For one person, living is cheaper in Egypt: $449 a month against $904 in Mali, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Other living expenses 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 Mali and in Egypt actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $904 in Mali versus $449 in Egypt.
Mali $904
Egypt $449
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,481 in Mali versus $733 in Egypt.
Mali $1,481
Egypt $733
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,058 in Mali versus $1,017 in Egypt.
Mali $2,058
Egypt $1,017
📏
Internal cost variation is higher in Mali: monthly costs span $86 to $894, compared to $295–$677 in Egypt. City choice carries more weight in Mali.
🌍
Living in Mali is roughly 101% more expensive than in Egypt on average.
📊
Both countries sit below the global median: Mali 34% lower, Egypt 67% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Mali
Egypt
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.47F CFA 4,952
$3.46E£192
144.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.49F CFA 21.3K
$17.81E£987
104.88%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.25F CFA 4,825
$4.51E£250
82.93%
Cappuccino
$1.71F CFA 1,002
$1.38E£76.7
23.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.89F CFA 519
$0.34E£18.58
161.76%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71F CFA 416
$0.14E£7.59
407.14%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.34F CFA 1,368
$1.37E£75.7
70.80%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$21.20F CFA 12.4K
$2.70E£150
685.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mali
Egypt
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.94F CFA 1,137
$0.79E£43.69
145.57%
White Bread(500g)
$3.80F CFA 2,224
$0.68E£37.70
458.82%
Rice(white)(1kg)
-
$0.60E£33.01
-
Eggs
$6.05F CFA 3,540
$1.18E£65.2
412.71%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.84F CFA 10.4K
$3.18E£176
461.01%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$17.36F CFA 10.2K
$3.91E£217
343.99%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.30F CFA 7,778
$7.74E£429
71.83%
Apples(1kg)
$3.11F CFA 1,819
$1.45E£80.3
114.48%
Banana(1kg)
$1.46F CFA 853
$0.67E£36.86
117.91%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.90F CFA 1,697
$0.49E£26.99
491.84%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.32F CFA 1,355
$0.35E£19.65
562.86%
Potato(1kg)
$1.67F CFA 975
$0.36E£20.02
363.89%
Onion(1kg)
$1.58F CFA 923
$0.35E£19.54
351.43%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.11F CFA 62.7
$0.28E£15.58
-60.71%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.90F CFA 1,696
$0.19E£10.30
1426.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.01F CFA 592
$1.83E£101
-44.81%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$6.19E£343
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.46F CFA 853
$1.30E£71.8
12.31%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30F CFA 762
$1.87E£104
-30.48%
🚌 Getting Around
Mali
Egypt
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$0.28E£15.53
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$7.24E£401
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
-
$0.37E£20.63
-
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.22F CFA 714
$0.26E£14.37
369.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
-
$1.82E£101
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.09F CFA 635
$0.40E£22.06
172.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$29.9KE£1.7M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$24.0KE£1.3M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mali
Egypt
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$147F CFA 86.2K
$20.40E£1,130
622.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$6.78E£375
-
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$65.0F CFA 38.0K
$12.41E£687
424.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mali
Egypt
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$70.1F CFA 41.0K
$17.00E£942
312.18%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.36E£352
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$2.93E£163
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mali
Egypt
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$76.9F CFA 45.0K
$94.2E£5,218
-18.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
-
$2,362E£130.8K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mali
Egypt
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$25.33E£1,403
-
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$41.23E£2,284
-
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
-
$105E£5,815
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$47.95E£2,657
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mali
Egypt
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$172F CFA 100.3K
$140E£7,747
22.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$79.5F CFA 46.5K
$88.9E£4,924
-10.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$506F CFA 295.9K
$282E£15.6K
79.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$297F CFA 173.4K
$179E£9,920
65.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$10.1KF CFA 5.9M
$683E£37.8K
1381.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$843F CFA 493.3K
$432E£23.9K
95.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mali
Egypt
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$257F CFA 150.1K
$141E£7,820
81.85%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
0
17.11
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mali: October 25, 2026
Last update for Egypt: October 25, 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.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Mali
–
Egypt
$117 26%
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Mali
–
Egypt
$99 22%
🏠Accommodation & Living
Mali
–
Egypt
$89 19.8%
🍽Eating Out
Mali
–
Egypt
$72 16%
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mali
–
Egypt
$40 8.8%
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Mali
–
Egypt
$23 5.1%
🚌Getting Around
Mali
–
Egypt
$10 2.2%
🛒Groceries & Markets
Mali
–
Egypt
$268 26.3%
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Mali
–
Egypt
$219 21.6%
🏠Accommodation & Living
Mali
–
Egypt
$179 17.6%
🍽Eating Out
Mali
–
Egypt
$232 22.8%
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mali
–
Egypt
$46 4.6%
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Mali
–
Egypt
$52 5.1%
🚌Getting Around
Mali
–
Egypt
$21 2%
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $176 in Mali, $136 in Egypt. Capital cities: $176 in Bamako vs $203 in Cairo.
💰National salary averages: $264 in Mali, $129 in Egypt. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
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
Mali vs Egypt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Egypt and Mali?
At $449 per month in Egypt and $904 in Mali, Egypt comes out about 50% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $176 in Mali and $136 in Egypt. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
Should I move to Egypt or to Mali?
It depends on what you’re after: Egypt wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.