Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Marseille and Cairo

For one person, living is cheaper in Cairo: $643 a month against $2,000 in Marseille, rent and utilities included – about $16,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Marseille
🇫🇷 France
$2,000
/mo nomad
Cairo
🇪🇬 Egypt
$643
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Marseille 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 Marseille and in Cairo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,000 per month in Marseille vs $643 in Cairo, rent included.

  • Marseille $2,000
  • Cairo $643

A couple spends around $3,188 per month in Marseille vs $1,037 in Cairo, rent included.

  • Marseille $3,188
  • Cairo $1,037

A family of three spends $4,376 per month in Marseille vs $1,431 in Cairo, rent included.

  • Marseille $4,376
  • Cairo $1,431

Marseille costs about 211% more than Cairo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Marseille sits 49% above the global median, while Cairo is 52% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Marseille
Cairo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.34 €17.26
$4.69 E£245
312.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.3 €66.3
$28.49 E£1,491
160.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.21 €11.79
$6.03 E£315
119.07%
Cappuccino
$3.54 €3.16
$1.81 E£94.7
95.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.39 €3.03
$0.35 E£18.18
868.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 €1.85
$0.15 E£7.95
1280.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.85 €6.11
$1.45 E£76.0
372.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.75 €6.02
$2.24 E£117
201.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Marseille
Cairo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.28 €1.15
$0.97 E£50.7
31.96%
White Bread (500g)
$2.52 €2.25
$0.73 E£37.96
245.21%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.06 €2.73
$0.77 E£40.24
297.40%
Eggs
$4.82 €4.30
$1.17 E£61.2
311.97%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$27.38 €24.43
$4.32 E£226
533.80%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.87 €13.27
$5.07 E£265
193.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$27.06 €24.15
$8.92 E£467
203.36%
Apples (1kg)
$3.89 €3.47
$1.83 E£95.8
112.57%
Banana (1kg)
$2.85 €2.54
$0.75 E£39.07
280.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.33 €3.87
$0.57 E£29.78
659.65%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.11 €3.67
$0.51 E£26.62
705.88%
Potato (1kg)
$2.96 €2.64
$0.38 E£20.05
678.95%
Onion (1kg)
$2.60 €2.32
$0.42 E£21.88
519.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.91 €1.71
$0.35 E£18.43
445.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.41 €1.26
$0.24 E£12.57
487.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.63 €12.17
$1.99 E£104
584.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.05 €8.97
$7.48 E£391
34.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.03 €3.59
$1.52 E£79.4
165.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 €3.42
$2.13 E£112
79.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Marseille
Cairo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.91 €1.71
$0.33 E£17.10
478.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$45.30 €40.42
$8.66 E£453
423.09%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.50 €4.91
$0.37 E£19.27
1386.49%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.32 €2.96
$0.20 E£10.65
1560.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$28.11 €25.09
$1.49 E£77.8
1786.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.01
$0.46 E£23.94
389.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.7K €31.0K
$32.6K E£1.7M
6.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K €30.9K
$28.4K E£1.5M
22.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Marseille
Cairo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$187 €167
$27.54 E£1,441
578.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.42 €15.54
$8.27 E£432
110.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.23 €33.22
$14.05 E£735
164.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Marseille
Cairo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.55 €35.29
$28.27 E£1,479
39.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.45 €19.14
$6.70 E£350
220.15%
Cinema Ticket
$13.85 €12.36
$4.40 E£230
214.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Marseille
Cairo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$881 €786
$121 E£6,356
625.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.1K €9,040
$3,619 E£189.3K
179.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Marseille
Cairo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$82.0 €73.2
$40.16 E£2,101
104.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.70 €44.35
$49.61 E£2,596
0.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$112 €99.6
$115 E£6,033
-3.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132 €118
$60.6 E£3,170
118.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Marseille
Cairo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$891 €795
$220 E£11.5K
305.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$652 €582
$194 E£10.2K
235.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,539 €1,374
$514 E£26.9K
199.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,349 €1,204
$334 E£17.5K
304.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,992 €4,455
$806 E£42.2K
519.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,544 €3,163
$513 E£26.9K
590.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Marseille
Cairo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,408 €2,149
$200 E£10.5K
1102.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.89
16.21
-76.00%

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

Last update for Marseille: 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
Marseille
$652
Cairo
$194 70.2% $458
Groceries & Markets
Marseille
$468
Cairo
$141 69.8% $327
Eating Out
Marseille
$306
Cairo
$91 70.3% $215
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Marseille
$241
Cairo
$50 79.4% $192
Clothing & Footwear
Marseille
$169
Cairo
$120 29.3% $49
Getting Around
Marseille
$75
Cairo
$11 84.9% $64
Sport & Entertainment
Marseille
$67
Cairo
$37 44.9% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $891 in Marseille 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 1103% higher in Marseille, 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 $74.0 in Marseille versus $28.00 in Cairo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $468 vs $141 – making Cairo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Marseille
🇪🇬 Cairo
🕒 Local time
13:59 1:59 PM
14:59 2:59 PM
1 h ahead of Marseille
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
873,076
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 = 58.63 EGP (100 EGP = 1.71 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Marseille Cairo 2,720 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Marseille
  • 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
Marseille vs Cairo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cairo cheaper than Marseille?
Yes – Marseille is pricier by about 211%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,001 per month in Marseille 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 Marseille and in Cairo?
Groceries cost about 231% more in Marseille, 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 Marseille or in Cairo?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Marseille 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 Marseille or in Cairo?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cairo, where all-in costs run around $643, than in Marseille at $2,000. In Cairo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Marseille it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Marseille 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, Marseille 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, Marseille makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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