mali, there's a 10% 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 Mali: 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 Egypt is consistently higher than in Mali across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,200 a realistic budget in Egypt or in Mali?
In Mali, $1,200 covers most cities easily; in Egypt 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 Mali?
It depends on what you're after: Mali wins on affordability; Egypt may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Mali vs other spots: cost of living compared

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